“You are Beautiful Just the Perfect Way You Are”-Lori Ann Hunt
When I was seventeen and in my first year of University;
out of curiosity, I took a World’s Religions class. There were so
many incredible religions to explore-it was though my spiritual
world exploded into so many directions. I connected with so many
ideas and wanted to learn so much more. Though I appreciated
the morality of Christianity, it never felt like home. I still had this
undeniable urge to believe in something outside myself. I didn’t want
the world to be a one dimensional wasteland of duty and
responsibility. Faith and belief in something more ignited a
sparkling flame that made life more magical; more meaningful
and worth living.
Living with positive intention means you are living the life
you intend for yourself, that you are mindful that you are
creating the life you live and that your choices determine
the quality of each passing day.
I began exploring Buddhism and I really connected to the whole
idea of empathy and the value of all living beings on earth. I finally
found a religion that understood me to the core. The little girl
who would have physical pain if someone stepped on an ant,
or ripped the branch off of a tree. The idea of working on yourself
and being humble, quiet and giving; distancing oneself from the
ego.
I started reading books about positive living and thinking. I read
from ancient poets like; RUMI and Lao Tzo. I was also taking a
philosophy course and the professor just blew my mind with
the whole idea of how what we perceive defines our reality.
Meeting other University students who were just as excited
and high on learning was so phenomenal. We would sit in
a dimly lit cafe called The Library, with mismatched chairs and
bookshelves filled with classic novels. Sipping tea out of mismatched,
fancy tea cups; vibrating about how we could save the world with our
brilliant new outlook on things.
Though I have been reading ‘self help’, ‘religious’, ‘poetry’, ‘new age’
titles for over 25 years, I still find it hard to ‘live what I’ve learned’ 100%
of the time. I beat myself up when the stress and responsibilities of
life take me so far away from living a life of positive intention that I
am no longer able to “Practice What I Preach”.
I go through this pattern when life gets to be too overwhelming.
The cycle of self deprivation and abuse begins and I get covered
in a cloak of darkness. I know that the solution is to connect to
myself and care for myself again, to not be so self destructive.
During these times, I am so vulnerable that the vultures out there
in the world sense it and come in for the kill. My guard is down
so I get even more buried in the quicksand of despair.
We all fall down, and disconnect from ourselves and what is
good. We need to realize that we deserve goodness and positivity.
The times we are most disconnected from our positive intention
are the times we need it most. The challenge is in holding on to
the rope when we are falling-to not let it slip away, and if it does,
to not let it slip completely away.
Even the authors of these ‘spiritual and self help guides’ fall.
Life is about embracing the darkness and the light.
We are all incredibly strong and frail, but we are human and
can learn even more from the darkness than the light.
It all depends on how you look at it.
Today’s focus will be on living a mindful life focused on
positive intention and gratitude.
Morning Meditation: A Meditation on Intention from The Chopra Centre
Journal Entry: Create Your Own Declaration of Intention and
make it beautiful. Frame it and hang it somewhere you will see it.
Intended Listening and Viewing:The Power of Intention-Wayne Dyer
Mindfulness & Intention Panel Discussion-Mindfulness Experts & Deepak Chopra
Living With Intention: Lynne MacTaggert:
Physical Activity: Go for a walk in nature and silently reflect
on the intentions you have for your life-present and future.
Evening Meditation:
90 Days to Spiritual Enlightenment 