Serenity

Make Use of Emptiness

August 14, 2019 By Cara Lumen

Make Use of Emptiness
An Inner-World Exploration

Why is bamboo a symbol of exemplary conduct? Because it makes use of emptiness. That emptiness makes it flexible, open to receive, and ready to respond as needed.

We should cultivate the emptiness of bamboo.

How to be empty

Our body suit keeps us busy. It stimulates us and talks to us. In order to be empty like bamboo, we must cultivate stillness, mindfulness, and serenity.

One waits in emptiness. Does nothing. Says nothing. Sits silent and empty. Not even expectation. Just being.

And therein lies the power of emptiness.

That’s one of the purposes of a spiritual practice.

Be flexible

Bamboo is empty and it is flexible. Just as bamboo does, think of yourself as moving in a soft breeze. Gently swaying. It changes your view, brings you fresh air and gives you more options.

When you are empty, you are present and capable of moving in any direction. And you can also continue to stay perfectly still. There’s no forward movement to stop. There’s no bending to unbend. There’s simply a presence and a sense of expectation. Simply being. Empty. And present.

Be open to receive

When you are empty you have room to consider whatever shows up. You can observe, explore, make choices. You can decide what you want to bring into your emptiness. Or perhaps you would just rather stay empty for a while. You have great flexibility of the possibilities you can choose.

When we fill ourselves too full, there’s no room for anything else. Practice emptying yourself. Empty your mind. Empty your breath. Sit in stillness and see what shows up.

Be ready to respond as needed

There’s a readiness about being empty. There’s no forward motion to check. No backward motion to halt. You’re in a state of simple readiness. But emptiness is even less active the that. It’s stillness. It’s simply being.

Then you can respond, not react. A circumstance presents itself. You see it, consider it, weigh your options. Maybe you explore a bit before you choose. Be flexible in your response to whatever shows up.

The choice is yours

To move or not to move, to accept or not to accept. To believe or not to believe. In your emptiness, there’s an awareness. An awareness of your destiny, your reason for being, your purpose. And in that emptiness is the opportunity to view your options. To consider choices.

Still, you do nothing. You are empty. You observe.

Act only when you are ready

At some point, you may choose action. And for the moment you fill yourself with purpose and plans and readiness and choices.

Then you return to emptiness. Observing. Simply being. Being present. Being still.

Cultivate emptiness

Empty. Being. Simply being. No expectations or concerns, no thoughts, or planning. Simply being present. In an emptiness that’s full of presence.

Until it’s time to fill yourself with a new choice.

How do we cultivate emptiness?

Time Stands Open

I sit before an
empty parcel of time.
Mine to fill.
Mine to squander.
Mine to enjoy.

I sit.

I feel.

I experience
the emptiness.

The waiting.

There is no
expectation.

There is simply
an open space,
a segment of time
that is mine to do with as I choose.

I go within
to see what time
wants from me.

Mindfulness.
Stillness.
Emptiness.

Experience emptiness.

Clear your mind
and soul.

Be empty.

I do.

I sit mindfully
in an open parcel of time.
And simply am.

-Cara Lumen, 1995

Deeper Song Affirmation

I cultivate the art of emptiness.

Deep Song Process

Sit silently and empty your mind. Simply be.
With gentle persistence, release any thoughts or worries or mental activity that shows up.
Simply be.
Do not make an effort to empty your mind. Simply empty your mind.
Practice nothingness throughout your day.
Notice how you feel and how your experiences change.

To Sing a Deeper Song, Consider

The Packed Potential Before the Beginning

The Pillar of Light Process

The Intentional OM Hum

How to Walk a Path of Inner Stillness

Another Part of You-The Unseen World

How Do You Make Your Actions Lasting and Meaningful?

How to Interpret the Messages from Within

I help transformational thinkers raise their personal vibration so that we, collectively, can raise the consciousness of our planet.

To receive our weekly
Deeper Song Insights and Applications
Join the Deeper Song Community.

Raise Your Vibration With Serenity

April 24, 2019 By Cara Lumen

Raise Your Vibration With Serenity
An Inner-World Exploration

One day I simply found it, that stillness, that deep peace, that serenity that takes you deep within to the Green Nothingness, the Emptiness That Holds Everything and lets you simply be there.

And I understood that anchoring serenity within yourself is where we are to begin to change our vibration, to raise our vibration, to send our light out to join with other light vibrations in order to heal our planet.

It begins with the serenity within.

