Panache Desai's Blog, page 21
September 5, 2014
Breaching the Chasm
Do you ever experience yourself as two different people - the roles you play for others and the authentic ever-present love that is your true identity?
There’s a chasm inside us all; a void that is best illustrated as a gulf between two mountains. One side is who you are on the level of your personality, and the other is who you are on the level of your soul. When your personality and soul are out of alignment with each other, the gulf is wide and threatens to grow ever wider.
When your soul and personality grow apart, the expanse between fills with pain and emotional density. The broader the separation, the more despair and heartbreak fill the void. Peering into the abyss may seem daunting, but if you wish to evolve into your divine potential, you must face what lives in that space.
By courageously standing in the truth of your experience, in the midst of all the scary and uncomfortable feelings that thrive in that emotional gulf, the light of awareness begins to shimmer and shine - transmuting that which once consumed you.
In order to live in peace with yourself and experience your divinity in every waking moment, you must measure the distance between your identity and your soul. The more willing you are to confront your sadness, anger, and disappointment and allow the gift of vibrational transformation to do its work inside of you, the more your personality and your soul will come into alignment.
Ultimately, there’s no way around this chasm. There’s no easy bridge to skip across. All you can do is stare into your deepest darkest valleys and embrace them. Your courage to feel connects the two sides, allowing you to experience the power of possibility. At that moment, you realize there’s nothing that you can’t do.
You can even move mountains.
There’s a chasm inside us all; a void that is best illustrated as a gulf between two mountains. One side is who you are on the level of your personality, and the other is who you are on the level of your soul. When your personality and soul are out of alignment with each other, the gulf is wide and threatens to grow ever wider.
When your soul and personality grow apart, the expanse between fills with pain and emotional density. The broader the separation, the more despair and heartbreak fill the void. Peering into the abyss may seem daunting, but if you wish to evolve into your divine potential, you must face what lives in that space.
By courageously standing in the truth of your experience, in the midst of all the scary and uncomfortable feelings that thrive in that emotional gulf, the light of awareness begins to shimmer and shine - transmuting that which once consumed you.
In order to live in peace with yourself and experience your divinity in every waking moment, you must measure the distance between your identity and your soul. The more willing you are to confront your sadness, anger, and disappointment and allow the gift of vibrational transformation to do its work inside of you, the more your personality and your soul will come into alignment.
Ultimately, there’s no way around this chasm. There’s no easy bridge to skip across. All you can do is stare into your deepest darkest valleys and embrace them. Your courage to feel connects the two sides, allowing you to experience the power of possibility. At that moment, you realize there’s nothing that you can’t do.
You can even move mountains.
August 28, 2014
The Art of Not Selling Out
I’ve noticed more and more these days how we glorify superficiality in our society. You see it in social media, reality TV, commercials, movies and music. Even our news channels have sold out. But while our cultural landscape seems to be waning, I believe there’s also an increasing desire for something significant and real in our lives.
As individuals, we’ve put undue pressure on ourselves to make a substantial living - even if it means rejecting your true expression for a career that doesn’t actually suit us.
One of the main reasons people don’t flourish in their careers is because they’re not authentically aligned with what they’re doing. If you’re not good at numbers, being an accountant may not be a realistic career path. You may not want to spend years of your life studying medicine if being a doctor isn’t really your passion. However, if you heed the greater call for something meaningful and honest, it can take you beyond the desire for wealth and success. When you get in touch with that attitude, you no longer have to go searching for a career. The career that fits comes looking for you.
When you come into authentic alignment with yourself, you don’t need material objects to make yourself feel successful. You begin to put core values in place - keystones that guide your inner authenticity and soul signature.
There are two expressions - the expression that solely caters to the external and the expression that stems from deep internal connection. The latter is the one that lasts. Your connection to yourself builds your inner strength and confidence. It also allows you to stay steadfast to your convictions and weather any storm. Without that vibrational stability, you swing in the wind, selling yourself out in any given moment and abandoning your core values.
