Two Sides of the Same Coin

 

As I soak  luxuriously in the tub to relax after a recent move, I find myself craving companionship. My friend and I use to meet for coffee to discuss our newest Ah Ha moments. Yet, I have the quiet house all to myself as my husband is at work and my children at school. Our dog and cat are sleeping nearby and as I soak I can hear the crashing of the waves coming to rest on the sandy beach of the Chesapeake Bay. A vision of a coin came to me and I heard the words…two sides of the same coin. It was a reference for how I was feeling. Loving my solitude st the same time wanting companionship. This began the unfolding and birth to “Two sides to the Same Coin” (co-in).

The thought occurred to me that no matter how much we think we are alone, we never truly are. I may believe that the thought of this story was my own creation, but even our thoughts are something that is given to us. My Guardian Angel was letting me know that and so I decided to have a little chat with her. So, I put the tea pot on and began to muse a bit, thinking how odd it is that our Guardian Angels have been with us since the time of our conception, yet, we very rarely ever communicate with them.

“Two sides of the same coin” was birthed from this communion with my Guardian Angel (communicate in unison). To me, life is very symbolic and I allow this symbolism to guide me and offer me wisdom whenever it shows up in my life. Whether in nature, in the grocery store, bumper stickers or on billboards, and just pretty much everywhere. It is a rather fun way that I allow life/spirit to guide me. It is very surprising and magical at times. Everything is symbolic. This, I am now realizing, is what brings out my passion to write.

The way the coin presents itself when you look at it, has a head of a presidential/queen figure on one side and on the other is usually depicted as a bird, animal or nature. To me the symbolism of the head represents man, the ego, the mind, thought and logic. The tail or the opposite side represents our animal nature, freedom, liberation, nourishment, higher thought and spirit.

Each side of this coin has a story, a story that we can all relate to if given the moment for some introspection. When, I apply this coin to my life and how it relates to me, I see that in the first half of my life I lived from one side of the coin.  Heads, that is. My whole life I’ve operated on everything that has been given to me and that has been told to me. Taking everything upon face value and believing it to be truth, my truth. Living in the logical mind came so natural as if robotic and this in turn created my daily experience and the world in which I lived.  Unbeknownst to me, everyone else’s truth was mine. I was creating a world around me upon someone else’s truth. Their fears, their perceptions, their wisdom and their belief system. I never really asked myself if any of it resonated or felt true to me. This left me at some point feeling very broken, not knowing who I was, what my purpose was for living, not sure I even wanted to remain living in this way, and literally very empty.

I am not sure when the coined flipped or the breakdown began.  Maybe, at the birth of my children something started to give way. A little awareness here and there. It was a constant yo-yo from my thoughts to my feelings and I felt at times I was losing my mind. In a sense, that is exactly what was happening as I was de-programming myself and now realize what a gift it is to lose your mind! LOL! I want to express to you that I write not from a place of right or wrong, but as you will see, one of opposites, the life of duality, the blessing and knowledge gained that each side of the coin brings. That I am now learning to write my new life story on blank pages with an open heart.

Living the second half of my life represents spirit, nourishment, and my connection to nature. Recognizing the Divine spirit in all things has been the living force that has liberated me. Everything being connected, every thought, word and deed having an effect on each other. By becoming responsible for my own thoughts, words and deeds, I have set myself free from any limiting thoughts created by another. I am learning to stand in my own truth and in my own power. No one can give that to you, you can only gift that to yourself. You will soon realize that you are your own gift to yourself and to humanity and to all life. Recognizing that the first half of my life taught me humility, to forgive myself and to fully embrace and love myself without exception. Just as the Divine…without judgment.

Yet, there is another aspect to this coin, a secret one, a hidden one, an aspect that is neither heads nor tails, but one that is the middle.  The part that makes the two, one. The part that binds the two, the heart of it all. Putting differences aside and becoming united. Where spirit and mind come together and let the heart take lead. For like I said above, everything is dependent upon the other. Living the life in the mind leads to suffering, living totally in the spirit realm will leave you aloof and ungrounded, while living in the middle, in the heart, leads you to living in union with God and all things. Grounding spirit through our vessel with both feet on the ground and seeing that first and foremost we are spirit in human form. At that point, it doesn’t matter how you see God or how others see God. It doesn’t matter what color skin you have or what country you live in. It doesn’t matter the possessions you have or how much wealth you have, it doesn’t matter how physically beautiful or ugly you perceive something is, because here and only here in your heart, is where your truth and abundance resides. In total acceptance of all people places and things, you cannot separate it because it’s all connected. Just like the infinity symbol and just like the coin.

In my truth, there are no sides…it’s a matter of perspective. It is my hope that you will never look at the coin the same way ever again. I hope that when you gaze upon it as you hold it in your hand, you will know that you are truly and infinitely abundant. That the person depicted on this coin does not rule you or your heart unless you allow it. That what you hold within your own hand is your own fate. The ability to create your own liberation from any perceived lack or limitation. That there is more wealth in a coin than just its material worth, that your foundation was not built on it but, linked through creation. Instead, think of it as if you hold your heart and the hearts of all those who it has touched in your hand and say a prayer of love and thanksgiving. That everything is connected, even us to one another, just like two sides of the same coin. It is all ONE.

