Mandala of Compassion 💮

On January 26, 2026 By Heather Wiest

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning circle or spirit. The mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community. “Each person’s life is like a mandala, a vast limitless circle. We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and think forms the mandala of our life. Everything that shows up in your mandala is a vehicle for your awakening. From this point of view, awakening is right at your fingertips continually. But it’s up to you whether your life is a mandala of neurosis or a mandala of sanity.” ~Pema Chodran

Our intention for this week is to invite more interconnectedness, compassion and wholeness into our lives. Yoga Sutra lll.24 (maitryadisu balani) teaches the cultivation of friendliness creates inner strength. Experiencing healthy compassion and lovingkindness toward ourselves and others strengthens our interconnectedness and sense of well-being. I love this passage from The Message, “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” (Colossians 3:12-14, MSG)

“We typically think of our emotional range as something that is fixed and unchanging, a reflection of the personality we’re born with. But research is revealing the possibility that we may be able to cultivate and increase our ability to feel the emotional state of compassion. Researchers have found that feeling connected to others is as learnable as any other skill.” ~ Kelly McGonigal

💮 Where and with whom in your life can you experience more interconnectedness and wholeness, lovingkindness and compassion?

💮 Personal transformation occurs in circles, not rows. Who’s in your inner circle, supporting you, yet challenging you to grow?

Awakening Compassion Guided Meditation

Gently close your eyes. Roll the shoulders up, back and down. Take 3 deep breaths. Place your hands in a comfortable position. Settle in.

Imagine the horizon spanning through your chest with a radiant sun rising in your innermost center—your heart. As though being melted by the solar warmth, release tension in your shoulders and across your throat. Soften your forehead and rest your attention inward on the light deep within. Take 3 smooth, even breaths. As you inhale, invite the glow from your heart to expand toward the inner surface of the body. With each exhale, let the light recede. Take another 3 peaceful breaths.

Attuning deeply to your heart center, offer compassion to yourself, honoring your journey wholeheartedly, dissolving all self-judgment, shame and guilt naturally.

As you embrace yourself compassionately, you enhance your ability to offer lovingkindness to those you care for deeply, embracing both their positive and challenging qualities.

Bring into your heart the image of someone you care for deeply, releasing any expectation of how they should be, creating a space of openness in which their transformation, and yours, can occur more easily. Take a full, deep breath.

As you offer compassion to yourself and to those you care for deeply, you gradually develop the ability to offer compassion to those with whom you experience separation or difficulty.

Bring into your heart the image of someone you find challenging, perceiving their authentic being rather than focusing on their actions and beliefs. Take a full, deep breath.

As you hold this person within your heart of compassion, clearly see that all of their actions are based on a need for love, support and security, even if those needs are expressed inappropriately.

By seeing this person compassionately, your feelings of judgment, anger and resentment are released more easily, allowing you to see this person and yourself more objectively, while creating safe and appropriate boundaries. Take a deep, cleansing breath.

Now, open your heart of compassion to all beings, honoring each person’s journey, recognizing that all of us are moving, within the limits our our understanding, toward a vision of love, peace, freedom and joy.

Affirm your growing compassion, repeating the following intention 3 times, aloud or silently: With a heart of compassion, I clearly see that we all share a journey toward love, peace, freedom and joy.

Take a full, deep breath. When you are ready, open your eyes, returning slowly and gently, sensing your heart of compassion guiding your journey.

~ Adapted from Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph and Lilian Le Page

💮 Continue to radiate love and compassion, expanding your life mandala. 💮

Always Into Love by Danna Faulds

On this voyage of
the soul, may we be
bridge builders,
our common ground
visible beneath the
surface differences.

May we braid the
threads of reconciliation
into a chain of possibility
that joins, heals, and
includes what once
seemed separate.

May our shared prayer
be answered: to grow
so open that there is
no “them” or “us,”
only the One, moving
always into love.

Show up.

