Category: Contemplations

Rule 5

“Most of the problems of the world stem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings. Don’t ever take words at face value. When you step into the zone of Love, language, as we know it, becomes obsolete. That which cannot be put into words can only be grasped through silence.”

I experience peace and forgiveness by letting go of blame. 

Today’s rule is one of my favourites! Throughout my life, I have spent countless hours trying to figure out what was meant when he/she said ‘this or that’. I realized that it is impossible to understand exactly what the other means because we do not share the same reference points.

However, there is always an element of ‘silence’ presence in every conversation. I call it Divine-intervention. It is only ‘tangible’ when one holds loving attention while the other is speaking. In that intent – when I am NOT constantly thinking of my comeback to what is being said –  I  am able to perceive what the other wants to convey to me. It is not the mind that understands the words. It is the heart that connects with the heart of the other in the moments of Silence.

What have YOU experienced?

Read: DAY5, 40 Rules of Love, form Release to Embrace (click)

Introduction to 40 Days of Lent – From Release to Embrace

Rule 5

“Most of the problems of the world stem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings. Don’t ever take words at face value. When you step into the zone of Love, language, as we know it, becomes obsolete. That which cannot be put into words can only be grasped through silence.”* 

Today, we are releasing Blame and embracing God’s Love for us. 

Our Lent Booklet reminds us today that all our experiences have helped us grow into the person we are today. From a spiritual prospective our experiences are neither good or bad. When we blame others we feel helpless and cannot connect to our inner power. As we forgive and let go of blaming we free ourselves and turn our attention to the present moment where we can step into our own divine power. From there we are the maker of our life.

Rule no5 reminds me the Power of Silence. As we move into the Silence by closing our eyes and turning our attention inwardly, we allow The Divine to work with us. God talks to us – often without words – in the Silence. As we willingly release what does not work for us any more, gets dissolved in the Silence.

Today, I invite you to contemplate on Rule No5 and the quote below. Let me know how practicing releasing blame worked for you today. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Today we affirm: I experience peace and forgiveness by letting go of blame. 

*Rules are from ’40 Rules of Love’ by Novel by Elif Shafak. See more about the book here (click)  

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – and joining the UNITY CONNECTED FACEBOOK GROUP where I invite you to share about the contemplative questions.  (click on the buttons below to join)

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“Intellect and Love are made of different materials. Intellect ties people in knots and risks nothing, but love dissolves all tangles and risks everything. Intellect is always cautious and advises, ‘Beware too much ecstasy,’ whereas Love says, ‘Oh, never mind! Take the plunge!’ Intelligence does not easily break down, whereas Love can effortlessly reduce itself to rubble. But treasures are hidden among ruins. A broken heart hides treasures.“

 I soften, forgive, and release any bitterness I carry within my heart. I free myself. 

Today, I felt the difference between what my intellect and what Love can achieve. The mind runs in circles – mine does anyway – trying to figure out the next move. So, what are we going to do now? What is it going to look like? My mind is looking for standing polls to hold onto in order to ensure that each step I take will be in safety. Love knows now safety-net. She doesn’t care. She turns her face to the wind and ready to go. 

On one hand, I am full of worry and questions. On the other, I am free to roam! I simply observe how I swing between the two. Then I forgive and release. I forgive my fearful intellect for trying to stop me. And I release the tension fear created inside of me. Now, I can see through the wonder Love places in front of me. I plunge …

What have you experienced?

Read: DAY4, 40 Rules of Love, form Release to Embrace (click)

Introduction to 40 Days of Lent – From Release to Embrace

Rule 4

“Intellect and Love are made of different materials. Intellect ties people in knots and risks nothing, but love dissolves all tangles and risks everything. Intellect is always cautious and advises, ‘Beware too much ecstasy,’ whereas Love says, ‘Oh, never mind! Take the plunge!’ Intelligence does not easily break down, whereas Love can effortlessly reduce itself to rubble. But treasures are hidden among ruins. A broken heart hides treasures.“* 

Today, we are releasing Bitterness and embracing God’s Love for us. 

