Beautiful

Looking at my hand I see all of the imperfections.  The scars, the cuts, the dryness, the crooked finger.  It's easy to see the faults.  Why is it so easy to see and accept my faults, yet so difficult to see and accept my beauty?

One complement leads to another.  I see the beauty in you, and you see the beauty in me, but do you see the beauty in yourself? 

A peaceful practice.  Write 20 things you love about yourself.  That shouldn't be so difficult, yet it is for so many. 

It is one thing to understand certain positive qualities about yourself, it's another thing to accept them as truth and embrace them as who you are.  You will not truly know yourself until you know and accept your positive qualities.  Many believe this to be true for your negative qualities, but to see yourself as beautiful, a beautiful mind, soul, and spirit is to see your true self.

You are not situational.  You are not the issues surrounding you.  You are not the physical body.  You do however create yourself everyday.  You are the person that has been transformed by a situation.  How you handle a situation.  How you think of a situation.  You are how you feel about past situations.  How you create situations and evolve from them.  How you let go of situations that no longer serve you.

I once told my sister that we should embrace and give the same amount of loving energy towards negative circumstances because these moments are a part of life, and life is an amazing gift.  It is from those dark and ugly places that we are able to show our true strength, and isn't that true strength a beautiful thing?

Transform the "ugly" into something beautiful.

Compassion

What comes first, compassion or the understanding that we are one?  Does this understanding create compassion?  Like a surfer riding a wave greater than he, knowing the power of the ocean.  Respecting the oceans power they ride in unity.  When the surfer feels the full force of the each break as he makes his way to the desired place to catch a new wave, only through the physical pain is he then awakened to the wonder and awe that is a greater power.

Does the physical pain need to be?  Can one have the true understanding by purely observing or hearing of its power?  Possibly, but other struggles will help to reach such conclusions.  No life is without struggle.  Even the most privilaged of lives find pain and insecurities.  Many times the triumph from those struggles is what creates enlightenment and new understandings.  Even the Buddha had struggles, Jesus had struggles, all religous leaders and wise ones had struggles.  From those teachers we can take learn, but it is up to us to make the daily choices.  We take their lead not to follow but to lead.  Lead ourselves and others to a life awakened .  To a life of understanding, filled with loving compassion.  Living with eyes open, ears that not only hear but truly listen.  Living with hands that take the time to touch and to feel.  A nose that takes in the wonderful scents that fill the air.  Tasting the sweet, savory, bitter, salty, and even the sour. 

How can we connect with others and the world around us if we are disconnected to our own senses?  Awareness, mindfulness, consciousness, will bring us to others, the world, and ourselves.  The only true moment is this moment.  Won't you enjoy it with me?

A little about this blog:)

I've never thought of myself as a strong writer.  I misspell words, use horrible grammar, and barely know the difference between a comma and a semi-colon. But here I am starting a blog.  Why?  Because, I feel as if I have something to offer.  I write meditatively.  It is one of the most important parts of my day.  It keeps me clear and balanced.  Sometimes I am amazed to look back at what I've written wondering if those words really flowed through me.  My writing offers me great peace, and reminds me of basic principles on how to live in harmony with the universe and those that live in it. 

Keeping these thoughts and reminders to myself seems selfish.  So here I am sharing the most intimate part of my day with you.  I hope you find a sense peace after reading.  Enjoy!