On January 19, 2026 By Heather Wiest

You have a true gift. You make a difference each and every day. The practice of offering SELFLESS SERVICE is called SEVA in the Sanskrit language. SEVA is love in action, offering service without expectation of reward. Who has showed up for you? How are you showing up for others? ♡

“Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply use yourself, your life will count for plenty.” ~ Matthew 23:11-12, The Message

Take a few deep breaths and imagine an ordinary day. An average day, with the normal routine as you currently experience it on a regular basis. Where do you go? Who do you see? What do you do? Briefly extend your thoughts to include your week. Now reaching out and extending even further to include reoccurring appointments and plans on your calendar each month. How do you spend your time? Spend a few moments picturing the places, the faces, and the activities that fill your days and nights. What does you life look like? Look at the big picture and then very kindly ask yourself, “How much of that time do I spend reaching out to help others?” Take care with your answer, honestly, gently investigating the truth. Acknowledge any lack of effort or desire on your part, the missed opportunities. Without any shame or guilt simply inquire, “What would love have looked like there?” Bring to mind the gratitude that you have felt when a hand reached out to help you. Remember the feelings of compassion and usefulness when you in turn were moved to serve someone in need. Now begin to shift your focus to the days and the weeks ahead, to that routine that plays out month after month and notice all the opportunities to express love and service in the future. Pay attention to all of the spaces in between, all the moments, the hours and the days with room for a smile, a phone call, a cup of coffee, or maybe even something more. Think of all the big and small ways that you can share and express the joy and love that can be found in every aspect of the ordinary day. ~ Marta Mrotek, Miracle in Progress

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

The Starfish Story (Adapted): by Loren Eiseley
One day a man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a boy hurriedly picking up and gently throwing things into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “Young man, what are you doing?”
The boy replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
The man laughed to himself and said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make any difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference to that one.” ♡

“I alone can’t change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ~ Mother Teresa

“At the deepest level of union with the divine presence flows action, service to others that is freer of self. This service may not be big, showy, or even noticeable. This form of service may be hidden, unseen, but very real to anyone whose perception is refined enough to appreciate it — just like God.” ~ David Frenette

Selfless Service (Seva) Meditation:
Sit comfortably with Pushpaputa mudra (open cupped hands).

pushpaputa-mudra2
Breath deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Invite the Divine to enter into your meditation.
Say to yourself: Divine, help me get out of my own way. Help me be of service to someone else. Please show me who to serve, and how to serve.
Sit in stillness and listen to the inner guidance.
Now, imagine giving the precious gift of selfless service.

The Simple Path: by Mother Teresa
Silence is Prayer
Prayer is Faith
Faith is Love
Love is Service
The fruit of Service is Peace.

I have a true gift.
My life is filled with limitless opportunities!
How am I sharing my time and talents to help and serve others unconditionally?
Are there some new avenues to explore? ♡

Miracles💫

On January 12, 2026 By Heather Wiest

Don’t give up on a MIRACLE!

Our world is filled with deeply hurting people and seemingly impossible situations. I know God can move in mighty and mysterious ways—my own life is a miracle itself! I have been praying for MIRACLES for family and friends—for physical healing, financial provision, relationship restoration, and spiritual direction. One of these prayers was answered today. I deeply sensed and experienced it in my body and soul before I even heard the amazing outcome! God loves to answer petitions in Divine will and timing, and rejoices when our hearts are devoted to intercession for others and our world. We’ve got to speak to the impossible!

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” — Luke 1:37 NKJV

I will do the impossible for you. The love I have for you is endless. I will intensify your experience of My love as you seek more of Me. Is there something in front of you that looks impossible? When it looks like everything has blocked our way and there is no one near you to help, I will make it easy for you. Grace will always empower you to sacrifice your personal wishes as you worship in My presence. Strength replaces weakness, grace floods into your impossibility, and I will make it easy for you. The burden you carry must be laid down as you take up My easy yoke and learn of Me. I will enrich your soul, enflame your heart, and give you a greater joy. Song of Songs describes God’s love for us as an unquenchable fire. Imagine standing before that fire and throwing in all of the impossibilities of your life. See them go up in flames! — Brian Simmons

“Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being.
Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame.
Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore.” — Song of Songs 8:6-7, The Passion Translation

Miracle Question Exercise:

Imagine you go to sleep tonight and you awake tomorrow morning. During the night a miracle happened and, when you wake up, your most positive dreams for your future have come true. Remember, a miracle has occurred, so you are waking up to your life as you would ideally like it to be. At this point, you may have only hazy visions of your ideal future, so to help you be specific about what the real life changes would be for you, think about your answers to the following questions:

1. How do you feel when you awake?
2. What is the first thing you will do?
3. Your best friend arrives. Immediately, they notice things have improved. What specific changes do they see?
4. What happens next in your day?

