Search Results for: Your Duty is to be

Magic is Simply a Change in Consciousness

July 18, 2017 By Cara Lumen

Have you ever wished you had a magic wand you could wave to make something change or disappear? What if it was as simple as making a change in you? That would make magicians of all of us.

The power in a shift in consciousness

You instantly become happy when you stop being angry. You instantly stop pulling when you let go. When you look for the positive, you no longer see the negative. Yes, magic is all up to you.

Magic happens when you shift your consciousness

Let’s consider heavy duty things like judgement and negativity and anger and stubbornness. Feel the energy of those emotions for a moment. Now exchange those for acceptance, positivity, joy and inclusion. Can you feel the difference in the way you feel? Magic? Yes. And you did it to yourself – all by yourself.

Magic and a change in circumstance

Everything that happens to us is a gift. Although it may not seem like it at the time, it is a gift – of a lesson, a change in direction, an insight, an awareness – even when we’re reluctant to accept it.

When you learn to simply let life unfold, you’re no longer attached to a particular outcome and are more flexibly receptive to what shows up.

Remember, sometimes things don’t manifest because it’s not time for them or because something better is on its way. It’s not really a roadblock, it’s a pause to reflect and allow circumstances to unfold.

Magic is in new insight

You know those moments when something suddenly becomes clear? That’s magic. Magic happens when you get the “ah-ha” that identifies the best pathway forward. It’s in the new opportunity that unexpectedly presents itself. Magic is in the ceasing of all effort. It’s in acceptance. And expectation. Magic comes from you.

Your consciousness can eliminate worry and fear

When you deepen your spiritual connection, you increase your trust – trust in your safety, your well-being, your next steps. Tension leaves your body. You sit there in stillness, listening to your inner wisdom and knowing that the perfect next steps will appear. That’s pretty magical.

Let go. Trust. Expect. Interpret.

What kind of a wizard are you?

Now that you realize you have this unstoppable power to shift your consciousness, what are you going to look for, focus on? Perhaps you start looking for only good in others. Perhaps you quieten your mind and allow your inner knowing to direct you. Perhaps you observe more, listen more, allow life to unfold, and then respond from the depths of your inner self.

Magic is simply a change in your consciousness. What kind of magic will you create today?

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider

Abracadabra! I Will Create As I Speak

How to Nourish Your Inner Fire

The Shedding of Your Skin

How to Hold the Space for the New Vision to Emerge

VLoga; Deepening Our Connection

Podcast: 35—How to Hold the Space for Change.

What Do you Need to Leave Behind?

May 9, 2017 By Cara Lumen

In order to bring something new into our life, we have to let something we’re holding on to go. If things are not flowing into your life as easily and rapidly as you desire, perhaps you should look at what you need to leave behind?

Explorers travel lightly

Backpackers pack efficiently because they know they have to carry the full weight of whatever they take with them. They make things do double duty. They re-use things. They choose the few vital things like a compass and a knife and a canteen and a sleeping bag and carefully select and add one thing at a time, noticing the weight and the time it takes to put it into action. They leave a lot of things behind.

Since life is constantly changing and we are on a continuous adventure of exploration, we should learn to travel lightly.

Chuck the outmoded beliefs

Begin by looking closely at what you think can happen. If those beliefs are not big enough they can keep you from seeking, considering, choosing and expanding the new choices.

For instance, as I grow older, some physical things look and feel a little harder. So I simply make physical adjustments in how I participate. However, I never let physical restrictions stop me from taking part in some manner. I can participate, but I have to make room to explore the possibilities of how.

What do you need to leave behind to have time for the new vision?

Life is a series of choices. If I want to do one thing, I may have to do less of some other thing.

We change and our needs and desires change. Look closely at what is calling to you and make time for what resonates the most.

Honor your own process. I like to immerse myself in a project, so setting aside ten days to focus on one aspect or one project suits my personal rhythm and my learning style. I also like to create more than complete, so I have added a “Completion Day” in which I get things out the door.

How do you like to work? And what do you need to make that happen? Take only those actions on your journey forward.

Who do you need to leave behind?

Take stock of the energy exchanges between you and your friends. Is it balanced? Has a friend grown too needy, too demanding? You always have a choice. Make room for supportive, nurturing empowering people in your life. Let the others go.

I love to learn but I’m realistic about how much I can absorb at one time and how much time I’m willing to spend on a specific class. I choose the best and most productive and most enjoyable use of my time and leave other opportunities behind.

Be prepared to cross a new threshold

Where are you going next and what do you need to take with you? What do you need to leave behind? You don’t pack snow boots when you are going to the tropics. You may need to leave some habits behind. You may need to find new, more streamlined versions of something that nurtures. Where are you going, and what are the most supportive ideas and relationships you need to take with you?

As I explore subtle group energy work in many forms, I have to make some choices. I take parts of what I’m learning and creatively adapt what I keep into practices that fit my personal purpose, my physical energy and my time. I don’t know exactly where I’m going or what will be required but I’m definitely leaving space to explore what shows up.

As new doorways open, new opportunities appear

What happens if you lay every thing down that you’re carrying around and step through the new door with just you and an open mind? Trust that whatever is needed will be provided. When you leave the “old” behind, you have room to embrace and explore the new. You are free and open to the new experience. You let the experience shape you.

As you end each day, lay down all your burdens, beliefs, and expectations.

As you begin each day, pick up only the tools you need for that day. You will become more productive and more joyous in moving through the opportunities you’re now free to explore.

What do you need to leave behind? Will you let go so you can move on?

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:

Find and Use Your Power Within

What Seeds Do You Allow to Grow in Your Garden?

How do You Put your Spiritual Insights to Work

What is Self-transformation?

