A dynamic of consciousness, "discovery" is one of the essential driving forces of living entities.
Jonathan Edwards
Can you feel how the energy has shifted since the Summer
Solstice? The sun is rising later and setting earlier. The Great
Mandala is turning. This weekend, on August 1st, marks the
mid-point between Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox.
And, summer's not nearly over! There's so much happening in
the garden...my sunflowers are beginning to bloom! We're
harvesting garlic and zucchini, tomatoes and lots of flowers! Our
garden is full and lush with beauty and the first bounty--the time
of year for the first harvest.
My memories of summer are often vivid because it's a season
blessed with bright colors, with fresh scents, vibrant flowers,
brilliant sunlight. And, lots of heat! I grew up playing on my
grandparents' farms in southeast Georgia where everyday
brought a new experience, a new discovery. At my
grandmother's side, I learned (by osmosis) how to tend to
flowers and how to connect to the Earth. I was carefree, felt
compelled to play, to relax, and experience all life's joys during
the sunlit hours.
Solstice? The sun is rising later and setting earlier. The Great
Mandala is turning. This weekend, on August 1st, marks the
mid-point between Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox.
And, summer's not nearly over! There's so much happening in
the garden...my sunflowers are beginning to bloom! We're
harvesting garlic and zucchini, tomatoes and lots of flowers! Our
garden is full and lush with beauty and the first bounty--the time
of year for the first harvest.
My memories of summer are often vivid because it's a season
blessed with bright colors, with fresh scents, vibrant flowers,
brilliant sunlight. And, lots of heat! I grew up playing on my
grandparents' farms in southeast Georgia where everyday
brought a new experience, a new discovery. At my
grandmother's side, I learned (by osmosis) how to tend to
flowers and how to connect to the Earth. I was carefree, felt
compelled to play, to relax, and experience all life's joys during
the sunlit hours.
Summer is at its core a season of light, and by opening
ourselves and our spaces to this light, we honor all the joy
associated with the season. Opening windows and doors,
arranging bright-colored blooms in vases (my favorite), and
turning our faces toward the sun become a celebration.
Life has been pretty rough lately. This year has taken a bite out
of a lot of people’s energy, and you might well be one of them.
And, mid-summer is offering you an opportunity to get in some
much-needed nurturing and spiritual positivity.
What happens when the path has rough patches or the bind
weed gets out of control in my garden?
I've learned over the years that when I'm more connected to the
Earth, and in tune with her cycles of planting, growing and
harvesting, I'm more aware of what each season has to offer.
This part of summer is the time when the first fruits (and flowers
and veggies) of our labors are harvested. This is the time to
celebrate the harvests and to acknowledge all the hard work
that went into those accomplishments.
You may not be harvesting from a garden, but that energy is still
present. Remember the dreams you envisioned in January, the
seeds you planted at the Spring Equinox, your emerging design
at Summer Solstice? You have your own personal harvests–
your inner garden that you've planted, nurtured, grown, and
worked hard to bring to fruition in your life so far this year.
This is the time of year when we remember and appreciate our
hopes and embrace our fears about our own personal harvests.
We hope the seeds we planted in our lives last spring will
continue to grow & flourish this year. And yet, like anyone who
has ever planted a garden, you may have fears that a storm, or
a swarm of grasshoppers, or bind weed will ravage your crops
before you can harvest them. You may have fears rising up
about your ability to accomplish all you’ve worked hard for.
And, here we are...discovering what we envisioned is coming to
life in all its beauty! And, the intentions we set for the year
continue to emerge, to evolve.
The Gifts of Mid-summer:
Mid-summer is an important time to pause and acknowledge all
the beauty you have in your life. And all the hard work it's taken
to get here. Like you, at the New Year I imagined what I hoped
for in my life this year; I set intentions. I did the same with my
gardens as I poured over seed catalogues and imagined all the
amazing colors, shapes, and scents that would fill my garden in
the summer.
What are the gifts that come with connecting to the natural
world? to the summer season? Both growing a garden and
growing the blessings you’re co-creating in your life require
energy, attention, and intention--and curiosity. A sense of
wonder. A wondering mind, is open, curious and ready to learn,
grow and expand!
As you deepen your spiritual journey toward remembering your
Wholeness, you discover that life’s deeper meaning begins to
emerge. Soulful moments appear that touch you deeply, often
times they are hard to explain. Seeking and questioning become
familiar friends that lead to new discoveries, insight and healing.
It is powerful and transformative time.
ourselves and our spaces to this light, we honor all the joy
associated with the season. Opening windows and doors,
arranging bright-colored blooms in vases (my favorite), and
turning our faces toward the sun become a celebration.
Life has been pretty rough lately. This year has taken a bite out
of a lot of people’s energy, and you might well be one of them.
