If you're like me, you've grown up knowing that actions & choices have consequences. And you've related that to personal choice and personal consequence.
But, as within, so without. Choices that affect the big, wide world have big world-wide consequences. As is exemplified by the inequalities and difficulties in the world today.
The other day, a friend wondered what the consequences of the current Political situation would be.
But I think that the current political, societal, and economical situations ARE the consequences.
Of restricting ourselves to "us" and "them"...
Of limiting ourselves to the "lesser of two evils"...
Of constricting the American dream, the human dream, to the desires of a few...
We (America and humanity) have arrived here, where fear is a constant in almost every life.
Where we strike out and blame and see limited choices.
Where we strive to be, not what we admire or desire, but what will make us powerful in the eyes of others and help us survive.
Where war and hate and struggle and "sides" seem to be the only options.
Where the lessons of history are that we have to fight, and defeat, and conquer those who disagree with us.
Where fear has us feeling like there are no choices, there is no peace, no future.
Where even more than ever, we need to find the tribe, the state, the company, the country where we will be safe.
And maybe some are happy with this status. Maybe it's too difficult right now to think beyond the next survival.
But if you're like me, you are ready to wonder.
What would the consequences be if we started choosing for ourselves, instead of finding a company line to follow?
How different would the world, our world, feel, if we each stepped away from the fighting and the name calling and the "way it's always been" and moved toward freedom for all?
How much less fear would we have, will we have, can we have, if we expand our choices to the ones that include what feels right and good and happy for each of us individually - the ones that have no evil at all - the ones that don't exclude anyone.
Because every big, world wide consequence is actually the result of a zillion people making individual choices.
And if you're like me, you are ready to explore the real question...
...If you could create any world you wish, what would you choose?
I hope your day is beautiful, and all your choices feed your truth.
-Lila
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Helen of Memory
Helen Larkin has passed into memory.
You may have known Helen
through Spirit Wise, or through Barnes & Noble, or through me. For many
years she was a consistent part of my reality.
I met her at Barnes
& Noble - she was a member of my romance book club, and became an employee
at B&N.
She brought me to Spirit Wise. (Or brought Spirit Wise to me?)
We put up with each
other, cared for each other, shared movies and food and hopes and fears,
communicated and miscommunicated, for over ten years before our ways parted.
She loved to sing;
she liked to write; she enjoyed exploring new places.
She endured a lot of
pain.
She impacted
countless lives.
She shared her knowledge, her spiritual path, her skills, and her wicked wit.
My favorite memory
is the night we sat in Ihop, making ourselves and each other helpless with laughter.
Thank you, Helen,
for all you have done and been and given to my life. I am so glad the pain has
gone. I expect you are already busy helping, guiding, healing, manifesting without the annoying limitations of the physical body.
Wise woman of the dark moon, I honor you.
Love & Unicorns,
Lila
Thursday, March 15, 2018
I know you are, but what am I?
Recently, I explored an advertisement about Energy Vampires.
It started with the question "What kind of empath are you?"And continued with free videos warning against the dangers of energy vampires, all around us.
The videos described how awesome I (the empath) was, and how negative my association with energy vampires can be.
And the four helpful videos, doled out one by one, promised there would be answers to the question - Oh, what should I do? And maybe there were answers, but all I felt was a slimy nasty feeling that, by the very words of the speaker, could be attributed to energy vampires!
Now, having done a little exploring into the frustrating world of video workshops, I have to say, this is probably the formula the promotional department wanted. Put out hooks. Lead with promises. Mention the real answers in the very last video (which I didn't bother watching because the first two gave me huge feelings of inadequacy and victimhood.) Get people to buy the online video courses!
Which made me wonder - have we created a society of energy vampires? Or just - lets simplify it - of vampires?
Look at our ads, our billboards, the products out there. They create (or try to create) an audience by feeding our insecurities, driving the need for the new, taking away the things that always worked and saying they really weren't good enough.
But hey, if we have the cash, they have the cure. Promise.
Even the medical world is full of stop gaps and fear to keep us coming back, hat and money in hand.
I am a part of this cycle. As a retail person, as a healer, as a writer, I am attempting to connect with and respond to the pulse of the world, the ills and travails of society. I have the way for it all to be better. Well, for now. If you're like me.
So am I a vampire too?
Not the point. Maybe the point? Getting to the point...
First, we have all learned to be or to respond to vampires because that is the way our current society works.
But second, things are not as simple as vampire vs empath. There is no easy demarcation between a donor and a receiver. Because I think we all are a bit of both. It's called the exchange.
We crave the connection, the give and the take, the partnership. We want to receive, and in return we want to prove ourselves, be valued for what we have to offer. For who we are.
