This morning I read a story about the Taliban in Afghanistan killing a pregnant widow for adultery.  She was whipped 200 times before she was shot in the head and chest.  The man who performed the brutal acts walked away free – after all she was just a woman.

The Taliban shot a seven-year-old boy last week for being a spy and this past weekend shot 10 aid workers who the Taliban claim were spreading Christianity.  How can this be?  How can these kind of backward violent actions still happen in so-called modern society?

I read a book last year on the building of the Taj Mahal.  It was a fascinating cultural glimpse into a land I knew so little about.  Probably the most stunning take-away was how little life was valued.  People were slaughtered without worry or real consideration regularly.  A small, elite group ruled with an iron fist and frankly it seems little has changed in this part of the world.

It also made me realize I would never be able to truly understand these cultures because it’s in complete opposition to my thinking – life is sacred and we are all to live abundant lives in freedom and peace. 

So are we supposed to send more soldiers to rescue the innocent?  I don’t know, I hate what is happening there and I also know we in the West will never fully grasp their society.  Part of the culture is one of oppression and cruelty but I’m betting there is also more to the story too.  I’m betting it’s not just some men who want to keep their cultures the same.  I bet there are a lot of women there as well who believe this is how it is supposed to be. 

We as Americans can not parachute into another culture and expect to really grasp all the facts immediately. I don’t know what the answer is in Afghanistan.  Good, kind, courageous people are dying because they are willing to try to make a better way, even at the cost of life.  And I am grateful that 200 plus years ago, brave men and women decided they needed to break free of British tyranny here in this country. 

And that is probably where the answer lay – with the people.  

Here is the bitch of it: for all my understanding and faith in a higher power – life is still not fair sometimes.  How can this be?  Where is my God from the 1^st Testament?  A righteous and violent God who punishes those who sin?  He will cast out the unworthy, right?  Then I remember rainbows. Later in the 1^st Testament, God gave up leveling the ‘fallen’ or debauched communities with floods and plagues to punishment them.  He became the God of boundless Grace.  I like to think he matured, he grow-up and discovered you can’t punish someone out of bad, but you can love them out of it. 

According to the Bible, rainbows became his personal sign of his infinite love for each of us.  However personally, some days I long for the Bad-ass God who likes to smite the wicked.

When I am caught in the unfairness of a situation or with a person, I try to comfort myself with the belief, “I can only see in part, You (God) see all.”  Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t.  I am reminded of Jesus on the cross crying out his last to his Father – have you Forsaken Me?…I know that desperation, the fear of being abandoned as you know in your heart you have done all that has been required of you, yet still you hang on the cross, waiting.  How can this be?   “I can only see in part…”

Recently a client asked, “How do you create a sacred space for meditation and quiet.”  These are some tips to create your own sacred space be it an entire room or a small shelf.

 I like to think of sacred spaces as being attached to your senses…

 1.       Visual - Color.  Colors trigger emotional responses from the inside.  Think of it, seeing “red” when you are angry or feeling “blue” when you are sad.  Try painting the sacred space or even the shelf, a calming color to help “queue” your internal response to “relax.”  My office is painted a gorgeous, blue-lavender hue and often my clients will comment how it feels like walking into Springtime upon entering the room…Use color as a way to sooth yourself, instead revving it up.

2.       Smell – Palo Santo and candles.  Whenever I smell burning Palo Santo, Holy Wood, I am instantly connected to divine peace. It smells like nature and mother earth to me.  I like lighting candles and Palo Santo before I meditate or spend time in my sacred space.  I’ve created my own ritual of sorts.  By lighting candles and burning holy wood, I intentionally mark a transition into my sacred space.  This in turn, creates a higher vibration thus more “sacred space.”

3.       Touch – images and photos.  I like to think of this as more about “touching” your heart then physical touch.  What are some images that immediately calm you when you look at them?  Mother Mary?  Angels? Frogs?  Pretty knit-knacks from long ago adventures?  Friends?  Anything that you adorn your sacred space with must be centered in love and tranquility.  Your sacred space is yours alone, a place that speaks to your own heart quietly.  Be creative and even open to what is important…Maybe a favorite rock or two will show up.

4.       Taste – water.  I like balance in sacred spaces.  Water balances fire - candles.  Water nourishes us.  It reminds us to be flexible and that our emotions can be fluid like the ocean.  I have a wonderful Kuan Yin statue that drips water.  Kuan Yin is an Eastern goddess focused on compassion for self and others.  (Kind of like the Mother Mary of the East without the virgin-birth story attached.)  Some clients leave small bowls of water with flower blossoms floating in their meditation spaces to keep the energy fresh.  A nice fountain can also do the trick which also leads to the last tip - sounds.

5.       Hearing – what are you listening to?  This is where things can be interesting…Are you listening to guided meditations?  Great, but what else?  Are you quiet in this space sometimes?  Have you opened the windows to hear what is going on outside – birds?  Have you tried listening to ocean sounds or relaxing music while you are sitting in your sacred space or looking at your shelf?  Try some different things and you will discover how your sacred space can support you in many ways.

