Love and Peace!

By recognizing that our unconscious emotional reactions to others are reflections of our own emotional past, we begin to break the illusion that other people are making us feel these things.  That puts us in a position of strength rather than feeling like a victim of circumstances.  From there we need to heal the pain from our past so that our history of trauma does not continue to generate more suffering in our present.  To do that we need to make the unconscious emotional patterns of our psyche more conscious. 

Meditate daily to bring a permanent sense of self-awareness present in all your thoughts and behavior.  The stronger that self-awareness is, the more the light of that consciousness will penetrate all the dark recesses of your unconscious mind.  That light of consciousness is healing and non-judgmental, its background presence will remove your past conditioning and bring a sense of abiding peace.

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Photo credit: Share-American.gov

Common sense will reveal that your beliefs about race, sex, age, religion, beauty, and money are exactly that – yours.
You do not have the right to lie, steal, cheat and kill others because they share a different viewpoint and/or life experience than yours.
You do not have the right to threaten and terrorize people because their appearance, culture, custom, sexuality and religion is different than yours.
You must mature. You must learn how to love, respect and appreciate our differences.
Can you imagine how AWFUL this world would be if we all looked, thought and behaved the same?
Thank God for diversity. There IS unity within diversity.
Peace is possible. It begins within your own heart.

Visit Kadena’s website/blog for more inspirational posts.

Holiday Magic and My Favorite Things

The holidays of Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and New Year’s have officially begun, and I am so excited as it unfolds each special gift. What a wonderful time when all is focused on love and giving – the sentiment, the change in focus, the energy and the opportunity for celebration, gathering and stopping to give thanks and outwardly show our love are the things I love most about it.  Even though these qualities can and do occur year round, for some reason, there is a bit of magic that infiltrates everything this time of year.  And I love it!

Today I want to wish each of you a very happy holiday season!  To start it out right, here are a few of my favorite things to remind you of the magic that is all around us. These are the simple beauties that inspire and motivate me. I invite you to take a minute and share with me what inspires you too.
Love and hugs – Sandy

A Few of My Favorite Holiday Things:

• a crackling, cozy fire in the fireplace
• decadent hot chocolate topped with homemade whipped cream
• listening to Carpenters Christmas album
• drinking eggnog
• looking at the cards at Papyrus
• being with my two wonderful grown up kids
• going to pick out the Christmas tree
• making and eating squash casserole (for my recipe go to: http://wp.me/p14m59-10R)
• rubbing up against the Christmas trees at the tree seller and taking the pine scent home on my coat
• cooking with my family and the mayhem in the kitchen
• drinking hot spiced tea by the fire

• presents under the tree
• fresh baked pumpkin pie with real whipped cream
• hanging a lights and decorating the front porch
• drinking wine and baking with friends
• creating the perfect holiday cards to send to special friends
• watching classic holiday films – It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street
• shopping for little stocking stuffers
• hitting the $1 section at Target and sending “care” boxes to my loved ones
• snow flakes falling on Christmas Eve
• listening to and singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas“
• laying under my mom’s HUGE Christmas tree like a kid
• snow sledding under the full moon

• hanging the stockings by the fireplace for my kids and granddogs
• mom’s stockings that she hangs over her mantel and the surprises they contain
• shopping for treasures and special ornaments
• taking chilly walks and stomping through the colorful leaves
• Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, MJB holiday music
• learning about and experiencing how others celebrate their holidays
• donating time or singing for local charities or special schools
• hosting a festive gathering at my home for special friends and family
• having coffee and shuffling around the house early in the morning in my cozy pajamas
• a chance to reflect on the amazing year I experienced
• endless scarves to choose from

• city streets and trees outlined in colorful lights
• going out in the neighborhood and doing some old-fashioned Christmas caroling with the family
• wrapping presents with beautiful papers and ribbons
• pumpkin bread with a homemade latte topped with cinnamon
• spending more time with my parents and family, loved ones and friends
• dressing up and going out to dinner for a special holiday night
• quiet walks and talks with family after we have eaten the holiday turkey
• an opportunity for a fresh start
• new chances to love and give

Wishing you a grateful heart, unconditional love and abiding peace – Happy Holidays!

Other posts on SaturdaySoul:
A world created from passion – passion has it’s downfalls, but how could we live without it?
love’s the only gift worth giving – we look for what will heal and comfort us, but it is right here in front of us!
Dazed in an Ice Cocoon – sometimes we think we will die in our icy little cocoon, but we will emerge again.
You Will Receive Wisdom on Your Journey – don’t forget to grab a little wisdom along the way!