Lightness and Expansion.

When I am in states of expansion, I have the feeling of being simultaneously scared and excited. It is a flutter in the heart that knows what is about to happen may very well shatter my pre-existing paradigms. There is a soft, lulling sense of fear as I shift from the known to the unknown. The ego is always a bit scared when it is moving into the realm of what has never been done before. It doesn’t feel safe, but the heart wants nothing more than to expand with lightness and grace. It is safe for you to dwell in the space of expansion, to follow the wisdom of the heart to guide you into the darkness of the unknown, of the future, where all realities are possible.

As you approach the realm of the unknown, the feeling of fear will subside as you surrender into the heart space. The intuitive wisdom of your Higher Self guides you as you make the shift, supporting you with lightness, grace, and ease. Breathe deeply into that part of you that yearns to embrace freedom and paradigm-shattering realities. Continuously nurture your innate desire to expand beyond the safe boundaries of past experience and into radical opportunities to fully shine your light. You are on the right path when you feel the fear and move past it with loving grace. Embrace the lightness of expansive states of the heart.

Yoga Expansion.

When I practice yoga, I feel light, expansive, and connected to my inner wisdom. I start with my hands in Anjali mudra, at heart center, and set an intention for my practice. I often devote my practice to others, as an expression of gratitude, or in dedication to my highest life purpose. I feel grounded, strong, and open. My heart yearns to expand and shine as I practice with concentration and awareness.

Yoga invites us to maintain one-pointed focus, unwavering in our devotional practice. This ancient spiritual path guides us inward, as we maintain awareness of the breath throughout. There is nothing I enjoy more than taking the longest, deepest, slowest breath I have all day. In that moment, I am fully grounded in the experience of the Now, as I allow love to radiate from my heart center, flowing outward and reverberating into the Universe.

The depth of awareness that is cultivated through yoga cannot be denied. It lends itself to the deep transformational aspect of yoga, the union of body, mind, and soul. We practice yoga as an offering to the Universe, an expression of gratitude for the love that permeates all existence. We practice so that all beings may be happy and free.

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to the happiness and freedom of all.

Heart Hugs on the Playa.

The intensity of the full moon lunar eclipse, also a supermoon, contributed to a weekend of love, healing, and authentic heart connections. Last summer, I first heard about Playa Del Fuego, also known as PDF, a regional Burning Man event that takes place twice a year in Delaware. This event embraces the forward-thinking principles of Burning Man, including Radical Self-Expression, Radical Self-reliance, Radical self-inclusion, decommodification, Leaving No Trace, and gifting. A part of my soul was drawn to Playa Del Fuego. I knew it was something I had to experience. I set the intention to experience the magic of the Playa and I released my will. Effortlessly, I was guided to the Playa for their Spring 2013 burn. When things flow with grace, my ego to takes a back seat and I allow my heart to guide me.

Prior to going to Playa Del Fuego, I heard so much about it and kept receiving messages, both explicit and implicit, that I had to be there. When I hear the voice of my intuition, I follow it. The exact events I need to experience lovingly unfold. I am brought together with the perfect people I need to meet, and they need to meet me. We are energetically drawn into each others experiences because we are meant to learn something from each other. My inner wisdom guided me to the Playa with an open mind, free of preconceived ideas of what I thought it would be. I honestly had no idea what the weekend would bring, no idea what to expect. I allowed myself to flow, to be fully in the moment. When that happens, magic and divine guidance flourish.

The day before going to the Playa, I received messages from my angels that I had to clear and heal my root chakra. In order to connect more fully with my guides and higher self, I intended to experience PDF without the aid of any substances or hallucinogens. By upholding clarity of mind and purity of intention, I allowed myself to fully surrender to the experience. I released the egoic mind, and my heart took the lead. On the Playa, I was guided by the sun, stars, and moon. There was no time in the strict linear sense, only the here and now. Playa Time is not past or future, but the eternal moment, where there is no fear, worry, or anxiety. There is only intuition, love, gratitude, acceptance, and a deep feeling of being loved and guided.

With this, I express deep gratitude for the multitude of experiences that unfolded this weekend. The palpable energy of love radiates on the Playa, where people are free to fully express themselves and play and share and love. I connected with so many loving beings and I was healed by their unconditional acceptance. I love others for who they are now, and I receive that love back and more. Thanks for all the heart hugs, smiles, and laughter. Burners know how to give heartfelt hugs that cultivate the healing quality of unconditional compassion and acceptance. It is the feeling of being totally accepted, safe, and loved.

I love you all. As we integrate our experience into our being, know that we are all being divinely guided in each moment to fulfill our highest purpose, our dharma.

Hoop Bunny Friday: The Sacred Circle.

