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By Tana Marie
Celebrating the Miracles of Your Life
Spring is finally in full bloom, yay! Everywhere, people are celebrating coming out of the cold and darkness of a very long winter. April usually takes care of that for us, but this year has been especially cold, grey, wet, and unseasonable. My clients from every corner of our world are saying the same thing, "This spring feels very different from years past." Its true, dear friends, so you're not imagining it.
Because we've had such an unusual winter, people have been depressed, less hopeful and downright frazzled. Because of this, it's even more important to celebrate the light, the blessings in our life right now. But before I get into that, I want to explore a little of the back-story regarding this remarkable time of year.
May Day
Historians generally agree that May Day celebrations probably originated with the spring fertility rites of ancient Rome, honoring Flora, the goddess of spring. (No, she wasn't one of Sleeping Beauty's 3 Fairy Godmothers...)
In the Middle Ages, the day was celebrated with intricate dances around a Maypole, decorated with streamers and colorful spring flowers.
Around the turn of the 20th century, May Day was taken up by the socialist and communist movements as a day to celebrate workers' rights.
Today, traditional May Day celebrations are a hodgepodge of Maypole dancing, parties and celebrations, workers' demonstrations and in Hawaii it's, yes, Lei Day.
"May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii." It's a song, a custom and a festival. In Hawaii on the first of May, everyone wears flowers. Schools stage pageants and give prizes. Contests are held for the most beautiful lei or garland. A Queen is crowned, and competitions, in both ancient and modern hula, are held. Popular Hawaiian entertainers give a concert for the locals.
And now, from the sublime to the ridiculous, some people even celebrate "No Pants Day"! (BTW, I take NO credit for this one!)
"No Pants Day" is a day that everyone; students, businessmen, even cherished community leaders, leave their pants behind. Usually this means wearing thick, appropriately modest boxer shorts, but bloomers, slips, briefs, and boxer-briefs all work as well.
OK, OK, enough of the quirky things people will do to celebrate! Let's get down to business. Regardless of where you live, what your beliefs are, or how you celebrate, people have been heralding Spring as rebirth and renewal, pretty much since the beginning of time.
A wise person once said, "We need the darkness in order to appreciate the dawn." I partially agree, in theory, but not in practice.
Life, love, romance, small daily miracles or life-changing, monumental ones, are priceless, regardless of how many challenges, set-backs or disappointments you've had. The reason I feel it's important to explore this now, is that a curious phenomenon seems to be developing. Too many people are starting to expect the darkness; accepting pain, disappointments and suffering as "normal," while seeing the delights of life as rare, seemingly impossible dreams. This is absolutely counter to all that has been taught by every Spiritual leader and Scholar throughout history. Just as health is the natural state of the body; the absence of illness, awaiting the next onslaught of disease, is not.
So this begs to ask, why have people started to expect the worst? Throughout the years, I've counseled people in every stage of life, love and relationship. The one constant I've found is that Love is the goal; Love of life, another person, a career, family, friends, the environment. It doesn't really matter what the object of affection is, love is the universal quest.
So, if love is such a universal desire, why are people so willing to accept it's opposite? "But we're not, Tana Marie!" - I can just hear you out there, some of you at least, protesting. But unfortunately, on some level, oh-so-many people are accepting less. It might not be on the romantic front; but what about your career, or car, or allowing yourself to give-up on heartfelt hopes and dreams? Accepting even a small amount of darkness is still selling out.
Yes, I know... the world is in a mess right now. We could go on for days about the state of the planet. But isn't it always alittle crazy? Pick almost any date in history, and something, somewhere was seriously amiss.
- So what do we do?
- What can we do?
Well, healing the planet and coming up with "The Ultimate Answer" will be explored in another article... (just kidding). But for now, let's address the matter at hand. We can't change the whole world, that's out of our control, but we CAN change our little piece of it, the piece we DO have control over.
Thoughts are things. We create our reality though the thoughts and feelings we constantly and consistently dwell upon. So, if someone starts to see nothing but darkness, pain, disappointment, etc., then that's what will keep showing up in their life. It's a Universal Law; it works for everyone, all the time. Period. You get what you focus on; you get what you expect.
- "So, how do I get back on track?"
- "How do I become positive and optimistic again?"
- "How can I start to believe in love again?"
I know you have these questions. They're more common than you might imagine! I hear them from my clients almost daily. The good news? There is an answer, and it's simple really... but not necessarily easy.