Give a detailed account of the whole day of your ideal life when everything is just as you would ideally want it to be. There are no limits!

This exercise is called the miracle question. It is a question that coaches often ask their clients in order to help them process what they want to change about themselves and their lives.

Adapted from De Shazer, S. (1988, p. 78), Clues: Investigating solutions in brief therapy, New York: Norton

Miracle (Lyrics) by Unspoken

Have you stopped reaching
No longer seeking greater things
Have you forgotten
You have a Father listening

He tells the sun when to rise
Gives the wind its breath
Swings a door wide open and
Moves in the moment you least expect

Don’t you give up on a miracle
You’ve got to speak to the impossible
You gotta
Pray till your breakthrough breaks through the ceiling
Keep on believing
Don’t you give up
Don’t you give up
On a miracle

How many chances
How many answers
Pass us by
You know it takes faith
To step on the waves
When you’re terrified
When you’re backed in a corner
And you can’t wait any longer

Feels like the prayers and the words you have spoken
They go unnoticed
Like drops in the ocean
Just beyond the veil of your vision
Your mountains are moving, moving on
Remember the works His hands have done
Where you once were and how far you’ve come

You’re Going Someplace New!

On January 5, 2026 By Heather Wiest

You are opening up more and more. You are becoming clearer each day. Embrace the changes taking place. They are good. They will last. They will take you and your life to someplace new, someplace you can’t fully imagine now because it’s so different from where you have been…Things that used to bother you, hold you down, hold you back, will roll easily off you. Problems that used to plague and pester you, making you feel weighted down, will be lifted easily. You will know and trust that the answers you need will come to you. Your powers will increase. You will find yourself doing, knowing, and feeling things that you thought only certain others could do. You will find yourself gliding through life in a way that brings you joy, and touches and heals others. You will laugh a lot. And yes, you will cry a lot, too, because an open heart feels all it needs to feel. But you will not think twice about your emotions. You will feel them with the purity of a child and the wisdom of a sage. You will see, touch, taste, and feel life’s magic in a way you never imagined. You will love, and you will be loved. And you will learn that it is all the same. You are open now, more open than you’ve ever been. Trust the process and trust your heart. The journey is not in vain. Its purpose is to lead you to love. ❤️ ~ Melody Beattie

Reflection: What parts of this reading resonated with you in this moment? This week’s intention revolves around OPENNESS: being open to new experiences, possibilities, adventures, being willing to let go of doubt and fear, and with bold faith and trust, saying “yes!” to your heart & soul’s deepest longings.

Oftentimes, to allow something new in–to create space–we need to let something go. What do you need to let go of? Exhale fully and let it go. Release your grip. Feel the freedom. Let go in order to move forward. Inhale deeply and embrace the openness, the limitless opportunities.

Maybe you can relate to these powerful song lyrics by Danny Gokey.

Tell Your Heart to Beat Again

You’re shattered
Like you’ve never been before
The life you knew
In a thousand pieces on the floor
And words fall short in times like these
When this world drives you to your knees
You think you’re never gonna get back
To the you that used to be

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again

Beginning
Just let that word wash over you
It’s alright now
Love’s healing hands have pulled you through
So get back up, take step one
Leave the darkness, feel the sun
Cause your story’s far from over
And your journey’s just begun

Now, absorb the words of this heartfelt poem by David Whyte.

