Tag: loveserveinspire

Forgiven & Free

On By Heather Wiest

“The work of a mature person is to carry grief in one hand, and gratitude in the other, and to be stretched by them.” ~ Tim McKee

There is something powerful about the space that lies between our two full hands. Between our grief and our gratitude lies our hearts—and this is where we do our hardest work. This space of tension has the power to transform you, if you can let it. ~ Stephanie Moors

This week’s intention is FORGIVENESS. Forgiveness is full of heart opening, honesty, humility and vulnerability. I have found that those who forgive freely are those who have been forgiven much. Experiencing true forgiveness, whether deserved or not, opens the heart to hope and freedom.

“Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” ~ Brene’ Brown

Do you struggle with anger? Well really, who doesn’t? What’s interesting is anger is a secondary emotion, just the tip of the iceberg of all our original sources of unresolved pain: hurt, humiliation, betrayal, abandonment, abuse, and rejection.

Identify who has made you angry or resentful.
Identify what was taken from you.
Decide to forgive that person.

When do you think you’ll be ready?
The longer you carry the anger, the greater the risks,
and you may lose sight of the original source.

Who can you forgive today? 
It may be even forgiving yourself.

Be honest with yourself…what are you feeling deep down inside? Under the anger. Under the rage. Under the numb “I don’t care, it doesn’t matter.” Are you really feeling scared? Hurt? Abandoned? Go more deeply into yourself and your emotions than you have ever gone before. Be more honest with yourself than you have ever been before. The way to the heart is tender, soft, gentle, and honest. The way to the heart is to be vulnerable. You don’t have to be so brave. You don’t have to be so strong. You don’t always have to walk away with your head held high saying, “I can handle this, I’ve been through worse before.” Become angry if you must. Feel your rage if it’s there. Go numb once in a while, if you must. Then take a chance, and go a little deeper. Go way down deep inside. See what’s there. Take a look. Risk being vulnerable. ~ Melody Beattie

Forgiveness Meditation ❤️

Reflect for a moment on that quality we call forgiveness. Bring into your mind, actually into your heart, the image of someone for whom you have some resentment.
Take a moment to feel that person right there at the center of your chest in the heart center. And in your heart say to that person: “I forgive you for anything you may have done in the past, either intentionally or unintentionally, through your thoughts, words, or actions that caused me pain. I forgive you.”
Slowly allow that person to settle into your heart.
Don’t judge yourself for how difficult it is.
No force, just opening slowly to them at your own pace. Say to them: “I forgive you. I forgive you for the pain you caused me in the past, intentionally or unintentionally by your thoughts, your deeds, your words. I forgive you.”
Gently, gently open to them. If it hurts, let it hurt. Gradually open to that person. That resentment, that incredible anger, even if it burns, ever so gently though. Forgiveness.
“I forgive you.”
Let your heart open to them.
It is so painful to hold someone out of your heart.
“I forgive you.”
Let your heart open just a bit more to them. Just a moment of opening, of forgiveness, letting go of resentment.
Allow them to be forgiven.

Now, opening more to forgiveness, bring into your heart the image of someone from whom you wish to ask forgiveness.
Speak to them in your heart. “I ask your forgiveness for anything I may have done in the past that caused you pain, either by my thoughts or my actions or my words. Even for those things I didn’t intend to cause you pain, I ask your forgiveness.”
“For all those words that were said out of forgetfulness or fear. Out of my closed-ness, out of my confusion. I ask your forgiveness.”
Don’t allow any resentment to hold yourself closed, to block your reception of that forgiveness. Let your heart soften to it. Allow yourself to be forgiven.
Let yourself be freed.
Let that unworthiness come up, that anger at yourself-let it all fall away. Let it all go.
Open to the possibility of forgiveness.
“I ask your forgiveness for whatever I may have done in the past that caused you pain. By the way I acted or spoke or thought, I ask your forgiveness.”
It is so painful to hold yourself out of your own heart.
Bring yourself into your heart. Say “I forgive you,” to yourself. Don’t reject yourself.
Using your own first name, in your heart say, “I forgive you.” Open to that. Let it be. Make room in your heart for yourself.
“I forgive you.”
All those resentments, let them fall away.
Open to the self-forgiveness. Let yourself have some space.
Let go of that bitterness, that hardness, that judgement of your self.
Say, “I forgive you.” to you.
Let some glimmering of loving-kindness be directed toward yourself. Allow your heart to open to you. Let that light, that care for yourself, grow.
Self-forgiveness.
Watch how thoughts of unworthiness and fears of being self-indulgent try to block the possibility of once and for all letting go of that hardening.
See the freedom in self-forgiveness. How can you hold on to that pain even a moment longer?
Feel that place of love and enter into it.
Allow yourself the compassion and care of self-forgiveness. Let yourself float gently in the open heart of understanding, of forgiveness, and peace.
Feel how hard it is for us to love ourselves. Feel the pain in the hearts of all those caught in confusion. Forgive them. Forgive yourself. Let go gently of the pain that hides the immensity of your love.
Let yourself love and be loved.