I found immediate inner serenity with the help of a crystal wand

I have many crystals that I’ve collected over the last 50 years – 160 or so. A few years ago, I learned a very elaborate process to create a shamanic “altar”. My altar overflowed into the living room of my apartment. As I identified more and more “special” rocks, one tray of specially chosen crystals eventually ended up in a pretty container on the floor along with my drums and rain sticks and other members of my spiritual practice.

I was playing a game on my iPad and watching TV when a very loud inner voice said, “Look down!”. I did and there was this small collection of crystals and shells and my eyes went to one wand. The message was clear and instantaneous and loud: “Pick me up!”

So I reached down and picked her up and found I couldn’t let go of the crystal for a very long time. I didn’t stop to experience her at that moment but I also did not put her down. I continued to play my game and watch TV and kept the crystal in my hand – for maybe an hour. Then I put it on an end table and did other things.

The next day, when it was time to journey, I received a very clear message. “Get the wand.” I did, and that’s when I experienced deep, deep, deep serenity, a contentedness, a being-ness, a feeling of being cared for and loved and protected. It was a serenity that I had never experienced before. I simply sat and experienced the gift. Eventually, I journeyed for the message of the crystal wand and among other things I was told that the first step in raising our vibration is to find, experience and cultivate deep, deep, serenity within.

For me, that means to go within and listen and feel and be present with whatever shows up. As I held the crystal wand, I felt a powerful and all-encompassing sense of serenity that stilled my body and took me deep within.

And I knew that cultivating this all-encompassing, ever-deepening feeling of serenity was the cornerstone of my spiritual practice and my desire to work in the invisible world.

This feeling of serenity is not about being tired, or sleepy, or relaxed. It’s about feeling centered and serene and at peace. And very, very present. Content. No striving. Just conscious being. At peace. Still. Aware. Vibrating in harmony. Serenity is an experience of the entire body.

Anchor serenity into your life

In order to anchor this feeling of serenity, to establish it, I need to practice it. This has taken two forms. My personal daily experience with the Serenity Crystal Wand, and the development of a practice, a sequence, a physical series that brings me into this remarkable place of serenity. It’s a work in progress and I will share it with you when it’s completely revealed to me.

Although my desire is to help the world, I have to first find not just peace within, but deep, tranquil serenity. Serenity, like the serene, unfolding cycles of nature. Becoming attuned to the energy of the messages of the elements. Being attuned to my own body and life cycle. That means I am to listen and feel and cultivate stillness.

Establish serenity

My first experience with this deep profound serenity was mid-day, right before I began a shamanic journey. As I develop the physical movements that help me establish serenity in my body, and add it to my morning spiritual practice, I find it creates a flowing transition into my work choices for the day. I will also use this cultivation of serenity as a transition at the end of the day, perhaps turning and watching the sunset and repeating the sequence of physical and visualization practices that are evolving.

Begin now to take deliberate pauses to identify serenity and bring it into your state of being.

Use serenity to raise your vibration

I’ve come to understand that our work as transformational thinkers is to raise our personal vibration and then join that vibration with others who are doing the same. That’s how we raise the collective consciousness. Each day in my spiritual practice, I send energy out to those fellow transformation thinkers and holders of the inner flame so that they may know there are many of us doing this work. Now I will also send them serenity.

First yourself – then others

Sharing serenity begins with cultivating it for ourselves.

There’s a natural tendency for things to be in harmony. I have to find that serenity within me and begin to radiate it out. That will help all around me to find and feel the serenity in themselves. Like a flame of a candle shining out to all consciousness, holding out hope and inspiration and connection. We want to experience the serenity of deep alignment with the energy of our cosmos.

My work with my crystal wand of serenity has deepened. She will teach me to find the serenity in myself and to use that as my foundation for my life.

Simply ask to experience serenity when you meditate and allow it to embrace you. It will come in many forms. Explore them all.

Deeper Song Affirmation

I invite serenity to fill my life. With conscious care,
I take that serenity out into my world.

Deeper Song Process

Find a quiet place, in your home or in nature. Sit quietly and ask to experience deep serenity.
Notice what happens. What changes? How do you feel?
Using serenity as a foundational vibration, begin to expand that feeling more deeply into your body and into your etheric field. Sit and radiate as your energy expands and your vibration organically rises.
Take that core awareness of serenity out into your world.
Repeat often.