Sometimes

Sometimes
if you move carefully
through the forest,
breathing
like the ones
in the old stories,
who could cross
a shimmering bed of leaves
without a sound,
you come
to a place
whose only task
is to trouble you
with tiny
but frightening requests,
conceived out of nowhere
but in this place
beginning to lead everywhere.
Requests to stop what
you are doing right now,
and
to stop what you
are becoming
while you do it,
questions
that can make
or unmake
a life,
questions
that have patiently
waited for you,
questions
that have no right
to go away.

Turn inward and listen. What are your tiny, but frightening requests, conceived out of nowhere, but in this place beginning to lead everywhere?

You are open now, more open than you’ve ever been.
Trust the process and trust your heart.
The journey is not in vain.
Its purpose is to lead you to love.

Returning to the intention: Being open to new experiences, possibilities, adventures, being willing to let go of doubt and fear, and with bold faith and trust, saying “yes!” to your heart & soul’s deepest longings.

Forget all the reasons it won’t work,
and believe the ONE reason that it will. ❤️

Headlong Into Love by Danna Faulds

I slip into the swift river of grace
the moment I stop trying to control
my fate. The current takes my
breath away, leaving me amazed
at the release. Use me up, I say.
Smooth my rough edges
until I offer no resistance to the flow.

Within the enclosure of my open heart,
may awareness wake and take aim
at my last attempts to grasp the known.
I pray to give myself over to a strength
that isn’t mine, to be carried by the
energy of change and evolution.

I pray to tumble headlong into love
and not reach out even once
to try and break the fall. ❤️

“Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” — Isaiah 43:19 NKJV

KAIROS 2026

On January 1, 2026 By Heather Wiest

What is the one word God is putting on your heart for the new year?

A theme word inspires our heart and soul and gives purpose to our actions.

As we transition into 2026, I invite you to get cozy and journal or draw (for at least 8 minutes to encourage the rest response, and hence a more clear, focused mind).

Open with: Here I am, Lord, I am listening…

EXPANSION began 2018 (the first year I began creating a theme word). ADVENTURE filled 2019. EMBRACE captured 2020. ARISE led 2021. SEEK guided 2022. SELAH calmed 2023. CURATE renewed 2024. PURSUE motivated 2025.

I am drawn to the concept of KAIROS in 2026.

As humans here on Earth we typically relate to time as “chronos” which is chronological time — the ordinary passing of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years.

However, God is working in KAIROS time, the Greek word meaning “the right or critical moment,” an appointed time, a due season — opportune moments that have already been orchestrated in the supernatural and are ready to be ordained in the natural — in other words this is divine time when God acts.

God’s timing is not our timing and even when things feel “slow” in the natural, it typically means things are “speeding up” in the supernatural.

“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” 2 Peter 3:8 NLT

KAIROS is not just any moment, it’s God’s perfect and strategic time to fulfill His purpose and plans — it’s when heaven’s timeline intersects with our reality.

This is when a door opens, a promise comes to pass, and destiny beautifully unfolds.

My desire is to notice and embrace more of these opportune moments in my life and the lives of others. May I be so in-tune with the Holy Spirit working within me, sensitive to God’s will and timing, and obedient to His strategic callings.

Take a moment to pause and personally reflect…

How is God working in me to prepare me for my destiny?
How can I press my heart more against His heart during this time?
What would it look like for me to trust God’s timing over my timeline this week?

Be comfortable with the mysteries of creation, the wonder of my mercy, and the absence of time as you know it. Dive into the mysteries of the heavenly realm. Come up higher, and I will train you in the ways of inexhaustible and unfathomable faith. There is more to learn than you can possibly imagine. — I Hear His Whisper by Brian Simmons and Gretchen Rodriguez

“Make the most of every opportunity [KAIROS]…” Ephesians 5:16 NLT

I so love and appreciate you being here reading the posts, joining me for yoga classes in-person or online, and/or engaging in private sessions, workshops, and retreats! THANK YOU for being uniquely you. I pray you feel safe, seen, heard, and supported.

What is the one word God is putting on your heart for the new year?

Love & Blessings,
Heather

✨Love ~ Serve ~ Inspire✨

Month: January 2026