I guess the true vampire is one who takes and never returns. A person who doesn't care what happens to the "host," so long as she herself is filled. So that eases my mind a little.
I do accept there are people out there who are so void, they can only take from others. And there are people who are unwilling or unable to be part of the Universal exchange, so they just feed and feed, and desperately search for their next meal. And yes, much as I am working to change this reality, there are probably still people who feel absolutely nothing unless they are creating pain. No conscious, no connection.
And those videos are probably very helpful for a lot of people!
But I don't believe that it is a cut and dried matter of saying, if you are not an empath, you are a vampire. Or that if you feel better after being with people, you are a vampire. Or - if you feel worse after being with other people, they are vampires. I think there is more to it. There is a lot more to it. It is NEVER just us or them, black or white.
And since we, the human race, are like ogres (who are like onions), we will continue to be searching for the next explanation, the next healing focus. The next person to teach; the next guru to learn from.The next give and the next take. The next level.
If you're like me, you're an empath. You're also a vampire. You're a wolf and you're a sheep. You give and you receive. You are part of the Universal Exchange. Which means, you're alive.
I hope you have a great day!
-Lila
I am a member of the Universal Exchange.
I receive and I give with ease and grace, beauty, compassion, and Happiness. - LEA
It started with the question "What kind of empath are you?"And continued with free videos warning against the dangers of energy vampires, all around us.
The videos described how awesome I (the empath) was, and how negative my association with energy vampires can be.
And the four helpful videos, doled out one by one, promised there would be answers to the question - Oh, what should I do? And maybe there were answers, but all I felt was a slimy nasty feeling that, by the very words of the speaker, could be attributed to energy vampires!
Now, having done a little exploring into the frustrating world of video workshops, I have to say, this is probably the formula the promotional department wanted. Put out hooks. Lead with promises. Mention the real answers in the very last video (which I didn't bother watching because the first two gave me huge feelings of inadequacy and victimhood.) Get people to buy the online video courses!
Which made me wonder - have we created a society of energy vampires? Or just - lets simplify it - of vampires?
Look at our ads, our billboards, the products out there. They create (or try to create) an audience by feeding our insecurities, driving the need for the new, taking away the things that always worked and saying they really weren't good enough.
But hey, if we have the cash, they have the cure. Promise.
Even the medical world is full of stop gaps and fear to keep us coming back, hat and money in hand.
I am a part of this cycle. As a retail person, as a healer, as a writer, I am attempting to connect with and respond to the pulse of the world, the ills and travails of society. I have the way for it all to be better. Well, for now. If you're like me.
So am I a vampire too?
Not the point. Maybe the point? Getting to the point...
First, we have all learned to be or to respond to vampires because that is the way our current society works.
But second, things are not as simple as vampire vs empath. There is no easy demarcation between a donor and a receiver. Because I think we all are a bit of both. It's called the exchange.
We crave the connection, the give and the take, the partnership. We want to receive, and in return we want to prove ourselves, be valued for what we have to offer. For who we are.
I guess the true vampire is one who takes and never returns. A person who doesn't care what happens to the "host," so long as she herself is filled. So that eases my mind a little.
I do accept there are people out there who are so void, they can only take from others. And there are people who are unwilling or unable to be part of the Universal exchange, so they just feed and feed, and desperately search for their next meal. And yes, much as I am working to change this reality, there are probably still people who feel absolutely nothing unless they are creating pain. No conscious, no connection.
And those videos are probably very helpful for a lot of people!
But I don't believe that it is a cut and dried matter of saying, if you are not an empath, you are a vampire. Or that if you feel better after being with people, you are a vampire. Or - if you feel worse after being with other people, they are vampires. I think there is more to it. There is a lot more to it. It is NEVER just us or them, black or white.
And since we, the human race, are like ogres (who are like onions), we will continue to be searching for the next explanation, the next healing focus. The next person to teach; the next guru to learn from.The next give and the next take. The next level.
If you're like me, you're an empath. You're also a vampire. You're a wolf and you're a sheep. You give and you receive. You are part of the Universal Exchange. Which means, you're alive.
I hope you have a great day!
-Lila
I am a member of the Universal Exchange.
I receive and I give with ease and grace, beauty, compassion, and Happiness. - LEA
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Today's Happiness Practice... do I Believe?
There was a meme on FB the other day - about how empaths need order, organization. So a messy space results, for the empath, in difficulty being productive.
I expect that works for a messy inbox also. The number of emails, papers, envelopes, sticky notes, documents can feel overwhelming and, if you're like me, can cause the overwhelming desire to go read a book. Behind a closed door. Preferably in a secluded forest glade no one knows about.
Which, in the end, adds to the pile of things to do.
This is something I have been struggling with - wait, reword - something I have been working on for a long time. The Time Management project, is what I've been calling it.
