What is holding humanity back?

Some say that what holds us back as humans is that deep down inside, we all fear death. I wonder if this is true or not?

If we aren't afraid of death, then perhaps it is living we fear. Being in the flesh. Maybe that is why we are so focused of the superficial part of the physical world.

Perhaps it is not our eternal true essence we are so uncomfortable with, but simply the illusion of our physical life that scares the heck out of us.

Striving for perfection, survival of the fittest, gathering and possessing, self-sabotaging behaviors, fleeting pleasures... Is it that we really don't have a clue what we are doing here in the first place?

Are we actually a dynamic spirit hidden in a finite body with a filtered mind trying to figure it out? Are we all just faking it, hoping to make it, as this living organism we call human?

In thousands of years, has the human truly evolved or is it only that we have changed the quality and quantity of the stuff we create.

Are we stuck in a continuous pattern of "a different face, a different place, same old thing?" 

Is it fear of living or fear of dying, or is it something else, that keeps us from experiencing true peace and joy in the world?

What is really holding humanity back?

Ever-Present PEACE

“Make Peace with where you are.”

This is one of the most important things we can do says Abraham-Hicks, a teacher of co-creating the life you desire. One of the key points she makes is that the Universe is like an ever-flowing river and everything we ever want is downstream.

When you make Peace with where you are—even when you are in debt, in anger, in a bad relationship, in an unfulfilling job, in an unpleasant situation—you disarm yourself from what is happening and engage in the power of the stream of potential in that moment.

Making Peace with where you are means simply to let go of the struggle. You don’t need to control anything. You just need to trust in the current. It is not necessary to do all the work. It is not necessary to paddle upstream. For one, nothing you really want is upstream, everything is downstream. Two, you feel better when pull in the oars and simply float to a better feeling place.

Making Peace with where you are is to recognize what is happening without judgment on anyone or anything. You ride the storm; let the wind and rain blow through like you are a lighthouse. By embracing the sunshine and the rain, the blue skies and the fierce winds, you allow life to unfold in a natural, effortless way.

When you make Peace with where you are your perception shifts. You expand your awareness and experience life authentically. Something wonderful happens to you. A light goes on inside you that cannot be turned off. Healing occurs. Growth takes place. Like a Lotus flower, something beautiful emerges from deep within you. A glimpse of joy, compassion and forgiveness appear. Standing beside the worry, the fear, the angst, the powerlessness is a feeling of calm, a pillar of stillness.

Peace is not a destination; it is a state of being.

When you find yourself out of the moment, stressed out, in a bad spot, saddened, frightened, worried, lost…stop yourself. Breathe in and out with awareness. Accept what is happening. Become an observer of yourself. Feel the emotion, but don’t become the emotion. Make Peace with where you are. Say to your self, “Here I am. I am here.” Acknowledge your position. “Okay, I am angry.” “I am worried about the future.” “I am afraid of the outcome.” " I am overwhelmed in the situation."

You will be surprised to find that although the circumstance is the same, your perception will dramatically change. By purposefully acknowledging your position and your state of being, you get unstuck, you allow an opening so that you can now take appropriate action.

One of the greatest perks to practicing this powerful exercise of making Peace with where you are—and it does take practice—is that once you experience this new state of being, this profound insight; once your heart and mind are opened to the ever-present Peace, you can never go back.

Oh, you might slip into the abyss; you might spiral down to misery, you might jump onto the bandwagon of doom and gloom, you might get sucked into negative patterns, you might get all caught up into the demise of a situation. But I guarantee that the new found Peace in you, like a Gorilla in the room, cannot be ignored for long.

You may not be able to avoid challenges or unpleasant circumstances, but by making Peace with where you are, you will find that instead of dwelling in your despair, you recover more quickly.

For me, everyday I get better at making Peace with where I am.

I am here. Here I am. And you know what, the Joy is always there!

Keeping the light on,

Mags

The Love Cycle of Parenting

Every parent comes to a fork in the road when they must let their child go down their own path as they must continue on theirs. It is a fearful time. Not only a fear of the unknown, I believe it is much more a fear of separation or loss.

In truth, life reveals that in branching out, no matter where life takes you, what remains parallel is the very thing that brought you all together in the first place--love.

And love always trumps fear!

Below is poem that I created as an edited version of a letter I wrote to my oldest daughter. I offer it here as a kind of dedication to parents and children alike--For all the strength it takes a parent to release their child into the world and for all the courage necessary for a child to fly on their own. May your unbreakable love bring peace and encouragement.

The Love Cycle of Parenting

by Maggie Kalas

You are my child.

With God’s help,

I have brought you into this world

and you are precious to me.

You are not my possession.
You are someone I do hold dear to my heart.

I love you.
It is not just three words

but a truth that cannot be broken.

You are like flower; delicate, exuding beauty,

yet an amazing strength lies unseen within.

You shine in the sun one day and then the next,

you must return to your roots for new growth.

Like magic, you emerge again; even more majestic.

I once planted the seed, but now,

I am only the observer; amazed and in awe.

I do not judge.

I rejoice when you are in full bloom

and mourn when you are wilted.

I sprinkle a little love with hope

and reach out to caress your drooping spirit.

If your thorns prick me, I may weep,

but I am forgiving; I know your thorns protect you.

When you are sad, I am sad

because I long for the joy of your light.

I love you; it is eternal and ever present.

Even in the cold of darkness, a warm light remains lit.

You are the light in me as I am the light in you.

We are one in this light.

No time or distance will ever separate our bond.

You are free to be you. And I believe in you.

My purpose at one time was to feed you,

nurture you, love you and protect you.

Now you are matured in your skin

and must live life in order to grow.

Loving you is all I can do now.

And, I do love you.

The rest is up to YOU!

A little secret…

everything you will ever need

is already within you.

Know thyself.

Consider it all joy,
Mags

Keep the CHANGE!

"If you want something to change, change something!"

If change is possible, why does it seem like one of those insurmountable obstacles? We dream our dreams. We imagine the possibilities of what could be. Yet, we stay in the same place, doing the same things, and wonder why change seems so impossible.

Is it fear? Is it complacency? Is it laziness? Or is it something more? What keeps us in a place of discomfort instead choosing something comfortable? Maybe it is because we get comfortable with the discomfort. The same old, same old feels more comfortable than the different new, different new. Change, even if it is what we want, feels strange. The numb sensation of the unknown can stop us in our tracks like a deer in headlights. We want to move; actually every part of our being is screaming MOVE! Only the body, and our life, stays in the same place, stiff and rigid.

In choosing 'no action', we suddenly realize that change is happening whether we do something about it or not. Most times, it is not the change we would have intended. Like the deer frozen in the road before being pummeled by the tractor trailer, life is moving at you fast so you need to be ready to move swiftly. It's about being flexible and being willing to 'take action'.

KEEP THE CHANGE... DUMP THE EXCUSES!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Do something different. Alter your course. Shift your mind. See a new perspective. Become transformed. Take a leap of faith!

Change something. Who knows? You might just save your life!

Keeping the light on,

Mags