Someone who is firmly rooted in themselves is immune to selling out. That person is living a life based on their core values. It means having the fortitude to say no to things that aren’t in alignment with your being. It means living the life you were meant to live.
What if you could trust in the fact that you were made the way you are for a reason? What if there’s a career that will leverage all your inherent gifts and talents in a way that works in your favor and for your good?
You don’t have to sell out to be successful. Discover your soul signature, set your core values, and your own model of success will emerge.
As individuals, we’ve put undue pressure on ourselves to make a substantial living - even if it means rejecting your true expression for a career that doesn’t actually suit us.
One of the main reasons people don’t flourish in their careers is because they’re not authentically aligned with what they’re doing. If you’re not good at numbers, being an accountant may not be a realistic career path. You may not want to spend years of your life studying medicine if being a doctor isn’t really your passion. However, if you heed the greater call for something meaningful and honest, it can take you beyond the desire for wealth and success. When you get in touch with that attitude, you no longer have to go searching for a career. The career that fits comes looking for you.
When you come into authentic alignment with yourself, you don’t need material objects to make yourself feel successful. You begin to put core values in place - keystones that guide your inner authenticity and soul signature.
There are two expressions - the expression that solely caters to the external and the expression that stems from deep internal connection. The latter is the one that lasts. Your connection to yourself builds your inner strength and confidence. It also allows you to stay steadfast to your convictions and weather any storm. Without that vibrational stability, you swing in the wind, selling yourself out in any given moment and abandoning your core values.
Someone who is firmly rooted in themselves is immune to selling out. That person is living a life based on their core values. It means having the fortitude to say no to things that aren’t in alignment with your being. It means living the life you were meant to live.
What if you could trust in the fact that you were made the way you are for a reason? What if there’s a career that will leverage all your inherent gifts and talents in a way that works in your favor and for your good?
You don’t have to sell out to be successful. Discover your soul signature, set your core values, and your own model of success will emerge.
August 21, 2014
Lessons from Frogs: Embodying Your “La Dee Da Dee Da”
Hidden in my daughters’ favorite nursery rhyme is actually a beautiful lesson.
“Der glumpf” went the little green frog one day; “Der glumpf” went the little green frog.
“Der glumpf” went the little green frog one day, and the frog went, “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
But we all know frogs go, “La dee da dee da! La dee da dee da! La dee da dee da!”
We all know frogs go, “La dee da dee da!” They don’t go, “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
I love this simple little song because it’s not just a catchy tune about a frog in a pond. It’s a powerful reflection on how we view life.
Your human perceptions inform your world and experience. What governs that perception is the degree to which you’ve integrated your emotions. If you fully integrate your emotional experience and let it flow through you, then everything is “la dee da dee da.” If you fail to integrate your pain, sorrow, and anger and allow it to color your life, you will continue to lug around the enervating energy of “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
It’s occurred to me that maybe nothing is as it seems. Perhaps everything that’s being presented is nothing more than human projection, and the truth is drastically different. What if everything is “la de da de da?” If that’s the case, the frog only went “glumpf” because someone told him he should.
Two individuals can look at the same object and see two entirely different things. It’s all interpreted through the lens of their perception. However, if you don’t know who you truly are, the lens of another’s experience can end up coloring yours.
Life isn’t about being harmonious with other people. It’s about being harmonious with yourself. Indeed we all know frogs go “la dee da dee da,” so it’s time to stop showing up as something other than who you really are. Have the courage to be yourself; fully anchored in your own authentic expression, whether others appreciate it or not. When you free yourself from the weight of human perfection, you remember the divine truth – that you are perfect, a magnificent embodiment of pure “la dee da dee da.”
“Der glumpf” went the little green frog one day; “Der glumpf” went the little green frog.
“Der glumpf” went the little green frog one day, and the frog went, “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
But we all know frogs go, “La dee da dee da! La dee da dee da! La dee da dee da!”