Our Lent Booklet reminds us today that when we have suffered a wrong our hurt and anger can turn into resentment and bitterness that is corrosive to our soul. We may feel justified but we are only harming ourselves. Releasing bitterness allows us to dig deeper than our pain and anguish and shift our awareness from resentment to forgiveness. Forgiveness means letting go of the heaviness in our hearts.

“But treasures are hidden among ruins. A broken heart hides treasures.” What if our proverbial broken heart was but a chance to find treasures within. Every time we risk for Love – forgive and let go –  in our vulnerability,  we can open to healing and overcoming.  We become freer. 

Today, I invite you to contemplate on Rule No4 and the quote below. Let me know how practicing releasing  apathy worked for you today. 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Today we affirm: I soften, forgive, and release any bitterness I carry within my heart. I free myself. 

*Rules are from ’40 Rules of Love’ by Novel by Elif Shafak. See more about the book here (click)  

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – and joining the UNITY CONNECTED FACEBOOK GROUP where I invite you to share about the contemplative questions.  (click on the buttons below to join)

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Introduction to 40 Days of Lent – From Release to Embrace

Rule 3

“You can study God through everything and everyone in the universe because God is not confined in a mosque, synagogue, or church. But if you are still in need of knowing where exactly His abode is, there is only one place to look for him: in the heart of a true lover.“* 

Today, we are releasing Apathy and embracing God’s Love for us. 

Our Lent Booklet invites us today to  discover more that is enjoyable. The universe is full of goodness awaiting our attention. Apathy prevents us to see the good in us and around us.  God/the Divine is everywhere, ever present within and all around us. As we connect with ourselves, the Divine within we start experiencing God’s ever present Love for us. As we take command and consciously turn our attention to the indwelling Life Energy, we get enlivened and filled with Joy for life. As a result, apathy dissipates. 

Today, I invite you to sit in the silence for at least 10 minutes turning your attention consciously into the Divine Presence within.  Then contemplate on Rule No3 and the quote below. Let me know how practicing releasing  apathy worked for you today. 

The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. Proverbs 15:19

Today we affirm: I salute the divinity in me and take command of my life.

*Rules are from ’40 Rules of Love’ by Novel by Elif Shafak. See more about the book here (click)  

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – and joining the UNITY CONNECTED FACEBOOK GROUP where I invite you to share about the contemplative questions.  (click on the buttons below to join)

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“The path to the Truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head. Make your heart your primary guide! Not your mind. Meet, challenge, and ultimately prevail over your nafs (false ego) with your heart. Knowing your false ego will lead you to the Knowledge of God.“

When I looked back at my ‘worst-case-scenarios’ I noticed how much anxiety I had always lived. It is a bit funny, because I never considered myself a worrier. Well, apparently, I am one. My anxieties are  mostly around feeling overwhelmed by the ‘burdens’ I place on myself. I don’t seem to understand the concept of saying ‘no’. 🙂 My anxiety is around ‘not being able to handle’ what comes. As I was sitting with my fears and worries, I recalled:  God is my Partner, I shall not want, and remembered how supported I am. 

I am still not able to create best-case-scenarios just yet but when I notice anxiety emerging, I can recall “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” from Psalm 23

What have you experienced?

Please note, that God for me is not an old guy with white beard. The Divine, the Lord, God, the ‘Universe’, the Higher Self, Spirit I use interchangeably with the meaning of a higher Loving Entity that encompasses everything.

Read: DAY2, 40 Rules of Love, form Release to Embrace (click)

Introduction to 40 Days of Lent – From Release to Embrace

Rule 2

“The path to the Truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head. Make your heart your primary guide! Not your mind. Meet, challenge, and ultimately prevail over your nafs (false ego) with your heart. Knowing your false ego will lead you to the Knowledge of God.“* 

Today, we are releasing Anxiety and embracing God’s Love for us. 