Adapted from A Forgiveness Meditation ©1991 Stephen Levine

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

There is freedom in forgiveness. 

I forgive you, and I forgive myself, and I am free. ❤️

Fly Like An Eagle!

On By Heather Wiest

The EAGLE represents strength, vision, freedom, hope, fearlessness, leadership, spiritual wisdom and insight. The eagle is the only bird with a third-eye-lens which enables it to look at and fly towards the sun — the Light — flying above all other birds, soaring to new heights!

What’s your vision? Imagine there are no limits. You have all the time, space, resources, wisdom, and support you need. All things are possible! Use your all-seeing eye, look to the Light, receive guidance from above, expand your wings and soar!

“Life motivation comes from the deep longings of the heart, and the passion to see them fulfilled urges you onward.” ~ Proverbs 16:26 TPT

The Eagle Story

Someone once told me a story about a wounded eagle who was rescued by a farmer. He found the bird in one of his fields, and so took him home, tended to his wounds, and then placed him outside in the barnyard to recover.
Strangely enough, the young eaglet soon adapted to the habits of all the barnyard chickens. He learned to walk and cluck like them. He learned to drink from a trough and peck the dirt for food, and for many years he peacefully resigned himself to this new life on the ground.
But then one day, one of the farmer’s friends spotted the eagle and asked, “Why in the world is that bird acting like a chicken?” The farmer told him what had happened, yet the man could hardly accept the situation.
“It’s just not right,” said the friend. “The Creator made that bird to soar in the heavens, not scavenge in the barnyard!” So he picked up the unsuspecting eagle, climbed onto a nearby fencepost, and tossed him into the air. But the confused bird just fell back to earth and scurried off in search of his feathered friends.
Undaunted, the man then grabbed the eagle and climbed to the top of the barn. As he heaved him off the roof, the bird made a few half-hearted squawks and flaps before falling into a bale of hay. After shaking his head a few times, the eagle then made himself comfortable and began mindlessly pecking at pieces of straw.
The friend went home that night dejected, and could barely sleep as he remembered the sight of those powerful talons caked with barnyard mud. He couldn’t bear the thought, so the very next day, he headed back to the farm for another try. This time he carried the eagle to the top of a nearby mountain where the sky unfolded in a limitless horizon.
He looked into the eagle’s eyes and cried out, “Don’t you understand? You weren’t made to live like a chicken! Why would you want to stay down here when you were born for the sky?” As the man held the confused bird aloft, he made sure the eagle was facing into the brilliant light of the setting sun. Then he powerfully heaved the bird into the sky, and this time the eagle opened his wings, looked at the sun, caught the updraft rising from the valley, and disappeared into the clouds of heaven.
Do you know that we, too, were born for the sky? Our Creator has called us to live in the heights, yet too many of us have huddled together in the barnyard, contentedly scurrying for the safety of our families, our finances, our careers, and our comfortable crumbs of faith.
Never mind fear or weariness. Let us soar together, like an eagle above the clouds, with our eyes fixed on the Son. This is why the eagle is such a perfect example of freedom. An eagle is the only bird that has a special third-eye-lens that enables him to look at and fly directly towards the sun and thus, frees him from his enemies as they try to follow. No other bird has this ability. And, it’s the same with us. Only as we keep our eyes focused directly on the Son—the Light, will we ever become free – free from our emotions, free from our circumstances, free from other people’s responses.
Let’s take our journey together. Soar like an eagle!

Adapted from Faith In The Night Seasons by Nancy Missler

“The presence of fear is a sure sign you are trusting in your own strength. The moment you realign with love and stop relying on your own strength, clear direction will be presented. The presence of love will always cast out fear. The practice is about surrendering to love as often as possible. Lean towards joy, and you’ll be led.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