We all know frogs go, “La dee da dee da!” They don’t go, “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
I love this simple little song because it’s not just a catchy tune about a frog in a pond. It’s a powerful reflection on how we view life.
Your human perceptions inform your world and experience. What governs that perception is the degree to which you’ve integrated your emotions. If you fully integrate your emotional experience and let it flow through you, then everything is “la dee da dee da.” If you fail to integrate your pain, sorrow, and anger and allow it to color your life, you will continue to lug around the enervating energy of “glumpf, glumpf, glumpf.”
It’s occurred to me that maybe nothing is as it seems. Perhaps everything that’s being presented is nothing more than human projection, and the truth is drastically different. What if everything is “la de da de da?” If that’s the case, the frog only went “glumpf” because someone told him he should.
Two individuals can look at the same object and see two entirely different things. It’s all interpreted through the lens of their perception. However, if you don’t know who you truly are, the lens of another’s experience can end up coloring yours.
Life isn’t about being harmonious with other people. It’s about being harmonious with yourself. Indeed we all know frogs go “la dee da dee da,” so it’s time to stop showing up as something other than who you really are. Have the courage to be yourself; fully anchored in your own authentic expression, whether others appreciate it or not. When you free yourself from the weight of human perfection, you remember the divine truth – that you are perfect, a magnificent embodiment of pure “la dee da dee da.”
August 14, 2014
The Act and The Essence
I am saddened by the death of Robin Williams. I enjoyed watching him in so many movies. More than his comedic roles, though, it was his more serious performances that resonated made me love him.
Dead Poets Society is one of my favorite films of all time. His role in Good Will Hunting – playing the part of a mentor with a steadfast belief in the inherent genius of a disenfranchised young man - inspired me. In these roles, I feel as though I got to see Robin for who he truly was.
I believe Robin’s comedic brilliance was his coping mechanism- the way he tried to make sense of a world he fundamentally couldn't conform to. For me, his huge heart and ability to inspire and uplift was actually his Soul Signature. Beneath the one-liners and witty repartee, he was a champion for the underprivileged; he helped those who had lost hope in themselves.
When you become a hot commodity, your essence can often be compromised or lost. You are expected to play a role to satisfy the expectations or standards of others. Sometimes stars, in order to remain stars, bend and contort themselves to fit the conventions of their industry rather than being their authentic selves. As a result, addiction, depression, and feelings of loneliness often ensue.
At some point, no matter your station in life, you have to stop and ask: Who am I really? Am I, deep down, the person I present to the world? Am I an act or am I my essence?
Robin's essence shone brightly but sadly, it seems, he couldn’t see it. That, to me, is the greatest tragedy of all and a heartbreak that plagues the lives of most famous people. When you live in the glare of the limelight, you’re terrified of being alone in the dark. Most people are too afraid to know themselves in the absence of projections and too scared to face the truth of their experience once the laughter has faded away.
In real life, I wonder how much Robin needed someone to play the role of John Keating or Sean Maguire for him?
You will be missed... O’ Captain, my Captain.
Dead Poets Society is one of my favorite films of all time. His role in Good Will Hunting – playing the part of a mentor with a steadfast belief in the inherent genius of a disenfranchised young man - inspired me. In these roles, I feel as though I got to see Robin for who he truly was.
I believe Robin’s comedic brilliance was his coping mechanism- the way he tried to make sense of a world he fundamentally couldn't conform to. For me, his huge heart and ability to inspire and uplift was actually his Soul Signature. Beneath the one-liners and witty repartee, he was a champion for the underprivileged; he helped those who had lost hope in themselves.
When you become a hot commodity, your essence can often be compromised or lost. You are expected to play a role to satisfy the expectations or standards of others. Sometimes stars, in order to remain stars, bend and contort themselves to fit the conventions of their industry rather than being their authentic selves. As a result, addiction, depression, and feelings of loneliness often ensue.