The simple solution? Focus on what you want, not what you don't want. The more you focus on love, light, happiness, abundance, joy and the like, the more you'll receive.
However, there is one small caveat. "Love brings up anything unlike itself." Love will push-up, into your life, any of the emotions that are unlike itself. These are fears, feelings, emotions that have been "hiding" deep within you. So once you begin to focus on the miracles in your life, the wonderful things you're anticipating, this might happen; at first you may start to see some residual gunk oozing up.
Gunk? What is it? How would I know if I had it? Here are some examples:
- You're focusing on abundance, and for a while, you experience an unexpected cash-flow crunch.
- You're ready to manifest a wonderful romance with your Soulmate, but you're single and begin to feel totally alone or suddenly hopeless.
- You're focusing on getting the perfect new job or promotion, and it seems like you keep getting passed over.
Sound familiar? Fear not dear friends! All that "gunk" showing up in your life means is that it's working! It really is! Love is clearing out all the fear, pain, disbelief, etc. that doesn't need to be down there anymore... you know, rumbling around in your heart or subconscious. When you start to see the effects of the gunk, don't panic. Keep going and it WILL dissipate.
Have you ever done a fast or cleanse to feel better? The first few days you feel lousy and wonder why on earth you began the stupid thing. But then something amazing happens, after the toxins begin to leave your body, you start to feel better, no, you feel great, fabulous actually! Emotional toxicity is similar; it hurts in so many ways.
So to turn away from the darkness dear friends, and stay totally and unfailingly focused on the light. Keep picturing a positive outcome.
- What do you want?
- How do you see your perfect life?
- What will it be like when you get the promotion, new home, healthy body or relationship with the love of your life?
- How will you express the light, the love, and the joy you'll receive?
Answer these questions, and you'll be well on your way toward creating the life you've always wanted!
I'd like to end my column this month with a poem written by a friend of mine. Hope you enjoy it. Blessings.
"I want to fall in love before I die.
Madly...the kind of passion that melts the paint on the walls...the play,
the laughter, the wild abandon...the aching inside when time is moving ever
so slowly until the next meeting, and the anxiety of it passing too quickly
when I'm in his presence and know that I have to leave.
I want to feel it all, unadulterated, unfiltered, unchained, before my mind
starts forgetting the names of those important to me and my body loses its
ability to enjoy...to take the kind of risks with my heart that I did with
my life when the sight of the end of my days here was clouded by the
exuberance and fearlessness of youth.
I want to look in his eyes and see myself there, reflected in all my splendor and frailty.
And feel that he loves me in spite of it all.
I want to know what it feels like when my concern for him outweighs the need
to protect my feelings.
I want to feel my heart breaking open, knowing that the pain will soon be replaced by the joy of reconnecting with the selflessness and love that created us all."
By Robyn Justo
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More Romance Columns...
(Romance Columns are listed by most recent.)
The Greatest Gift
An E Ticket, Right Relationships and The Lone Ranger
Sacred Relationships and Connection
The Nature of Being
Spring Forward, New Beginnings or What's that about the Rabbit Hole...?
New Time, New Hope, New Love
LIFE, OR SOMETHING RESEMBLING IT...
New Beginnings, Endings & Life Somewhere in the Middle
SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS
Summer Lovin'
Celebrating the Miracles of Your Life
DATING WARS: Surviving On-Line Personals & the Dating Pool
The Heart of the Matter
The Sacredness of Love
Romantic Getaways: How to Actually ENJOY your Vacation
Spring Forward, DON'T Fall Back!
Ahhh Spring, Natures Gift to Humanity
Showing Appreciation This Valentine's Day
Create Your Life, Don't Just Live It
Give the gift of YOU this Holiday Season
Avoid the Perils of Ring Hopping
Avoid "The Land of Diminishing Returns" By Using Passion
For better or worse - The true test of any relationship
Why do women fall for married or unavailable men?
Why do fools fall in love?
Dating Wars or "My, How the Rules Have Changed!"
Spring Ushers In Romantic Rebirth
Spring Fever
Dream Creation
Surviving the Holidays
Happily Ever After Or If Only I Were Wealthy...
Want A Fabulous Romantic Future? Peek At Your Past!
Creating The Love Of Your Life
Keeping Passion Alive
Shell Game vs. The Search for Essence
Spice Up Your Love Life
Rebuilding Trust Using the Time Line Model
Guy Code
Finding Your Soulmate
Crazymaking In Communication
What Is Happily Ever After?
Love Isn't Just About Valentine's Day
Put Your Past Behind You
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