Abundantly yours,

Lisa

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What is Hell?

If you think this article is going to be about fire and brimstone, you would be right with the exception of a little twist on things.

Instead of the normal rant about sin, blasphemy and being sent to the fiery infernal of damnation for eternity, because of some wrong doing that you may have committed.  Lest, it is about the hell we create in our everyday life that keeps us held the prisoner in our very own inferno and to me, in my opinion more true than the old religious beliefs.

You might be thinking what on earth is she talking about?  Hell is a place of pain and suffering, bottom line.  We do not have to travel there or be sent there to experience it.  We experience hell in our everyday life.  Unless, of course you are free of pain and suffering that is.  If so, we should follow your lead and be, “Monkey see…Monkey do” Isn’t that what the Master Jesus meant when he said, “I am the way the truth and the light”?  Not to get lost in him and be his shadow, but that he is the example, the way-shower, to show you how it is done for yourself to become one with the creator.  Not so that you could glorify him. Not praise outside of yourself, but to see too that the creator lives and dwells with-in you.

Very simply, we live in our pain and suffering because we do not and have not yet learned how to forgive. Yes, that’s the key, forgiveness. To love beyond all perceived faults.  Yet, I know right now going through  your mind you are thinking, “How can I forgive this person for what they have done to me, the pain it has caused me”?

I say to you…in truth, no one can do anything to you, that you didn’t want to experience.  Each experience leads you and provides you the opportunity to offer forgiveness.  You will continue to have these experiences until you make the change in your heart, to see that your thoughts and feelings are re-creating these experiences. You in fact hold the key, you always have.  The extent of your beliefs are the extent of your experiences.

In truth, it is so difficult for us to forgive others because we have yet to forgive ourselves.  As with anything, if you want to see change in your life, you must start with yourself.

Forgiveness, peace, love, joy and gratitude all begin and end with you.

Why is it that so many people go to church and yet after all this time things remain the same?

Why is it that there is still suffering in the world? People starving, people without homes?

Why is that?

Why is there still war?

Are your thoughts turning outward? Who are you wanting to blame? Is it because of the politicians, the illuminati, the powers that be?

I challenge you to think differently.  We are experiencing those things because we as humanity have not yet learned how to love and embrace one another.

In this moment I offer forgiveness to myself and humanity for our slumbering souls.

Are we done killing other people’s wives, husbands and children? Are we done thinking we are smarter and wiser than the earth in which we live upon?

Who are you not able to forgive? What is it in your life that you cannot let go of? This is the cancer, this is the hate, this is all dis-ease. Why is it that we would rather hold on to our hate and bitterness than to welcome love and forgiveness into our hearts?

Hell is living in a world with no tolerance and no acceptance. Hell is living in a world void of love and forgiveness. Could it possibly be that hell is merely the experience of separation from our creator?

The question is have you had enough?

Set yourself free, give your heart a break and allow love in, allow the unconditional love of the Divine in, Just surrender.

Below, you can find funny hell phrases. Feel free to add your funny hell phrases to shift the heaviness of this word.

All my love,

Lisa

FUNNY HELL PHRASES

What the sam hell?  What my mother would say when we did something we weren’t supposed to do.

Going to hell in a hand basket.  Picture that one! LOL! My creative mind is coming up with all sorts of images on this one.

Went to hell and back.  Whew! what a journey! been there done that! whoo hoo! Congratulations!

I’ve got a whole slew, but I am curious to see yours.

Have Fun!

Let Your Swing, Swing

Just BE? You know, the first time I heard that, I thought what the #@$% is that supposed to mean? 🙂  After time I did GET IT! 🙂 Yet, it too is ever evolving into deeper levels of  just being.  The stages we go through are unbelievable and ridiculous at times.  It is laughable when we get on the other side of whatever or wherever the mind has taken us.  Because, it really is very simple, but we make it so difficult.   The mind is supposed to be subservient to the heart.  In other words it should follow the promptings of the heart, actually working in tandem.  You see, the heart just allows, it just does and it just is.  It doesn’t get caught up in playing any games, it doesn’t try to make sense of right or wrong, it very simply allows for the unfolding of whatever is transpiring in that moment.

Here is an example; Imagine you as a child on the swing set and you are swinging.  You are laughing and just enjoying the  momentum of going back and forth, it’s natural and you love how free it makes you feel! It is very easy, right? Now imagine, you’re swinging and you start thinking, Oh my God, is it supposed to be moving this way? Should I be moving in this direction or that direction? Which way am I supposed to be going? Is this way the right way? Is this way the wrong way? Before you know it, your frozen with fear, unable to move, the uncertainty of the situation is too much! This is how we are in life, we don’t allow for the natural flow and allow the heart to take up the lead.  Life can be just as simple as swinging if we just allow it.