To Sing A Deeper Song Consider

How to Walk a Path of Inner Stillness

Expand Your Spiritual Heart

When I See Myself As Light

The Power of a Ceremony of Releasing

How to Interpret the Messages from Within

Another Part of You – The Unseen World

Raise Your Vibration and Change the World.
I help transformational thinkers raise their personal vibration
so that we, collectively, can raise the consciousness of our planet.

To receive our weekly
Deeper Song Newsletter
with Insights and Applications
join the Deeper Song Community.

How to Invite Serenity into Your Life

March 24, 2015 By Cara Lumen

Serenity is hard to capture when you fill your life too full. What do you release? What do you change? How do you go about bringing more moments of serenity into your life?

Slow Dow

You have to say “no” to a few things. You have to cut the clutter that takes up your space and your time. You have to choose your priorities and let the rest fall away. When you know what you want to achieve, choose to do only those things that help make it happen.

Immerse Yourself

The easiest way to feel serenity is to immure yourself in whatever you are doing. You may become completely absorbed in a walk in nature. You may give yourself over to building something or cleaning something or writing something. Do not think about what is next or what still needs to be done. Be present in the moment. When you sink deeply into the experience at hand, you will feel serene.

I was faced with completing a series of steps that I had never done before. It was simply a matter of putting up my first podcast on my site and on iTunes. I had the directions. I simply immersed myself in the step that was before me and when that was complete moved on to the next. It kept me both focused and serene. I wasn’t aware of my steady progress until later when I realized how much I had done and that I had achieved my goal, one focused step at a time.

Move Mindfully

Pay attention to how you feel. Explore the connection between your awareness and what you are doing. As you move deliberately thought the actions you take, become more aware of their beauty and their intricacy. Be mindful of what you say. Listen before you respond. Pause before you take action. Immerse yourself in what you are doing. Cultivate mindfulness as a path to experiencing serenity. Lean to appreciate and savor more moments.

Notice your progress

Stay in the moment, but take time to acknowledge and appreciate your progress. Then return to the task at hand. When you see how immersion and mindfulness move you steadily forward, you will begin to trust the process . Each time you practice giving yourself over to the moment, it will be easier to lose yourself in the work you do.

Be still

Quite your mind. Still your body. Release your awareness. Move into the place of peace that resides in each of us. Practice being still and hear and feel what becomes apparent. .

Be Patient

Life is an unfolding process that moves in cycles that cannot be rushed or altered. Any adjusting that needs to be done is within you. Take action. Don’t take action. Speak. Stay silent. Let the flow of serenity within you guide your steps.

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider

The Next “Now.”

The Power of Mindful Listening

The Spaces In Our Lives

Nothing Is Required But the Next Step

Patience and the Unfolding Process

The Cycle of Moving Forward

Do You Need to Be Transplanted?

March 3, 2015 By Cara Lumen

Some people put down roots and never budge. Others thrive when they are transplanted. Whichever you are, you need to nurture your roots

Bloom where you are planted

Wherever you find yourself, it is a gift. Even if it is a rough patch, the lessons you will receive are a gift that will strengthen you. Sometimes our childhoods were supportive, sometimes they were not. Sometimes our relationships were nurturing, other times they were best left behind. You have a choice. If you can’t bloom where you are planted, then arranged to be transplanted.

What are the qualities you want to in your life?

Before you settle in, give some thoughts to who you want to be. What qualities do you want to have? What good do you want to do? Those decisions help you decide where to put your roots. As a young woman, I was lonely in the mid-west.. I developed my holistic experience in New York City and my spiritual expansion in California. I needed to be in each of these places in order to develop the qualities I yearned to express. Now I am tucked safely in the mid-west, and because of that very safety, I can reach out across the world. What qualities do you need in your life and where do you need in order to develop them? Put down roots in places that nurture you.

Understand your level of adventure

Some people need to explore. Others much prefer to nestle into a safe, caring environment. Some people need a mixture. Know what you need and honor that. If you are a nester, nest. If you are an explorer, grab your backpack.

Don’t let fear or uncertainly keep you stuck

In your search for security, don’t let fear keep you stuck. At 18, I got on a train in Kansas City heading for my freshman year at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. There were other young girls traveling on that train who were going there or to other schools in the East. It was the first time I slept on a train. It was the first time away from home, but I felt no apprehension. I was going on an adventure and I loved it. I never looked back. I never again felt the need to be a dependent child of my parents (even though they paid the tuition). If I had been apprehensive about going away, it would have been fine if I simply stayed home and went to a nearby college. But I went away and that choice made a difference in my life.