At some point, no matter your station in life, you have to stop and ask: Who am I really? Am I, deep down, the person I present to the world? Am I an act or am I my essence?
Robin's essence shone brightly but sadly, it seems, he couldn’t see it. That, to me, is the greatest tragedy of all and a heartbreak that plagues the lives of most famous people. When you live in the glare of the limelight, you’re terrified of being alone in the dark. Most people are too afraid to know themselves in the absence of projections and too scared to face the truth of their experience once the laughter has faded away.
In real life, I wonder how much Robin needed someone to play the role of John Keating or Sean Maguire for him?
You will be missed... O’ Captain, my Captain.
August 7, 2014
Inner Peace, Outer Change
It’s impossible to ignore turmoil taking place around the world today. War, epidemic diseases, natural disaster, and rising death tolls dominate the daily news cycle. It's easy to succumb to feeling overwhelmed by global events; indeed they are powerful illustrations of how powerless we actually are.
For me, there is a transcendent lesson in this acknowledgment of our own powerlessness. There comes a point when you have to stop running away from your feelings and surrender to them. Accepting your inherent lack of control opens the doorway to true empowerment.
When you come to the realization that the world is going to be what it’s going to be, liberation begins. Instead of focusing on external events, you are free to do the inner work and turn the lens of awareness on yourself: reflecting on places where you’re not in harmony and embracing your pain, conflict, or struggle. As you make this revolutionary shift, you move out of victimhood and into a place of honesty and freedom.
The moment you begin to engage in the world from a place of personal responsibility and clarity within yourself, you will realize that you are the source of all change on the planet. If you tend to your internal peace, you’re tending to peace on earth. It’s imperative for you as a conscious individual to have a look inside at all the things you don’t want to see. This is the only way you can unite with others and make a tangible difference in the world.
What’s unfolding in the outside world is providing you with an opportunity to do the work on your inner world. If you come into harmony with who you are, peace on earth is that much closer. It’s not about the magnitude of your good deeds. As you come to love all aspects of yourself, that love becomes contagious and in some ways more profound than all the external contributions that have ever been made. The more you are at ease with yourself, the more your energy will shift, and anything that stands in the way of peace will be yesterday’s news.
Click Here to Join The Inner Peace Initiative LIVE Google Hangout with Doron Libshtein and Panache Desai on Sunday, August 10th, 2014, 10amPDT/1pmEDT/8pmIDT.
The Inner Peace Initiative is a global movement rooted in personal responsibility that firmly believes in providing individuals the effective tools they need to embody peace in every aspect of life and be the change they wish to see in the world. The Inner Peace Initiative Day is dedicated to the empowerment of the individual and the expansion of that potential when united with a like-minded collective.
Our deepest wish is for this day to mark the beginning of a universal clarion call for humanity to choose peace above all else.
May peace prevail on earth - now and always.
For me, there is a transcendent lesson in this acknowledgment of our own powerlessness. There comes a point when you have to stop running away from your feelings and surrender to them. Accepting your inherent lack of control opens the doorway to true empowerment.
When you come to the realization that the world is going to be what it’s going to be, liberation begins. Instead of focusing on external events, you are free to do the inner work and turn the lens of awareness on yourself: reflecting on places where you’re not in harmony and embracing your pain, conflict, or struggle. As you make this revolutionary shift, you move out of victimhood and into a place of honesty and freedom.
The moment you begin to engage in the world from a place of personal responsibility and clarity within yourself, you will realize that you are the source of all change on the planet. If you tend to your internal peace, you’re tending to peace on earth. It’s imperative for you as a conscious individual to have a look inside at all the things you don’t want to see. This is the only way you can unite with others and make a tangible difference in the world.
