July 2011 Archives

What to do when you get smacked down by the universe...
How to interpret the message and come out happier because of it.




No kidding... Last week the universe hit me in the head, literally!

What started as a spontaneous trip to the Ashram
Okay, I know the story is already kind of unusual, spontaneous ashram trips!
But as it turns out the Ashram of one of my original spiritual teachers
Just happens to be down the road from the wine country home
I've been writing my next book from.
Of course, there are no coincidences.

So Wednesday afternoon, unannounced, I stopped by
I was greeted with love, and lunch
Sat with a guru
Prayed for the removal of obstacles
And two hours after my spiritual bliss and
what I thought was the removal of any obstacles hanging out in my life,
I smacked my head right into one

Literally walked right into an open cabinet door
and received not just a bump
but a gash that at the time to me looked just as awful
as Harry Potter's scarred head.
(more later on my magical medical adventure)

What the heck kind of answer to a prayer was that?

Prayer is powerful, no question.
I know that. I just didn't expect what got delivered.
But when the universe is trying to get your attention.
It will do whatever it takes.

In what ways has the universe been trying to get your attention lately?
And have you been listening, or
Like me are you headed for a smack in the head?

I hope your message comes in a more gentle manner.
But just in case you end up with a more aggressive messenger,
I thought you'd like to be prepared on how to handle it.

So I taped this super-powered video
your new moon Love Letter!

Would love to hear from you about when you got smacked in the head from the universe -
What was the message and how were you finally able to hear it?

This Love Dare is one of the weekly love dares participants of the 40-day Fear Cleanse have taken... they loved it so much, and I love it so much that I wanted to share it with ALL of you! Enjoy!!

Step 1:
Schedule or spontaneously decide to go on an adventure to collect LOVE! 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or an entire day.

Step 2:
Use all of your senses to find evidence of love everywhere -- see, smell, taste, feel, and hear it. Literally breathe love in, take note of loving exchanges between others, taste love in your food, smell love in a flower, hear love in a song or in a compliment you receive, feel love when you take a moment to hug your dog or do anything that opens your heart.


Step 3:
Actually collect the love - Throughout the day, using all your senses, seek out evidence of love, and collect it. You must capture this evidence of love somewhere, either by writing it down, taking a picture of it, sharing it with your social network, recording it on a voice recorder, whatever makes you happy. Pick your collection device of choice - a small pocket-sized notebook, a digital device you can write on, post it notes, or a camera you can snap pictures with.

• Keep the awareness as much as possible during your day-to-day interactions.
  
• Look for love even in the challenging moments.
  
• Be alert for spontaneous acts of love. Take a love collecting field trip during lunch or in the late afternoon.
  
• When you can't take physical notes, take a mental note, by pausing in the moment, noticing the love and storing the event away in your mind and heart as evidence that love exists everywhere.

Many of us say that we want love

We spend tons of energy

Sometimes even money

On trying to find it

But then I wonder

Are we really open to receiving it

Once it shows up on our doorstep

Or do we actually shut the door

On the very thing we want most

Does your heart open wide when love knocks on your door?

Expanding and opening to let the love flow in.

Or does your heart contract, recoil and pull back

Peer out the window, want to open the door so badly, but is too afraid

Of what would happen if it let love in again?

Does your heart rush in with open arms to find and embrace connection in this world

Expecting to receive love back

Knowing that love is everywhere when you know where to look

And when your heart is open to receive it?

Or is your heart cautious, having been hurt before,

So it doesn't let itself open too wide or let too many people in

Instead of skipping through life freely and joyfully

Is your heart walking safely and securely never risking too much?

It's okay you know,

We've all be hurt

We've all had our innocent pure loving hearts smacked around

Stepped on

Looked over

Rejected

Abandoned

And as a result,

You may have built big walls around your heart

So you'd never be hurt again

Or you may have taken all the walls down

Hoping you'd be loved again, if you just gave more of yourself away.

And although you were doing what you needed to do

To protect yourself at the time

The truth is that what actually protects you most is not walls or the giving of yourself away,

The biggest protection you have in life is love.

But love can only protect you if you let it in.

Love can only serve you if you let it.

All love needs is permission to open the door of your heart again.

Think of all the ways that love comes knocking on your heart's door today:

When a stranger smiles

Do you smile back and let the love permeate your heart

Or do you give a fake obligatory smile or pretend you didn't notice?

When someone approaches you with the offer of a hug

Do you let the embrace fully envelope you

Letting all your body parts touch, chest, belly and arms

Or do you politely offer a few pats on the back, never touching hearts

Or do you go for the A frame hug, letting your upper chest touch but the hug stops there.

When someone offers to help you or pays you a compliment

Does your heart open wide to say THANK YOU! YES! I will receive that

Or do you push back their gift

Saying you can handle it on your own

Or "this old thing, I've had it for years!"

When someone offers you a chance to connect during your 'busy' day

Do you stop and make time for love

Or do you skip by the moments in life in which love is offered

Putting it on hold for when you have time,

But those times come far and few between?

When you wake up in the morning

Do you look around and notice the magic and splendor of the beauty of this world?

Do you fill your heart with all that you are grateful for

Or do you jump out of bed without noticing much of anything

Except thinking of all the things you have to do or all that you haven't yet done?

When you find yourself in relationship with an intimate partner, a lover, a mate

Do you let down your walls of protection

And show them the truth of your heart and soul

Even in the times, especially in the times, when you are afraid?

Do you lean in with an open heart to create the intimacy that you desire,

Or do you use love as a weapon, or say you want intimacy but then don't offer it?

Do you settle for less than the deep emotional connection that only two open hearts can create

And tell yourself that what you have is enough.

When your heart knows that it is not?

What if today, you let your heart speak freely.

What would she or he say?

What one daring act of love would you be willing to take

To risk letting love walk in your heart's door?

To set your heart free

To do what it does best

To love.

And in return allow you to revel and trust in that love forever.

Popular author of Choosing ME before WE, Every Woman's Guide to Life and Love, Christine Arylo has been called the Queen of Self-Love. Her insights, fresh perspectives and daring take on love, in all its forms, have been featured on TV and radio stations across the country, in the world's top spas and retreat centers, and in colleges and corporations. She is the founder of Madly in Love with ME, an international movement of self-love, which includes a free self-love kit downloadable at www.ChooseSelfLove.com. She is also the co-founder of Inner Mean Girl Reform School, a virtual school where women go to transform their self-sabotaging voices into self-empowering ones.