You know nature doesn’t try to decide how to evolve or grow, does it?  It just happens! It doesn’t worry if one leaf is bigger than the other, one flower has more beauty than another, or should I grow a limb here or there?  It doesn’t say am I growing wrong or am I screwing this creation thing all up. NO it does not! We are no different, for if we would  just trust in the flow of energy in and around us, let ourselves experience whatever we are experiencing without judgement, could you imagine how we would bloom????

It has been a process and unfolding out of self-judgement for me and for just about everyone on this planet.  I have to say though that over that last two or three weeks things have shifted and evolved even deeper and I’ve experienced life more sweetly than ever before.  At first, I spent a lot of time whining and complaining that my life is not going anywhere, I’m not shining like I should, I’m bored, I have no direction, I’m not out there BEing the light I came here to be, I haven’t worked in 8 yrs., I’m so broke, I’m unfulfilled, and on and on! Whaaaaa, cry baby sissy whaaaa! (this is what we would say teasingly to each other when we were kids) Makes me laugh just thinking about it.  That is what I was saying to myself and it got so heavy all I wanted to do was sleep and then whine some more!  The heaviness was the lie of it, I knew none of this was the truth because of how I was feeling. I have learned that if I’m experiencing pain, I experience it, but I know it is not the truth and have to let the truth surface and show itself.  I knew enough that I was creating this whole experience, yet, how do I create something else?  Just like the swing goes forwards and backwards, one being the opposite of the other, I chose to swing in the other direction.

I did just that! I did the opposite! I started taking walks, doing things to love me a little bit more, filling my cup, romancing myself, if I wanted that damn piece of candy, I ate it and I didn’t feel guilty for it! LOL! 🙂  I reveled and savored each moment.  The messages or a more clear awareness began unfolding as I would ask these questions instead of whining.  The understanding was, how can you say you are not working? You are doing the most important work on this planet! The work of allowing to feel! To feel everything, to allow the stuffed down feelings of the past to bubble up to the surface and meet them eye to eye with all the love in your heart, to feel everything without judgement!  So your light has the ability to shine, baring the truth of your being that is so naturally radiant!

As I write, just now, I’m beginning to cry and I don’t know why? It is just coming forth from the depths of my being, from seemingly nowhere and I cry and I allow it to come.  The awareness that is coming is, I really didn’t ruin it all for everyone and I didn’t screw it all up, it wasn’t my fault! I feel the truth of that awareness because it feels light and I feel glad in my heart and my body.  Now, I’m feeling the pain of that time, some time in my childhood when I was blamed for something. This feels weird but I’m going to write exactly how I feel as it comes up.  I’m feeling every bit of the blame and the anger of everyone around me. I feel sick in my stomach and I remember to breathe and it dissipates some.  I focus on my breath  and another wave of sadness comes.  I feel ashamed and guilty, for whatever I did caused everyone a lot of pain.  I allow myself to feel it all as I breathe through it and I send love to my child and console her as I would my own child.  As it moves and passes through me, I cry now more from the relief of  it, for allowing the pain, the joy to be free of that fear that has held me back for so long.  Free of the story that said if you do this, you’ll screw it up for everyone, you’ll do it all wrong.  That story has kept me frozen in time.

I feel the strength and energy flowing back to me as I breathe.  I feel lighter and more at peace, calmer.   The joy that you feel when you find a bit of treasure.  For me, it is reclaiming a piece of Lisa treasure and there is no amount of gold in the world that could replace any of what just transpired.  I wouldn’t even take back the pain of that moment in my childhood, for it too is like gold and I lovingly thank all those who played their part.  You wonder how can I say that?  Because, I would not know and feel the truth and joy of what I’m feeling at the moment.  You can’t have one without the other!   Allowing gets easier and easier, which then allows you to live in true truth and not of duality.

We chose to live in the story, the story that says anything is more than just plain energy, the one that chooses to attach good or bad to something, which allows you to live in the illusion (the story) of pain and separation from our true self (the Divine aspect of God, Source, Creator).  In living in that story it became real and true and we forgot about the self that was connected to ALL living beings.  In what we do affects everyone and everything , because in truth we are ONE.  This way of living has served its purpose, we’ve mastered it because that’s what Masters do! We’ve layed the ground work, the foundation, now it is time to get on with the show, write the next chapter, song or whatever you want to call it for the never ending film of the Divine Plan continues to flow on as it always has!

This story is far from The End for it is alive just like everything else, for it lives on inside of me.  Which reminds me of a poem I wrote a long time ago for a teacher who was grieving the passing of her husband.  It is called Never an End and can be found in my notes section on FB.

Just keep swinging, swinging, swinging,

Lisa

Hello Fellow Bloggers

Welcome to my blog page! This is my first attempt at setting up my own blogging site and I am so excited because I have a bunch of fun, inspiring and artistic pieces that I want to share with everyone.  This page will continue to evolve over time so stayed tuned.  I look forward to all our conversations, feedback and insight.

Peace and Blessings,

Lisa