VLOG: Insights of a Deeper Song

PODCAST: Reflections of a Deeper Song

Are You Drowning in Too Much Stuff?

July 23, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

I read a blog post recently that suggested putting everything in your office (or whatever room you need to de-clutter) into boxes so that all the surfaces are clear of stuff. When you want something you get it out and put it where it belongs –the book on the bookshelf, the stapler in a reachable place or your contact information nearby. And after awhile you end up with what you need and use handy and a lot of stuff in boxes that you really do not need – so you can toss it!

Put stuff away

Pick a morning when you are fresh and rethink what you have out on the surfaces around you. I’m going to move to a smaller space and I already know I have too many put-abouts. So I’m giving some away and I’m still clinging to others. My day of reckoning is coming.

Clutter to the eyes is clutter to the brain. Think Zen gardens. Think an item of beauty surrounded by space. Think serenity. Think a featured item that catches your eye and rewards it. Because I have so many items that I enjoy or value I’m going to create different seasons for my put-abouts – like putting out Christmas decorations and taking them down. But I’ll create special groupings that change the look and feel of my space and give each item space in which to be appreciated. I’ll do this quarterly with the solstice and equinox which will give me a theme and a specific time frame. It will be fun to change the covers on the pillows, or drape some fabric over the backs of chairs

Tune into your space often and see what it needs from your. Notice how refreshing it is to change the look of your space, the energy, the focus.

Why do you need it where it is?

I happen to know that one fairly large Quan Yin statue of mine is in the wrong place because it was on top of a bookcase and looked great but my cat Sabrina likes to sleep up there and I thought she might knock it off. In fact a lot of things that had feathers on them or were woven are put away because her brother Sebastian really likes to play with feathers. He’d even jump up on the wall to try to reach them. Sometimes things end up in the wrong place for unexpected reasons.

Of course moving is going to allow me to rethink where everything goes but you can do that whether you move or not. For instance, in my present office my desk faces the door in good Feng Shui manner and I have a great view out of a window. In my new space it’s just not going to be possible to face the door but I can keep a good window view.

Are you using your space well? Is what you need handy? Are you hemmed in by things you don’t need? Clear your space so it holds just the things you need.

Make things do double duty

I am determined to keep a three foot high piece of driftwood that I bought in Oregon years ago that I consider my Goddess piece. It was on my patio in California and my deck here in Kansas but I will have no deck where I am moving and I still want that piece so I had to get creative. I have figured out that I will drape some drawers I use for office supply storage and make a meditation space on top of it using the driftwood as a centerpiece. I can lift the drape to get the stuff in the drawers and the rest of the time I have created a very special space to enjoy.

My computer desk already does double duty. The shelf that could hold stuff is totally bare – except when a cat sleeps on it. I have an open shelf bookcase that stores my USB connections and my microphone stand. The top shelf holds my phone.

Create levels. Use fabric to change a look, hide utilitarian things under beautiful things. Get creative. Make things do double duty.

Keep things you need handy

It is said we only use only 10% of our stuff. But how handy is it? Do you have to wade through a drawer of seldom used kitchen utensils to get to the one or two you use all the time? Do you have clothes you haven’t worn all year? Try hanging your clothes with the open end of the hanger toward you. When you use it put it back the right way with the open end to the back. Before long you’ll know which clothes you never touch and can send them out to be in service elsewhere.

What do you need close by? I keep my passwords printed on a sheet in alphabetical order that I can easily access, my family phone numbers are there too. I have a file nearby for quickly stuffing paid bills. My calculator is very close. But there are some things that do not need to be in my immediate vicinity that can be put on the bookshelf behind me.

Look at what you use and enjoy looking at most often and make it accessible.

Toss the “just in case” things

I had so many “just in case” things in my garage in California – interesting things that could be made into a craft project at some point. More gardening stakes than I could use on a farm because they came in a package of 12 or so. The slow cooker I have used twice in ten years. The big pot I needed when I was cooking for my children but no longer need for just me. Get real about the 10% you really need and place it where you can get to it. Give away the rest.

To prepare for this move I went through the large collection of written material that I keep in binders. I threw away nearly half. I kept material from courses I took, but I found that every time I had an idea for an information product I had made a small binder. A lot of them were still in the idea stage so I dismantled those binders. I rescued about two feet of paper to recycle in my printer. What have you prepared for and never done that is taking up space? Get rid of it.

Honor how you run your day

Several times a year rethink how you do your life. I rethink my life at the solstice and equinox. See what needs to change. Do you need to set up an exercise corner with your steps and dumb bells and pumping rubber stuff handy? Are you starting to cook more for yourself and need to create a better system for your recipes? Do you need to organize your projects in binders or files or some system that allows you to pull out the material easily and just as easily put it away? How is your filing system? Oh yes, you could put all of your computer hard drive on a backup drive and then just start to reinstall what you need. Now there’s a project for you.

Be aware of the energy

You have great control over your environment. How you care for it and what you put into it affects its energy. If you are surrounded by clutter, chaos, and abandoned and un-cared for items, that’s how you are caring for yourself. Take time to arrange your environment so it pleases you. If you keep it organized, put things away when not in use, and lovingly clean it regularly, you’ll feel that care you are giving yourself. You will know you are honoring the life you are living, the gifts you are giving and the service you are offering when you keep your environment simple and aesthetically pleasing.

Go through some stuff away and give a lot away – today.

A feast for your eyes

When you lovingly prepare your space you will find pleasure wherever you look. And when there are lovely places to look you will find your environment nourishing, replenishing and peaceful. Give thought to your environment and make it nourishing to you. Home is where we come for replenishment. Make it a safe haven.

How do you handle your stuff? Please share.