Fly Like An Eagle Visualization 

• Now I invite you to visualize yourself as an eagle perched high up on the side of a mountain. Imagine yourself in great detail, the colors of your wings, the mountain you are perched upon, the area around you and beneath you, and the sun above you.
• Give yourself permission to experience the strength, vision, grace, and insight of the eagle and feel yourself growing more and more in confidence.
• Recall to mind anything that causes you stress or anxiety. Know that you too possess the strength and courage of the eagle. You have the ability to deal with these stresses and anxieties.
• Now gently extend your wings, spread them wide, and observe the beauty of them. Feel the strength and power within them as they gently carry you off your perch and out into the freedom of the sky. Use your third-eye-lens to gaze into the sunlight.
• Give yourself permission to experience this freedom. Feel the air around you. See the valleys and forest below. Feel yourself floating and soaring through the sky free of all constraints, anxieties, and earthly ties.
• Allow your mind to drift and go where it needs to go — you have the vision, you have the strength, and you will prevail.
• Notice the sense of peace and calm you feel while soaring.
• Allow yourself time to find wisdom and clarity as you look up into the Light.
• Then observe yourself returning to your perch. Gently re-extend your wings before nestling them back in around you. You feel embraced by Love.
• Keeping this sense of lightness, peace and calm with you, allow yourself to become aware of the ground beneath you. You are grounded, yet free.
• Bring your awareness to your breath, and with each complete breath you take, allow your awareness to travel gently back into the room, back into your body. Remember your vision, your strength, freedom, insight, and confidence. All things are possible!

Adapted from All Round Yoga

What’s Your Vision? Mudra Meditation

1. Begin in seated meditation with palms face up on thighs in a receiving gesture. Take several breaths listening for Divine guidance as to your intention, your vision. 2. Inhale sweeping arms up overhead receiving the vision from above. 3. Exhale grounding the vision here on earth. 4. Inhale drawing vision into heart space with Garuda (Eagle) Mudra (Ladies: right hand under, left over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread to represent wings. Gentlemen: left hand under, right over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread.) Garuda Mudra balances all systems of the body, and represents strength, freedom, grace, vision, fearlessness, hope, wisdom, and insight. 5. Exhale hands release and arms reach out to share vision with the world. 6. With hands behind back at the kidney space area, inhale, and search deep within for anything that needs to be released–fear or anything no longer serving the highest good–and powerfully push it out on the exhale. 7. Inhale sweeping the arms up encircling your space in Divine Love and Light–sealing the vision, your intention with Divine blessing and protection. 8. Exhale in gratitude with Anjali Mudra at heart center. ❤️

Resilience ❤︎

On By Heather Wiest

10% of life is what happens to you, and 90% is how you react or respond to it! ~ Charles R. Swindoll

What an honor to share about my resilience journey in The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative section of Voyage Phoenix, Life and Work with Heather Wiest. ❤︎

RESILIENCE is the deep seeded quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever. Rather than letting failure overcome them and drain their resolve, they find a way to rise from the ashes. Psychologists have identified some of the factors that make someone resilient, among them a positive attitude, optimism, the ability to regulate emotions, and the ability to see failure as a form of helpful feedback. Even after a misfortune, blessed with such an outlook, resilient people are able to change course and soldier on.

“Resilience may be an art, the ultimate art of living. At the heart of resilience is a belief in oneself — yet also a belief in something larger than oneself. Resilient people do not let adversity define them. They find resilience by moving towards a goal beyond themselves, transcending pain and grief by perceiving challenging times as a temporary state.” ~ Hara Estroff Marano, The Art of Resilience, Psychology Today

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters 

Chapter I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V
I walk down another street.

Copyright (c) 1993, by Portia Nelson from the book There’s A Hole in My Sidewalk. 

REFRAMING is at the heart of resilience. It is a way of shifting focus from the cup half empty to the cup half full. Resilient people cultivate insight, the mental habit of asking themselves penetrating questions, and expressing honest answers. They also take the initiative. They take charge of problems, stretching and testing themselves.

RELATIONSHIPS foster resilience. One of the cardinal findings of resilience research is those who lack strong support systems seek and receive help from others. They are not afraid to talk about the hard times they are having to someone who cares for their well-being.

❤︎ Who has carried you on their shoulders, supporting you through this life journey? Send some love and gratitude their way.

❤︎ And, who do YOU want to carry? Support them through their life journey. Send some love and encouragement their way.

❤︎ We are here for each other. Be LOVE.

Pain Meditation & Mantra Visualization:

Think of a time you experienced PAIN. It may be a recent happening, or from the past. Picture it clearly in your body, mind and soul.
Witness the emotions.
Now turn these emotions into a sensation.
Where do you feel this sensation?
Now bring the sensation outside of the body, RELEASE it with the OUT BREATH.
Now witness it outside of your body. BREATHE.
Notice the sensation has weakened. Feel your RESILIENCE.