Our Lent Booklet invites us today to release our anxiety.  Our FalseEgo tries to convince us that we are weak and feeble so to keep us trapped in the games of the world. Our Nafs tell us that we are powerless and vulnerable to the unpredictability of the world. In God all is well. As we turn our attention into the ever-flowing Divine Love, the chaos of the world disappears and we find peace. From this place we emerge with guidance and endurance that we are supported and safeguarded.

As an experiment, let’s have a look at times when feelings of anxiety lied to us! I invite you to look at times in the past when you felt anxiety. Then write down the actual outcome of the situations that you were anxious about. What do you see? In my experience most of the problems I was anxious about never resulted in the worst-case scenarios. And in yours?

Today, I invite you to sit in the silence for at least 10 minutes and contemplate on Rule No2 and the quote below. Let me know how practicing releasing anxiety worked for you today. 

Do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. Philippians 4:6

Today we affirm: I envision only best-case scenarios.

*Rules are from ’40 Rules of Love’ by Novel by Elif Shafak. See more about the book here (click)  (Please note that ‘mind’ in the text is referred to the EgoMind or the Limited-Self)

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – and joining the UNITY CONNECTED FACEBOOK GROUP where I invite you to share about the contemplative questions.  (click on the buttons below to join)

Picture Source Unsplash/ Featured Image: alex-block-unsplash

“How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves. If God brings to mind mostly fear and blame, it means there is too much fear and blame swelled inside us. If we see God as full of Love and compassion, so are we.“* 

I release my emotional reactions and heal form within.

As I was contemplating on Rule No1 and today’s Lent affirmation, I realized that I see God as my ultimate support system. I also noticed, how independent, I often think I am, and how untrue that notion is.  Every time, I get angry it is because I feel unsupported and overwhelmed. I try to protect myself by being angry with the world that seemingly puts so much pressure on me. It is not true, however. The world does nothing to me, it only reflects my own inner reality back to me. 

When I blame the world, I also blame God. Everything is God, even though it is hard to grasp the idea. God’s energy, Its being is waved across the entire tapestry of the universe and beyond. God is All and All is God.

As I was sitting in contemplation working on releasing my frustration and my anger, I realized how vulnerable I am. Without God’s ever flowing Presence and Loving for me, I am but a small mouse in a giant hamster-wheel, running in circles. 

As I was releasing my anger, I also started to let go of control. It scares me to know that I cannot control life. Life is gigantic! At the same time, it brings me peace to know that God can. God works though me, supports me with managing whatever shows up in front of me at every moment. I am not grated knowing what the future holds but I am granted the knowing that God is with me.

The God I see beyond my fear and anger is supportive and protective. 

Read: DAY1, 40 Rules of Love, form Release to Embrace (click)

Introduction to 40 Days of Lent – From Release to Embrace

Rule 1

“How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves. If God brings to mind mostly fear and blame, it means there is too much fear and blame swelled inside us. If we see God as full of Love and compassion, so are we.“* 

Today, we are releasing Anger and embracing God’s Love for us. 

Our Lent Booklet Invites us today – on Ash Wednesday – to release and let go of our anger. Our anger and our inability to accept and release what does not work for us or we do not agree with block our connection with the Divine. If we truly want to experience God’s Love and compassion, we need to be willing to release old ideas, old hurts that no longer serves us. In that we open ourselves to see a world of love and compassion reflected back to us. 

Today, I invite you to contemplate on the Rule No1 and the quote below. Let me know how practicing releasing anger worked for you today. 

Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19 

Today we affirm:I release my emotional reactions and heal form within.

*Rules are from ’40 Rules of Love’ by Novel by Elif Shafak. See more about the book here (click)

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – and joining the UNITY CONNECTED FACEBOOK GROUP where I invite you to share about the contemplative questions.  (click on the buttons below to join)

Picture Source Unsplash/ Featured Image: alex-block-unsplash