Take your adventure as far as you can

Plant your roots, nurture that stage of your growth, then take inventory and see what you need next. There are natural stages: the end of high school demands a choice of whether to continue your education or enter the work force. Marriage is a major adventure. Having children is a huge responsibility that lasts the rest of your life. Each stage is a new cycle, a new opportunity to deepen your roots or transplant your roots to another setting.

Where your roots can take you

He is planted in his own integrity, and there he stands,
gnarled and knotted, perfectly at ease with himself,
his roots deep in truth, his branches held up to let the light in.
-Stephen Mitchell, Second Book of Tao

I hope that’s where my life has led me. My truth has shifted over the years. It has become more inclusive, it is more spiritually aware. My roots have been transplanted and with each move, I grew stronger. Now I am pulling on that strength to make the most of this stage of my life. Now, at 82, I’m reaping the fruit of my life. It’s an amazing feeling. And it’s a bountiful harvest.

How do you nurture your roots? Do you need to be transplanted or are you where you need to be?

TO SING A DEEPER SONG CONSIDER:

The Search for Serenity

The Serenity of Unfolding

Awakening to Serenity

How Do You Nourish Your Roots

How to Creative Fertile Field for Positive Change

How To Identify and Release Your Restrictive Ways

‎ The Road Taken, the Choices Made

Awakening to Serenity

February 26, 2015 By Cara Lumen

Serenity is always there. We have to lay aside our thoughts, concerns, worries, plans and expectations to find it.

I just experienced the best meditation I’ve had in years. I’m writing this to figure out why. What did I do or not do that helped that happen? If I can figure that out, perhaps I can get that feeling of serenity to reoccur. Maybe it will simply return on its own.

Get out of your head

When I suggest that you lay aside your thoughts, I mean it. Your mind keeps you from being aware of the continual presence of serenity. When you are feeling serene, you are not even aware of your body. You simply are. It’s like floating in nothingness, detached from your body, connected only by one small point of consciousness.

Empty yourself

When you decide to reside in the moment, there is no room for concerns or worries. Lay them aside. There is nothing you can do about them right now anyway. Those concerns and worries may not even happen, so put them aside and allow yourself to feel present in the now.

Let go of control

Whatever plans you have made, whatever expectations you are holding, put those aside too. In this moment of serenity, there is nothing to do. There is simply something to experience – sweet serenity.

Don’t try to define how serenity feels

You probably will try to define it, because you want to experience serenity again, but let go and let the stillness weave its way throughout your body until your body disappears. No thoughts like “Oh my, I’m feeling serene.” No analysis like “How did I do that?” Stay in the moment. Let it seep into your core. Let serenity become part of your essence.

Serenity will remain with you

When you have set aside time to allow yourself to feel serene, and when you experience it, the feeling of peace will stay with you throughout your day. If your mind gets you involved in the physical plane notice it, pause, recall the experience of serenity and it will be there for you again.

Look for serenity

If you are not looking for serenity, you may miss it. Because I am actively writing and podcasting about serenity, I am looking for it. I am more aware of moments when I feel serene and the experiences that lead me into serenity. Simply begin to notice when you feel serene and see if you can identify what brought you to that feeling. Then take that action again.

Make time to experience serenity

It’s not about “practicing” serenity. It’s about putting yourself in a circumstance that encourages it. I’m not certain what happened to encourage this very deep meditation, but my mind was not thinking up exciting things to write about, I was not mentally planning my day. I sat in my meditation chair as I do every morning. I have two mudras that move me into the space of stillness. I entered a deep experience of serenity.

My personal experience

I have created inner guides throughout the years – an Amazon to help we with my physical development, a business person who guides me in that field, a trio of writers who show up to have a say when I write, but today there was another essence at the core – serenity. It was totally different and definitely recognizable. It was light. It led me from the physical plane into the field of nothingness, of light, of peace – of serenity. I simply sat there and felt serene. The feeling continues to fills me as I write to figure this out.

I want more

I love how I feel. I have felt this way in the past. but it’s been a very long time. I will see if I can operate from this serenity all day. I will see if I can experience this serene meditation tomorrow. Now that I know it exists, now that I know I can experience it, I want more. If I could walk through life with this inner peace, it would be bliss.

Let go and awaken to serenity.

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

The Search for Serenity

The Serenity of Unfolding

Return to the Simplicity of The Uncarved Block

The Mudra That Made a Difference

The Spaces In Our Lives

Wander Beyond All Paths