But it's not really Time Management. It's space management. It's information management. It's knowing what I have and what I need to know.
And here's the thing. EVERYTHING in my pile of things to accomplish this day/week/month/year is something I want to do! Something I have chosen, for the happiness of the Lila. Something I love to do.
But it turns out that loving to do something does not immediately confer a montage of productivity.
The interesting thing - I already have system in place. I KNOW what is effective in helping me feel productive and competent in juggling all the hats I have in my toolbox. And how many times have I written: "one step at a time." "Practice the habit."
A lot. At least it feels that way to me.
So, we're back to practice. Just practice. The best way to figure out how I do something is to do that thing, and play with it, and make it mine.
And there's one more step to wanting to practice, if you're like me. Belief.
I need to practice believing that I can accomplish all this awesome stuff I want to do. Seeing myself doing it. Feeling myself do it. I can make all the pretty schedules and lists that I want. But do I see myself using them?
How does it feel to use them?
Is there a sense of overwhelming obligation when my day is full of to-do's?
Do I become disappointed if I don't get everything done?
Will I feel satisfaction or frustration as I work my way through the daily lists? Through the sorting? Through the work?
Do I believe I can do everything I want to do?
And, how do I believe I can best get it done?
As usual, the practice comes down to the truth of the moment. Allowing it to be what it is, but also believing in myself. That I will get into the flow that feels beautiful and fulfilling and magical.
Because there is magic in the most mundane things. After all, proper filing and rows of neat numbers are salve for the empathetic soul. Right?
Today I will practice believing in myself and my practice.
And I believe we will all have a great day!
-Lila
I expect that works for a messy inbox also. The number of emails, papers, envelopes, sticky notes, documents can feel overwhelming and, if you're like me, can cause the overwhelming desire to go read a book. Behind a closed door. Preferably in a secluded forest glade no one knows about.
Which, in the end, adds to the pile of things to do.
This is something I have been struggling with - wait, reword - something I have been working on for a long time. The Time Management project, is what I've been calling it.
But it's not really Time Management. It's space management. It's information management. It's knowing what I have and what I need to know.
And here's the thing. EVERYTHING in my pile of things to accomplish this day/week/month/year is something I want to do! Something I have chosen, for the happiness of the Lila. Something I love to do.
But it turns out that loving to do something does not immediately confer a montage of productivity.
The interesting thing - I already have system in place. I KNOW what is effective in helping me feel productive and competent in juggling all the hats I have in my toolbox. And how many times have I written: "one step at a time." "Practice the habit."
A lot. At least it feels that way to me.
So, we're back to practice. Just practice. The best way to figure out how I do something is to do that thing, and play with it, and make it mine.
And there's one more step to wanting to practice, if you're like me. Belief.
I need to practice believing that I can accomplish all this awesome stuff I want to do. Seeing myself doing it. Feeling myself do it. I can make all the pretty schedules and lists that I want. But do I see myself using them?
How does it feel to use them?
Is there a sense of overwhelming obligation when my day is full of to-do's?
Do I become disappointed if I don't get everything done?
Will I feel satisfaction or frustration as I work my way through the daily lists? Through the sorting? Through the work?
Do I believe I can do everything I want to do?
And, how do I believe I can best get it done?
As usual, the practice comes down to the truth of the moment. Allowing it to be what it is, but also believing in myself. That I will get into the flow that feels beautiful and fulfilling and magical.
Because there is magic in the most mundane things. After all, proper filing and rows of neat numbers are salve for the empathetic soul. Right?
Today I will practice believing in myself and my practice.
And I believe we will all have a great day!
-Lila
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Today's Happiness Practice - What?!
Today I will be asking the question "What?"
I have found myself lately getting bogged down again in the "how?" How would that work? How could that happen? How would I do that?
But the How - the How is the magic. Far from impossible - "How" has so many possibilities. There are a dozen different ways to get a new/different vehicle, job, house, mate. Some of them are even happy paths.
The question I need to ask is "What?"
What do I want to feel when I have this new/different item?
When I am in these new circumstance, what do I want to experience?
And best of all... what will be different when the transformation is finished?
For example - what will a new/different car bring? What will it feel like driving it? What is my reaction to the price when I fill it with gas? What about when I drive in snow? In rain? On a sunny day down the high way? What will be different? What am I feeling?
When I have that money I am manifesting... what will change with my/our wardrobe? Will I shop differently? What will change with my meals? What will I be thinking about when I wake up in the morning?
WHAT will be different?
Whether it's a change in health, or possessions, or job - What will it be different from now?
I hope you have a great day! (What does that feel like for you?)
-Lila
I have found myself lately getting bogged down again in the "how?" How would that work? How could that happen? How would I do that?