What’s unfolding in the outside world is providing you with an opportunity to do the work on your inner world. If you come into harmony with who you are, peace on earth is that much closer. It’s not about the magnitude of your good deeds. As you come to love all aspects of yourself, that love becomes contagious and in some ways more profound than all the external contributions that have ever been made. The more you are at ease with yourself, the more your energy will shift, and anything that stands in the way of peace will be yesterday’s news.
Click Here to Join The Inner Peace Initiative LIVE Google Hangout with Doron Libshtein and Panache Desai on Sunday, August 10th, 2014, 10amPDT/1pmEDT/8pmIDT.
The Inner Peace Initiative is a global movement rooted in personal responsibility that firmly believes in providing individuals the effective tools they need to embody peace in every aspect of life and be the change they wish to see in the world. The Inner Peace Initiative Day is dedicated to the empowerment of the individual and the expansion of that potential when united with a like-minded collective.
Our deepest wish is for this day to mark the beginning of a universal clarion call for humanity to choose peace above all else.
May peace prevail on earth - now and always.
August 5, 2014
It’s My Life and I’ll Cry If I Want To
There’s no shortage of blogs that will give you the scoop on the “Top 12 Things Happy People Do” or expose the “10 Scientifically Proven Ways To Be Incredibly Happy.” You can join Pharrell Williams and clap along, but in truth, you’re being sold a bill of goods.
Why? Because the concept of “happiness,” as defined by society, is an absolute illusion.
When you pursue an elusive idea of what “happiness” is you actually create the opposite effect. Blindly chasing contentment with a butterfly net is merely a distraction from accessing your true spirit and experiencing the gifts that honest connection brings. When you’re in pursuit of happiness, you’re fruitlessly shadowing a winged myth that usually lands on your shoulder when you’re least intent on catching it.
We’re not here just to be happy. We’re here to experience the full spectrum of human emotion, which means being open to feeling things we don’t necessarily want to feel. However, the more we embrace who we are as we are, the more we begin to tap into something sustainable. The frenetic version of joy that treats an emotional state like a commodity to be acquired leads to nothing but misery. Our time is better-spent cultivating stillness and inner peace, so we can gracefully navigate life, no matter what it throws in our path.
If your objective is to be content at all times, I’m sorry to inform you that you are living a lie. Life isn’t always going to make you feel good, so there’s no need to feel the pressure to be happy all the time. Not existing in a constant state of bliss doesn’t make you wrong. It makes you human.
Life isn’t about the peaks and valleys. It’s about finding a place in the middle where everything is experienced with equanimity. Happiness is a byproduct of life, not life itself. It can only be born from feeling and loving every emotion you have. So whether you cry from laughter or laugh through your tears, the key is to feel it all.
Why? Because the concept of “happiness,” as defined by society, is an absolute illusion.
When you pursue an elusive idea of what “happiness” is you actually create the opposite effect. Blindly chasing contentment with a butterfly net is merely a distraction from accessing your true spirit and experiencing the gifts that honest connection brings. When you’re in pursuit of happiness, you’re fruitlessly shadowing a winged myth that usually lands on your shoulder when you’re least intent on catching it.
We’re not here just to be happy. We’re here to experience the full spectrum of human emotion, which means being open to feeling things we don’t necessarily want to feel. However, the more we embrace who we are as we are, the more we begin to tap into something sustainable. The frenetic version of joy that treats an emotional state like a commodity to be acquired leads to nothing but misery. Our time is better-spent cultivating stillness and inner peace, so we can gracefully navigate life, no matter what it throws in our path.
If your objective is to be content at all times, I’m sorry to inform you that you are living a lie. Life isn’t always going to make you feel good, so there’s no need to feel the pressure to be happy all the time. Not existing in a constant state of bliss doesn’t make you wrong. It makes you human.
Life isn’t about the peaks and valleys. It’s about finding a place in the middle where everything is experienced with equanimity. Happiness is a byproduct of life, not life itself. It can only be born from feeling and loving every emotion you have. So whether you cry from laughter or laugh through your tears, the key is to feel it all.