And, mid-summer is offering you an opportunity to get in some
much-needed nurturing and spiritual positivity.
What happens when the path has rough patches or the bind
weed gets out of control in my garden?
I've learned over the years that when I'm more connected to the
Earth, and in tune with her cycles of planting, growing and
harvesting, I'm more aware of what each season has to offer.
This part of summer is the time when the first fruits (and flowers
and veggies) of our labors are harvested. This is the time to
celebrate the harvests and to acknowledge all the hard work
that went into those accomplishments.
You may not be harvesting from a garden, but that energy is still
present. Remember the dreams you envisioned in January, the
seeds you planted at the Spring Equinox, your emerging design
at Summer Solstice? You have your own personal harvests–
your inner garden that you've planted, nurtured, grown, and
worked hard to bring to fruition in your life so far this year.
This is the time of year when we remember and appreciate our
hopes and embrace our fears about our own personal harvests.
We hope the seeds we planted in our lives last spring will
continue to grow & flourish this year. And yet, like anyone who
has ever planted a garden, you may have fears that a storm, or
a swarm of grasshoppers, or bind weed will ravage your crops
before you can harvest them. You may have fears rising up
about your ability to accomplish all you’ve worked hard for.
And, here we are...discovering what we envisioned is coming to
life in all its beauty! And, the intentions we set for the year
continue to emerge, to evolve.
The Gifts of Mid-summer:
Mid-summer is an important time to pause and acknowledge all
the beauty you have in your life. And all the hard work it's taken
to get here. Like you, at the New Year I imagined what I hoped
for in my life this year; I set intentions. I did the same with my
gardens as I poured over seed catalogues and imagined all the
amazing colors, shapes, and scents that would fill my garden in
the summer.
What are the gifts that come with connecting to the natural
world? to the summer season? Both growing a garden and
growing the blessings you’re co-creating in your life require
energy, attention, and intention--and curiosity. A sense of
wonder. A wondering mind, is open, curious and ready to learn,
grow and expand!
As you deepen your spiritual journey toward remembering your
Wholeness, you discover that life’s deeper meaning begins to
emerge. Soulful moments appear that touch you deeply, often
times they are hard to explain. Seeking and questioning become
familiar friends that lead to new discoveries, insight and healing.
It is powerful and transformative time.
Quietening the Thinking Mind:
Staying curious and open sounds easier than it may be. Our
brain is used to thinking logically, interpreting rationally, and
sifting out what is not already known to be true which closes the
door to your remembering your Wholeness! When we quieten
the thinking mind and cultivate the observing mind, the worlds
discovered within are rich with metaphor, symbolism, and
wisdom. When explored with wonder and curiosity, our
consciousness expands! This leads us on a fantastic voyage
where discovery happens, problems are solved, new ideas are
inspired, and the miraculous becomes reality!
Over time, with patience and intention, you can put the ‘thinking
mind’ on the shelf for a bit and by utilizing your observing mind
you explore with wonder and curiosity ~ open to the unusual
and allow for anything to be possible! This creates an opening
where you begin to see, sense, or feel these new spaces within!
As this year's Co-Creative Mandala theme--a pathway to
Oneness--unfolds, we're reminded that focusing on each Co-
Creative Mandala helps shift our attention to the best in us, not
the worst; to our strengths, not our weaknesses; to possibility
thinking, not problem thinking. Each month offers the
opportunity for expanding our curiosity and capacity to discover
our individual and collective destiny.
Staying curious and open sounds easier than it may be. Our
brain is used to thinking logically, interpreting rationally, and
sifting out what is not already known to be true which closes the
door to your remembering your Wholeness! When we quieten
the thinking mind and cultivate the observing mind, the worlds
discovered within are rich with metaphor, symbolism, and
wisdom. When explored with wonder and curiosity, our
consciousness expands! This leads us on a fantastic voyage
where discovery happens, problems are solved, new ideas are
inspired, and the miraculous becomes reality!
Over time, with patience and intention, you can put the ‘thinking
mind’ on the shelf for a bit and by utilizing your observing mind
you explore with wonder and curiosity ~ open to the unusual
and allow for anything to be possible! This creates an opening
where you begin to see, sense, or feel these new spaces within!
As this year's Co-Creative Mandala theme--a pathway to
Oneness--unfolds, we're reminded that focusing on each Co-
Creative Mandala helps shift our attention to the best in us, not
the worst; to our strengths, not our weaknesses; to possibility
thinking, not problem thinking. Each month offers the
opportunity for expanding our curiosity and capacity to discover
our individual and collective destiny.
What's the Best Thing That Happened Today?
This is a wonderful time to reacquaint yourself with the joys of
summertime by immersing yourself in its pleasures. Wake up
with the sunrise, take a day trip to the beach or to the
mountains, indulge in an ice cream cone, or simply sit quietly.