But the How - the How is the magic. Far from impossible - "How" has so many possibilities. There are a dozen different ways to get a new/different vehicle, job, house, mate. Some of them are even happy paths.
The question I need to ask is "What?"
What do I want to feel when I have this new/different item?
When I am in these new circumstance, what do I want to experience?
And best of all... what will be different when the transformation is finished?
For example - what will a new/different car bring? What will it feel like driving it? What is my reaction to the price when I fill it with gas? What about when I drive in snow? In rain? On a sunny day down the high way? What will be different? What am I feeling?
When I have that money I am manifesting... what will change with my/our wardrobe? Will I shop differently? What will change with my meals? What will I be thinking about when I wake up in the morning?
WHAT will be different?
Whether it's a change in health, or possessions, or job - What will it be different from now?
I hope you have a great day! (What does that feel like for you?)
-Lila
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Today's Happiness Practice... ME
Part of the Happiness Practice has been the Truth of the Moment.
Another part of the Happiness Practice is the question: "Who does that belong to?"
And of course, there is the age old question - what will bring me Happiness?
So, when one is laying down and enjoying an old favorite book and the time comes to get up and take a shower...
...part of self says, oh, let's just keep reading. We want to finish the book today. We are so comfortable. We really love this book and the cool part hasn't happened yet... (well, the next cool part.)
...and part of self says, you told yourself you would do this. You'll feel better if you do this.
...and part of self says, you know what, I am so tired of this argument, let's just go to bed and deal with it all tomorrow.
...and then there's the part that says, hey, if we have time before bed, we should work on writing
...and the part that wants to work on admin stuff
...and the part
...and
...and
Who does that belong to? Well, honestly, they all belong to me. It's much easier to stay and read. To not move.
But I will feel better, happier if I get up and take a shower today. And I've been doing so well with getting things done today.
But I really need my sleep. I could sleep more.
Or do more dishes.
Or work on this or that...
What will bring me happiness?
Well, they all will, one way or the other. Different actions will bring different parts of me happiness. (So there, nyah.)
Ok.
What will bring the center of me -- the deep down me, the one that controls the manifestation and believes the world is an awesome place, the powerful and amazing and vulnerable me -- what will bring ME happiness?
I got up and took a shower.
And the cool thing, the awesome thing, was I immediately felt that deep down happiness. I don't have to wait for tomorrow, to be glad I took a shower today. My mind, body, and spirit were all in agreement that this was happiness.
So today, and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, I will continue practicing the happiness of ME - beyond the immediate moment, knowing that the truth of the moment is now about the whole, and that the sense of right is immediate and bright.
And I believe in the day when every moment is full of truth and bright and lightness of being.
I hope your Happiness is blooming!
-Lila
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Does sending Energy work?
Some years ago, I read an article where the writer sneered in a literal fashion at those of us who sent good energy and prayers and thoughts to help improve another's life. We were admonished to get off our butts and do some physical, tangible good.
And for that writer, it could be that there was no energetic connection with the world. And so he/she was physically incapable of connecting with another on a mental level and helping from a distance. I am grateful that he/she did do tangible acts to assist others.
But in this day and age, where we can connect with another part of the world with the touch of the button, you better believe the energy is a great way to connect. To heal. To help. To conjure. To manifest. For many of us.
And as more and more people are realizing they are "sensitive," "awake," "spiritual," powerful, there are fewer and fewer obstacles to helping each other with our intentional, mindful thoughts.
So yes. Help heal your loved ones. Keep in touch with your friends. Open doors and create abundance for you and others.
and Believe.
In God, the Universe, the racial memory, the 99% of the unused brain, the elements, Science, whatever force connects you. Believe in it. Believe in your power.
There are a lot of people out there who can be helped and healed and freed by the energy of our good intentions.
If only we Believe.
Thank you.
And I hope you have a beautiful day!
-Lila (Believer)
And for that writer, it could be that there was no energetic connection with the world. And so he/she was physically incapable of connecting with another on a mental level and helping from a distance. I am grateful that he/she did do tangible acts to assist others.
But in this day and age, where we can connect with another part of the world with the touch of the button, you better believe the energy is a great way to connect. To heal. To help. To conjure. To manifest. For many of us.
And as more and more people are realizing they are "sensitive," "awake," "spiritual," powerful, there are fewer and fewer obstacles to helping each other with our intentional, mindful thoughts.
So yes. Help heal your loved ones. Keep in touch with your friends. Open doors and create abundance for you and others.
and Believe.
In God, the Universe, the racial memory, the 99% of the unused brain, the elements, Science, whatever force connects you. Believe in it. Believe in your power.
There are a lot of people out there who can be helped and healed and freed by the energy of our good intentions.
If only we Believe.
Thank you.
And I hope you have a beautiful day!
-Lila (Believer)
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