Hello readers!

The months are easing away from us just like a roaring tide from the shoreline. I must admit that this year seems to be going by rather quickly for me. Of course as is always, being the perfectionist that I am, I am not satisfied with what I’ve accomplished so far this year. I think that may be the case with some of you too. Sometimes no matter what we do for ourselves or others it never seems to be enough and we are most often our own worst critics.

It is my job to inspire myself and others by examining the deep layers of life and this month I’m going to concentrate on finding the sweetness at the center of our world so I will be presenting some Jasmine for July.

Jasmine is a beautiful flower isn’t it? It’s very delicate and so sweet smelling. In arabic, jasmine means “gift from God.” It’s essence is often used in perfumes, essential oils and tea. Some fancy chefs have even made ice cream out of it. One of the most intriguing things about the jasmine flower is that it only blooms at night. The flowers are picked in the morning when their petals are tightly closed and then they are stored in a cool place until nightfall.

Let’s think about that. Often times in our lives just as we are about to give up our own petals begin to open and wonderful things happen. Before then we may feel like we are in a dark place with no sun and no hope. But what if just like the jasmine flower, we are meant to bloom under the cover of night? When there is light in our lives we are so distracted aren’t we? We have meetings to plan, parties to go to, people to meet and impress and lovers to caress. We rarely stop and inhale the sweetness of what drives our success. As frustrating as it is, sometimes we learn the most when our comforts are stripped away and those neon lights of life are dimmed.

Unlike the rest of the world who was so intrigued with the show Lost for the past couple of years, I am just now getting on the bandwagon. I have completed watching the first two seasons and it has been a thrill ride. Of course the plot is way over the top, but what I’m liking so far about it is seeing how these people are adjusting to being in the dark. Some of them are resolving issues from their pasts, seeing visions and receiving big miracles, some of which I’m sure they never would have experienced if they were still living their normal lives and not stranded on a mysterious and dangerous island. Some of them have even tapped into the sweeter parts of themselves and those they love.

So what can we learn from these observations?

1. Savor the Sweetness of Silence: Some of us always need to be doing something, creating something (guilty!) or discovering something. When we have times of stillness we feel guilty and often angry. We don’t savor silence or enjoy times when we are not in control. It’s almost painful for us to sit still. There is much to be learned when we can tune out from our noisy lives. Take an afternoon to go to the park and read something for enjoyment. If you have a backyard, buy some seeds and start a garden. As you till your land, become one with it and listen to those wonderful whispers as your hands caress the earth. You’ll never know the secrets the universe has to tell you if you’re always in overdrive. Be quiet, listen and learn. Then teach others.
2. Embrace the Emptiness: No one likes to lose anything. Whether it’s a job, loved one, or even their path in life. Loss can make us go crazy. We beat ourselves up wondering if we could have done more to keep what we most cherished and depended on. Sometimes the things or people we lose were not what was best for us anyway, but we can’t see that in our grief. When we are done grieving, we must embrace the empty space we are left with. It is not an easy thing to do at all, but if we can find one thing about the emptiness that is positive then we can build on it. If it’s a lost job, focus on some things you never had time to do before, like read a series of books or visit friends. If you’ve lost a loved one, celebrate and remember the best of them. Create something in their honor. If they were a negative influence in your life, wish them well on their journey and take your joy back. Empty spaces are future “plenty places.”
3. Prepare for incoming Plenty: How do we prepare for incoming favor and plenty? By clearing out areas either mentally or physically that hold things we no longer need. It is easier to clean out a physical space than a mental one, but it can and should be done. How can you have room for a new car if your old beaten up Buick is still sitting in the driveway blocking your Bentley blessing? When we clear waste from our space, new blessings can be manifested and take their place.

So these are just a few things to ponder as we experience the wonder of July. Hopefully it will be a great month filled with sunshine, but even if storm clouds brew, embrace the darkness and perhaps when morning comes your yard will be filled with beautiful jasmine flowers.

Have a Sweet and Happy July!

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