Use all your senses, including focused listening to help quieten
the thinking mind. The air is filled with beautiful sounds
particular to the season. To begin, find a quiet, solitary spot. For
10 minutes, pay attention to the workings of your mind and allow
it to wander at will. Then turn your attention to observing the
sounds resonating around you and note what you hear, whether
the buzzing of bees, children's laughter, or birdsong--welcome in
all the joyful sounds that come with summer.
In the spirit of discovery--Ask yourself this playful question:
What's the Best Thing That Happened Today? Listen for your
answer from within; see your answer all around you.
This month's Co-Creative Mandala, "Discovery" from photos of
hollyhocks (symbols of abundance) reminds us to invest the
time to reflect on and soak in the abundant light of summer that
supports remembering your connection to the natural world and
the ways that the outer world is reflected within as Wholeness.
This is a wonderful time to reacquaint yourself with the joys of
summertime by immersing yourself in its pleasures. Wake up
with the sunrise, take a day trip to the beach or to the
mountains, indulge in an ice cream cone, or simply sit quietly.
Use all your senses, including focused listening to help quieten
the thinking mind. The air is filled with beautiful sounds
particular to the season. To begin, find a quiet, solitary spot. For
10 minutes, pay attention to the workings of your mind and allow
it to wander at will. Then turn your attention to observing the
sounds resonating around you and note what you hear, whether
the buzzing of bees, children's laughter, or birdsong--welcome in
all the joyful sounds that come with summer.
In the spirit of discovery--Ask yourself this playful question:
What's the Best Thing That Happened Today? Listen for your
answer from within; see your answer all around you.
This month's Co-Creative Mandala, "Discovery" from photos of
hollyhocks (symbols of abundance) reminds us to invest the
time to reflect on and soak in the abundant light of summer that
supports remembering your connection to the natural world and
the ways that the outer world is reflected within as Wholeness.
Discovery, like surprise, favors the
well prepared mind.
Jerome Bruner
Discovery Exercise:
In this simple, yet powerful exercise, I invite you to celebrate
"Discovery" and feel supported by your inner and outer
resources. Honor this powerful time of light and first harvest.
Intention:
We are moving into the mid-point of Summer, it's the beginning
of harvest season. The energy is HIGH at this time of year. It
can be HOT. There are places literally on fire right now from the
summer heat. It's an intense time of year. And it can make you
feel overwhelmed and tired, excited and exhilarated. You can
use the seasonal energy available to your right now to feel
deeply rooted in your life. Feel anchored & strong by investing in
the vibration of "Discovery".
Give yourself plenty of time without interruptions to dive deeply
into this exercise. Meditate, journal, create and bless your
sacred space.
Make this exercise your own. Invest your time and attention
toward your personal growth and well-being.
Don’t rush.
As you sit quietly in your space, light a candle that welcomes
the "Discovery" vibration.
In a moment, when you are done reading through the
instructions, write everything that the Co-Creative
Mandala-"Discovery" makes you think of. Write how you feel
when you look at it. Write about what the associated chakras
represent (root, solar plexus, heart, throat, and crown) and how
that might be applicable to your journey toward Oneness this
year.
Close your eyes. Bring your awareness to your breath; just be
with your breath. Take a deep breath in. Breathe out.
Take another deep breath in. Breathe out. Notice the sensations
as you exhale—without judgement. Feel the body breathing.
Bring your body into stillness.
Open your eyes and bring your attention to the "Discovery"
mandala; allow the mandala energy to fill your heart; be with
whatever is there.
Invest a few minutes toward allowing the "Discovery" vibration
to flow to and through your body. Imagine that energy bursting
through your crown chakra and extending far into the heavens.
Imagine the "Discovery" vibration flowing through you and down
deep into the earth. Imagine it radiating from your heart and
extending out in front of you and behind you. Imagine the
"Discovery" vibration is a radiant ball that encircles you.
Now, sit with this energy for a few minutes.
What about the "Discovery" mandala captures your attention?
Notice and Wonder--Something in me is feeling...
I wonder what it wants me to know, to discover?
Relax into your body and its quietness. Be with the energy, be
present, listen.
Here's the exercise:
Enjoy this exploration as you think about your heart-felt desires,
what you'd like to discover about yourself as you begin to
manifest your desires. You've likely already been thinking about
your vision for this year and what's manifesting right now.
Discover the ways that your outer world is a reflection of your
evolution of consciousness and your Wholeness.
Pause and acknowledge all the beauty you're harvesting in your
life. And all the hard work its taken to get here. Your strengths
that support realizing your dreams. The steps you can take to
make sure your dreams are realized.