 These are just a few suggestions to help you create your own sacred space.  I bet if you look around already in your life today, you can see that you’ve have already gathered your “sacred” tools…It’s really just you allowing yourself the space to blossom. 

3.  Intuition.  Do you listen to your hunches?  When you get that feeling - do you follow it?  Do you look for signs?  Intuition is directly linked to faith.  Intuition just takes faith one-step further – it becomes a two-way street, spirit helps YOU. 

I had a minister that used to say intuition is the whispering of God’s voice directly to you.  I like that.  It speaks to my belief that God wants each of us to be happy and to live gorgeous, abundant lives.  It’s a partnership.

The stumbling block is often understanding the messages or even seeing the signs in the first place.  There are no direct phone lines to spirit – it’s more complicated.  The messages can be confusing, but more often than not, you are the problem.  The truth, or the intuitive message that is staring at you seems too hard, so you deny it.  That’s the easy part, denying it.

Usually intuition doesn’t involve a flaming bush or an old man with tablets.  It’s a knowing.  It’s hearing in the spaces between the words.  You can’t explain why you know something – it’s just true.  Hence the choice is yours to either enhance your life with your own intuition, or ignore the gift.  Ignoring seems easier somehow.

Unfortunately it has been my experience that spirit starts with a tap on the shoulder to get your attention, but invariably applies more and more strain to get you to see the full picture. 

Look at your life right now – is there some truth you are trying to avoid?  Could you let go and ask for help?  What is your intuition trying to tell you?  Listen.

2.  Faith.  What is faith?  Simply, to know you are always held; you are not alone, support is always available.  The support may not be seen at this moment, but it is there, waiting for you. 

Therefore when trouble comes and it will, it’s faith that helps you hold on ‘til morning.  Yes, life will flow with its ups and downs, but what do you do when tragedy beats a path to your door?  Do you roll with the waves or clutch onto whatever looks solid?  Do fears force you into decisions that are not good for you?

Quickly in life, you discover fear eats faith.  Fear is such an easy commodity to pedal too.  A well placed word, a frightened look; it’s an easy emotion to trigger in others…and most especially, in you.  I once heard a quote about fear; ‘fears are the dragons that keep you from your dreams.’  What fears keep you from realizing your dreams?  Will you have enough?  Money?  Love?  Support?

However if faith answers the door to fear’s call, fear disappears.  But I can’t give you faith.  It’s a gift you choose to give to yourself when either all else fails or you have some kind of spiritual awakening.  What I can do is invite you to open the door to more…

So today ask spirit for support.  Ask for direct and clear guidance to be revealed to you today about a specific issue you need help with.  Now here’s your part – watch for it and listen.  Chances are humor will be used; so remember not to take yourself too seriously.  And listen, really listen, don’t let the ‘doubting Thomas’ inside of you think yourself out of the message…Can you accept the gift?  The message?  The support?

For many folks, happiness feels like some far off place, for someone else, but it waits for you.  If you are struggling to connect to deep happiness from within, I invite you to examine five different areas in your life today.  Maybe you will discover where you stumble and possibly block happiness unwittingly…

1.      Inner dialog

2.      Faith

3.      Intuition

4.      Support

5.      Drive

1.  Inner dialog, or more specifically, what you say to yourself all day long.  Do you encourage yourself or tear yourself down?  Here’s the rub, you are interpreting your life every moment.  What you focus on becomes your life.  If you have a negative attitude, it frames all your beliefs.  Hence if you think life is hard, guess what?  Life is going to be hard. 

So first, examine your inner dialog.  Do you point out faults in others or yourself?  Do you look for solutions?  Do you learn from your mistakes or do you keep repeating them?  Do you ask anyone repeatedly if you look fat and/or attractive?  Any bells ringing?

If so, you are looking on the outside for a better way, instead of within.  Our life is created by our thoughts; how we think about people, places, our childhoods, ourselves, our families, our success…If you change your thoughts, things change. 

Instead of thinking you are trapped in a pattern, a relationship, a job, a car, debt, whatever…I encourage you to look again and ask yourself, What For?  What do I need to do today to move into balance?  How can I follow my dream?  What one step can I make today?

Tomorrow we shall look at 2. Faith.

Today I stumbled onto two women’s stories about faith, God and the truth. These two women are remarkable and standing firmly in their faith – held by love. Two divine daughters both tested by circumstances beyond their control. And both found peace through surrender…

It is not WHY ME?, the question is WHAT FOR?

I invite you to witness their answers…

Chely Wright

Stephanie Nielson

Such courage is celebrated from on high! Joy and Praise Be! Let the truth ring out and set you free…

I was thinking this as we got out of the car in front of the San Jose airport in Costa Rica.  We were flying home.  The driver was paid and tipped.  I would never convert this money back into US dollars as it would be a too much of a hassle for less then $10.  I knew when I got home I would stuff my few colones in a drawer, only to discover it again a few years from now…almost useless to anyone.