Dance is a celebration of one’s unique individual expression in the world of form. The sacred circle of the hoop represents the Universe and its composition of fractals, swirls, and circularity. The smallest part of the Universe represents the whole. When the light of love is expressed through dance, it enlivens everything as that loving vibration reverberates throughout the cosmos. Hoop dance is a prayer and a devotional offering to Gaia as my bare feet caress her. In turn, I am supported, nurtured, and healed by her.

The hoop is an invitation to go within and simultaneously, a radical outward expression of Universal love. The sacred circle is one way to step into your power, love, and healing capacity if you choose to approach it as a moving meditation. Radiant Hoop Dance invites you to discover the abundance of love within and captivate others with its authentic expression. When you dance from the heart, you heal yourself and the world.

Pop by my YouTube Channel to see my Radiant Hoop Dance videos.

Healing love from the angels.

This week with the Uranus-Pluto Square and full moon lunar eclipse, many things are coming up. Old issues, fears, and anxieties are bubbling to the surface in order to be cleansed and released. Critical information is coming into our awareness that deserves our attention. By integrating these realizations, we are being asked to act with dignity and responsibility regarding our next course of action. The truth is here in all its clarity, calling us to more fully step into our life path and heed the guidance of our inner wisdom. Much of the uncertainty surrounding our mission and the future can be released. With our pure intention, all of the lower vibrational energies weighing us down can be transmuted in the healing process.

This heightened awareness can contribute to a healing crisis, a period of emotional turmoil and fear as these lower energies are healed. The activating information we are now receiving must be integrated into our being through intention, meditation, and devotional spiritual practice. By connecting to the loving guides and angels surrounding us, we choose to light our path with the lucid light of truth. Anything that no longer serves you and your highest evolution can now be lovingly cleansed and healed through meditation, visualisation, yoga, and detox of the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. Ask for support and guidance from your angels, for they cannot violate your free will. They will support your healing process by helping you release negativity and deep-rooted fear. If you invite them in, they will help you. Open your heart to receiving healing love from the angels, and call on them to guide your path. 

Burner Community: Ignite Me

I was delighted when I came across IGNITE.ME, a burner community that connects people across the nation. Go to IGNITE.ME for artist interviews, events, inspiring photographs, & burner-worthy articles that will leave you charged up to set the world on fire. This summer, I will be contributing original articles to IGNITE.ME reporting on major East coast burns including: Playa Del Fuego, Freeform Festival, and Transformus in Asheville, North Carolina.

Photograph from Ignite Me

Check out the latest news and inspiration from the burner community. Feel free to contribute YOUR amazing ideas to IGNITE ME & co-create your dream reality!

Namaste.

Go forth and set the world on fire.

“Go forth and set the world on fire.”
― St. Ignatius of Loyola

Tomorrow I will graduate from university, the culmination of a four year period of my life that brought painful and difficult experiences of growth, as well as love, awareness, and deep soul connections. I am grateful for my college education and the opportunities for self-awareness it has presented me. It wasn’t always an easy ride or a lovely cup of tea. Throughout my undergraduate career, I became more and more painfully aware of the ways that traditional education fails me. I learned more through direct experience and self-education than I did from textbooks or lectures. There was always a sense of obligation, of duty to force myself to go through the motions, to try to adapt to the daily workings of college life. It was not always joyful and blissful, but these experiences allowed me to discover my spiritual nature and delve into my devotional practice.

To see how much I’ve changed since my first two years of college is a blessing. There are many defining moments that stand out in my mind. One of them was the summer of my sophomore year, when I traveled alone to Shanghai to seek an internship at a law firm. I stayed for a month before cutting it off early to return home. I felt like I had failed, but at the same time, there was a part of me that knew that internship was not for me, even before I got there. Upon returning home, I felt disconnected and lost. I had to decompress from the intensity of that experience, and the feeling of being utterly alone in a strange foreign land. At this perfect time, I discovered the transformative practice of yoga and was guided to go deeper into my being, in order to learn about my true nature. I began a devoted meditation practice, and my hoop dance journey was just beginning to unfold. I kept my love for hoop dance to myself. Then I slowly began to blossom and share that bliss with the world.

This is a reflection, an expression of gratitude to the Universe for guiding me on my path during the past four years. Looking back, I can see that every trial and turmoil was only for my highest evolution. I had to experience loneliness, pain, and separation in order to shine the light of consciousness on it. I healed many of the dark corners of my mind and awakened to my inner wisdom, the still, small voice of love, the sense of inner knowing that communicates though emotions. I discovered more about my path, and my purpose as a bringer of Light. This knowingness came from a serene place within.

In light of my graduation, I approach the ceremony as a celebration of my journey thus far. I trust that everything happens to support my spiritual evolution. I am ready to begin a new part of my life journey in which I am fully guided by my heart. I am being called to step into my power with full trust that I everything is unfolding in Divine time, if I allow myself to surrender to the flow of the Now. There are no specific plans or To-Do lists. I am left with the devotion to my path, wherever it may lead.

The fire spinning pictures are Aura Jade, double fire hooping.