Get our your journal or pen and paper and reflect on the
following questions:
1. What heart-felt desires are ready to harvest? What have I
been working on–dreams I've been chasing, projects I’ve
been building, inner gardens I’ve been cultivating &
growing–that are beginning to show signs of ripeness?
2. Which heart-felt desires need my attention now?
3. What are my strengths, my brilliance that support
fulfilling my desires in the weeks ahead?
4. What is one thing I can do right now to help ensure that
will happen?
All the growth in your garden (literal & metaphoric) … it needs
to be tended. It needs harvested. So make sure you take plenty
of time to rest.
Pause when you can. Indulge in summertime rest – nap in a
hammock, enjoy a cold beverage on your porch, bask in the sun
on a summer afternoon.
Take a moment to soak in the energy of summer and connect
more deeply with yourself and the natural world. This is a
transformative time. Discover all the ways your inner world is
reflected all around you.
The season is passing quickly, so while it remains, revel in the
richness of life and renew yourself in the wonder of the light.
Wishing you all the miracles of discovery.
Peace and joy to your seeking heart,
In this simple, yet powerful exercise, I invite you to celebrate
"Discovery" and feel supported by your inner and outer
resources. Honor this powerful time of light and first harvest.
Intention:
We are moving into the mid-point of Summer, it's the beginning
of harvest season. The energy is HIGH at this time of year. It
can be HOT. There are places literally on fire right now from the
summer heat. It's an intense time of year. And it can make you
feel overwhelmed and tired, excited and exhilarated. You can
use the seasonal energy available to your right now to feel
deeply rooted in your life. Feel anchored & strong by investing in
the vibration of "Discovery".
Give yourself plenty of time without interruptions to dive deeply
into this exercise. Meditate, journal, create and bless your
sacred space.
Make this exercise your own. Invest your time and attention
toward your personal growth and well-being.
Don’t rush.
As you sit quietly in your space, light a candle that welcomes
the "Discovery" vibration.
In a moment, when you are done reading through the
instructions, write everything that the Co-Creative
Mandala-"Discovery" makes you think of. Write how you feel
when you look at it. Write about what the associated chakras
represent (root, solar plexus, heart, throat, and crown) and how
that might be applicable to your journey toward Oneness this
year.
Close your eyes. Bring your awareness to your breath; just be
with your breath. Take a deep breath in. Breathe out.
Take another deep breath in. Breathe out. Notice the sensations
as you exhale—without judgement. Feel the body breathing.
Bring your body into stillness.
Open your eyes and bring your attention to the "Discovery"
mandala; allow the mandala energy to fill your heart; be with
whatever is there.
Invest a few minutes toward allowing the "Discovery" vibration
to flow to and through your body. Imagine that energy bursting
through your crown chakra and extending far into the heavens.
Imagine the "Discovery" vibration flowing through you and down
deep into the earth. Imagine it radiating from your heart and
extending out in front of you and behind you. Imagine the
"Discovery" vibration is a radiant ball that encircles you.
Now, sit with this energy for a few minutes.
What about the "Discovery" mandala captures your attention?
Notice and Wonder--Something in me is feeling...
I wonder what it wants me to know, to discover?
Relax into your body and its quietness. Be with the energy, be
present, listen.
Here's the exercise:
Enjoy this exploration as you think about your heart-felt desires,
what you'd like to discover about yourself as you begin to
manifest your desires. You've likely already been thinking about
your vision for this year and what's manifesting right now.
Discover the ways that your outer world is a reflection of your
evolution of consciousness and your Wholeness.
Pause and acknowledge all the beauty you're harvesting in your
life. And all the hard work its taken to get here. Your strengths
that support realizing your dreams. The steps you can take to
make sure your dreams are realized.
Get our your journal or pen and paper and reflect on the
following questions:
1. What heart-felt desires are ready to harvest? What have I
been working on–dreams I've been chasing, projects I’ve
been building, inner gardens I’ve been cultivating &
growing–that are beginning to show signs of ripeness?
2. Which heart-felt desires need my attention now?
3. What are my strengths, my brilliance that support
fulfilling my desires in the weeks ahead?
4. What is one thing I can do right now to help ensure that
will happen?
All the growth in your garden (literal & metaphoric) … it needs
to be tended. It needs harvested. So make sure you take plenty
of time to rest.
Pause when you can. Indulge in summertime rest – nap in a
hammock, enjoy a cold beverage on your porch, bask in the sun
on a summer afternoon.
Take a moment to soak in the energy of summer and connect
more deeply with yourself and the natural world. This is a
transformative time. Discover all the ways your inner world is
reflected all around you.
The season is passing quickly, so while it remains, revel in the
richness of life and renew yourself in the wonder of the light.
Wishing you all the miracles of discovery.
Peace and joy to your seeking heart,
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