 Then I saw him.  An old man sitting in his wheel chair, missing parts of both legs clutching his begging jar with the words crudely written, God Bless.  I felt elated as I walked over to him. Looking him squarely in the eyes and whispering, God Bless, I handed him the money.

 Absolute joy broke across his face, because here, $5000 colones is a lot of money.  What I could easily stuff in a drawer thoughtlessly can make his life easier, if just today.  Whenever I see a beggar I think of God and I want to share.

 I didn’t always believe this as I used to think beggars to be losers really.  If they wanted get off the streets they could was my thinking.  I wasn’t going to support their bad habits and drinking to say the least.  I then saw the movie Conversations With God and my entire belief was altered.  I realized how easily any of us could fall into this place with a few poor choices or even no choices, just a health crisis.

 I started looking at the homeless not as strangers but like me.  Haven’t I been like them?  Wouldn’t I go buy a bottle to comfort me if all was seemingly lost?  Haven’t I struggled for years with enough too? 

 This is when I decided to give – to show the world, including myself, I am a person who gives to the homeless for no other reason than gratitude.  I am grateful for these opportunities to share – out loud, without judgment.  Frankly I am joyful because I know I am saying to the world, “I live in the hand of God, all my wants will be met. Here is my open hand – outstretched for you, let me help you…”

 When the homeless man at the airport took the money from my hand, we looked deeply into each others eyes and before he could say anything, I said thank you.  He smiled, nodded his head and thanked me too.  It was I who felt blessed. 

 I felt like I had slipped into an old bible story with the stranger knocking at the door, begging for help, and I answered the door, warmly, knowing I have much to share easily and effortlessly… 

During the past couple months I have been witness to death.  A dear friend’s mother, small children and friends have died recently.  It has been an amazing lesson in living…

 Now is your time.  Today.  Nothing and I do mean nothing can make you appreciate life more than death.  Peace is to be enjoyed today and it is a choice…

 I have been honored, humbled and moved to receive updates of from a CaringBridge journal.  (CaringBridge.Org is a web site created to help you stay connected with loved ones during a serious health event.)  An old college frat brother of my husband’s is dying of brain cancer.  His wife updates the journal every few days.

 I can not begin to express how profoundly moved I am by her courage and grace as she moves through this transition.  Her beloved, the father of their child, her very best friend is moving onto another shore and she can but watch from the banks…How do you say good-bye?

 She is doing it well - celebrating small successes, humor, abounding love, tears and humbly she measures her days in conversations and words.  I am so grateful to be able to be an intimate witness of this family’s journey – I am better for it.

 Instead of shutting down, this woman’s heart bursts open – she has made to choice to celebrate and savor this moment.  Yes, she has made a choice to get into the boat with her husband.  To hold his hand until he reaches his own new shore…But she can not walk with him on his new beach, she must go back to the life they created together before this strange path unfolded.  She can only see in part right now…

 A couple weeks ago a dear friend’s mom died.  Unfortunately for this family there were many things left broken.  There are eight siblings in the family.  Before meeting the other siblings at the funeral, I only heard stories of the bickering.  In my mind I saw little kids fighting about who loves me best, hence when I saw this motley lot I was shocked to see they were all old people with gray hair.  For many of them, they had made the choice to be angry - forever. 

 Let’s be clear, most of us did not get the childhood we wanted.  There were real disappointments, betrayals, maybe violence and here we are.  I would say 90% of all parents are trying to do there best.  Unfortunately the best someone’s got can be stunning inadequate at times… 

 The wife I spoke of early could have made the choice to be angry – the situation is unfair.  Her husband was well just a year ago and now here they are.  I dare say this wasn’t the ending she wanted – it is cut too short. 

 And she responds with love, savoring the moments, the surprising conversations, thankful for the prayers holding them up and finding comfort in the sure knowledge – today she can only see in part, one day, one day she will see all…

 Information to create your own network of support through the CaringBridge.org. 

Today I invite you to stop complaining.  When I turn on the TV or radio, I hear the suffering of thousands in Haiti.  These people who had literally nothing have even less today.  It is heart-breaking as well as stunningly unfair.  You may wonder, where can God be?

 He is there, has been there all along with the least among us.  He has been working through the hands of aid workers and UN peacekeepers, but the need is so great. 

 Later in the day yesterday I heard someone complain about driving in the snow, and another ringing with work stress…I thought - what luxury.  We have the luxury of complaint – finding problems where often there is none.  We have the luxury to worry about everything because our basic needs are met.  We have shelter, food and education, we are blessed by the country we were born into…

 Thus today, try not to complain.  Just focus on the blessing of where you are…There is food, clean water, available doctors, shelter, so much more than our brothers and sisters in Haiti, not to mention much of the rest of the world. 

 If you are reading this – you are blessed.  You may feel lost, alone.  You may even be suffering and you are still blessed. 

 Support Rescue in Haiti.