Empathic Awareness.

It wasn’t until recently that I learned about Empaths, people who are highly sensitive to energy and to their environments, more-so than the average person. They feel everything, like psychic sponges, and are oft frazzled by the negative and fearful energies of others. Empaths can sense deep emotions, energy, and the intention behind appearances or words. “People of all walks of life and animals are attracted to the warmth and genuine compassion of empaths. Regardless of whether others are aware of one being empathic, people are drawn to them as a metal object is to a magnet! They are like beacons of light” (Source).

I always felt this distinct, underlying feeling of being different due to my sensitive nature. After learning more about Empaths, I choose to see this quality as a gift. Empaths are compassionate, loving, and great healers. They regularly access that space of inner wisdom and intuition. My mother is highly intuitive and has learned to hone her skills to accurately connect to an inner knowing. She is amazingly spot-on about peoples’ true natures.

I am beginning to learn how to control and direct my empathic abilities. With this awareness, I choose to maintain a high vibration at all times, especially when I am around others. Often I feel depleted hanging out with many people in highly social environments. Socializing can be fun for a time, but also takes a lot of energy out of me. However, with this understanding of my empathic nature, I create healthy boundaries by giving myself serene time alone to recharge. I actively avoid atmospheres that are too intense for me, like crowded shopping malls and the like. If I have to go to these places, I create a Reiki bubble that only allows light and love in. I also plan my day to spend as little time in crazy environments as possible, leaving more time to connect to nature and my inner wisdom.

Intimate relationships in particular are difficult for empaths, because I can feel smothered when people are taking too much energy out of me. My empathic abilities can be intense at times. However, the awareness of my nature has allowed me to accept myself unconditionally. This empathic awareness also allows me to communicate my needs to others. I love and respect myself so much that I feel comfortable telling others when I need time alone to decompress and recharge. If you feel in your heart that you are an empath, use meditation and quiet reflection to develop self-awareness and unconditional acceptance. By respecting your true nature, you can create healthy boundaries and communicate your needs to others. Cultivating empathic awareness is a way to bring more harmony, peace, and bliss into each moment.

Namaste.

Radiant Hoop Dance.

Hoop dance is the journey of self-expression, creativity, and playfulness. When I pick up my hula-hoop, I connect to my inner child and allow my worries to melt away effortlessly. It is impossible to not smile while spinning in circles in the soft grass. Hooping is a direct connection to my inner child, who wants to laugh and play and be in a state of overflowing joy. Dance raises my energetic vibration in such a powerful way that I have to remember to ground myself, which is perfect when I am outside in nature, barefoot on the earth. 

I lose myself in the moment. Like yoga, it is not so much about what the movements look like, but rather, what the movements feel like in my body. I stretch, reaching for the sky, and move energy throughout my entire body. Hooping as an expressive dance form allows me to release energetic blocks, both in my physical and energetic bodies. It is a form of conscious movement, a meditation that raises my vibration as I surrender to the present moment. Others who watch me are also filled with joy and bliss. There is nothing better than seeing somebody dance completely, with every fiber of their being, moving in ways that only their body can move. There is a certain amount of surrender when you lose yourself in the Now, in the harmony of radiant hoop dance. 

Feel free to see more of my radiant hoop dance videos on my YouTube Channel.

Courage on the Yoga Mat.

Last night, my teacher ended the class by saying, “Thank you for being courageous on your yoga mat.” Those words reverberated as I repeated them in my mind. 

What does it mean to be courageous on your yoga mat? Showing up to practice yoga is a feat in and of itself. A conscious decision is made to take an hour and a half out of your day to devote fully to yourself and your spiritual path. That takes a certain level of awareness and commitment to your Highest, best self, that part of you that knows you deserve to nurture yourself. Committing to self-care and self-love requires you to set your own boundaries and perhaps say “no” to something that does not serve your highest joy.

When I practice yoga, I am connected to that part of my soul that yearns to be in constant connection and union with the greater cosmos. Yoga is union, the unification and integration of body, mind, and soul with loving universal energy. It takes strength to look beyond the conditioned world in order to seek our powerful essence that knows no limits. Yoga, breath-work, and meditation provide the tools to still and quiet the mind enough in order to hear the small voice of inner wisdom & intuition.

There is no way to practice yoga for an extended period of time without the transformation of mind and body, the goal of yoga. If you go further down the path, you will go deeper into your consciousness and uncover the hidden fears and anxieties that you would rather leave in the realm of the subconscious. However, yoga provides the tools to successfully integrate the expansion of consciousness into daily experience. There is truth, light, and inner wisdom that is a direct result of a devoted yoga practice. To practice yoga is to be a spiritual warrior. Each time you step on the yoga mat, it takes strength, resolve, and purity of heart to fully surrender to the infinite now. Yoga challenges us to be spiritual warriors. The spiritual practice of yoga harmonizes, unifies, and integrates the mind, heart, and body.