“As you inhale, think to yourself: I am strong [resilient]. As you exhale: I am healing. Continue this mantra for another minute. Next, as you say to yourself, I am strong, envision an outer casing shattering off your body. This is the residual buildup of opinions, experiences, hurtful words, or anything that may have added to your duress. See it combust into a million pieces and flutter off into the wind. As you use the statement, I am healing, envision a flowering vine wrapping around the ailment on, or in your body. This gorgeous plant is drawing up healing energy deep from within it’s roots and transporting it toward you. See the plant blossom as it makes contact with your skin, because you are ripe with healing and fertile with potential.” ~ Kathryn Budig, Healing Meditation for Yoga Injuries, Yoga Journal

“At the very moment I called out to you, you answered me! You strengthened me deep within my soul and breathed fresh courage into me.” ~ Psalms 138:3 TPT

Be stronger than your pain. Use your pain for your platform — to bring healing and wholeness to yourself, and others. ♡

DSC01723

Soul Biz Out Now! 🦋

On By Heather Wiest

Today’s the big day! Soul Biz, a special book that I contributed to, is now available! Please help us celebrate our launch by ordering it and helping to spread the word about it! You can check it out HERE.

This book contains over 120 personal stories (from over 75 contributing authors) – a perfect blend of practical tips and heartfelt wisdom from soulful business owners who share their insight, suggestions, and advice with those either just starting out or those looking to be inspired. After reading it, I hope your heart will open, your business will grow, and your life will change! 

In my piece, Love Serve Inspire, I share how I discovered my life purpose and mission, anchoring my business vision and decisions. What is your personal motto? Create a business intention around this rooted inspiration, and flourish forward in soulful alignment!

If you want to read this piece – and over 120 others – I hope you’ll check out this wonderful book. It makes a great gift for soulful entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, writers, artists, holistic practitioners, and anyone else who aspires to bring more soulfulness into their work. 

Plus, if you order now, you’ll receive lots of soulful bonus gifts – all created by contributing authors! 

I’m so excited to share this book with you. So much love and wisdom has gone into it, and I can’t wait for you to take all of that inspiration into your heart! 

Much Love,

Heather

Thank You 🙏🏻

On By Heather Wiest

Have you said thank you lately? by Amy K. Nichols

There’s someone you need to thank.

Someone who believes in you.

Someone who listens to you.

Someone who puts up with you when you’re in your foulest mood.

Someone who doesn’t mind the little things. Someone who celebrates the big things.

Someone who opens doors for you, both physical and metaphorical.

Someone who gives you creative space. Someone who holds down the fort while you’re away.

Someone who inspires you. Someone who spurs you on to better and better.

Someone who believes in the impossible, too.

Maybe you’ve thanked this person before, but maybe it’s been a while since you’ve thanked them lately. Take a minute and thank them.

No, really. Take a minute and thank them. Yes, you’re busy and they’re busy and we’re all busy. But do it anyway. Don’t wait. You’ve waited long enough.

Tell them thank you. It’ll do both of you a world of good.

“Life-changing gratitude does not fasten to a life unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time.” ~Ann Voskamp

Let our thanks be LOVING, THOUGHTFUL, GENUINE, and SPECIFIC.

“Place everything you’ve ever learned or yet to discover in a box labeled THANK YOU. What would go in your box?” ~ Jennifer Pastiloff

Dare To Be by Steve Maraboli

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can–
At all times, Dare To Be!

✨A Gift of Light Meditation✨

Breath easily and deeply and bring yourself into a centered, peaceful place. Imagine a magnificent light above your head and ask that it come down into your heart. An endless supply of warm, beautiful and supportive light now fills your heart. You may see it as a fireplace with burning logs, a beautiful room with many candles, or a sphere of glowing light. Visualize tremendous vitality, beauty and warmth within you. You have an unending supply of this energy and light. Acknowledge its power, majesty and expansiveness. Fill yourself with this light; every cell, every bone, thought and emotion is saturated with this eternal energy. See it. Feel it. Let it fill you. It is love. It is peace. And it is joy. Take as long as you’d like swimming in this amazing luster. When you are ready, prepare to offer your gift of abundant light to your loved ones. Visualize and feel the light from above you connecting into your heart and to your hands. Open your palms softly and outwardly. Your hands may feel warm. Offer light to your loved ones. Visualize them clearly. Offer light from your heart to theirs. As the light from your heart pours through them, notice that light begins to come down into the top of their head from someplace else. You are creating a magnet for more light with your intention of giving. See them surrounded by you, surrounded by and filled with light and love. Their bodies are healthy, vibrant and beautiful. Their minds are expansive and calm. Peace flows through them offering them ease of heart. Wish them joy. Wish them good health. Wish them courage and abundance. Tell them whatever comes to you that is important to convey. Continue your blessings for them until you feel it is the right time to stop. Now release them gently. Leave them light-filled.✨

“One grateful thought is a ray of sunshine. A hundred such thoughts paint a sunrise. A thousand will rival the glowing sky at noonday — for gratitude is light against the darkness.” ~ Richelle E. Goodrich

Remember to live out LOVE—an attitude of gratitude. Express your thanks. Give away love, encouragement, and acceptance. “So encourage each other and build each other up.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

Who are you going to encourage today?  💛