Carolyn Hidalgo

Me & Spirit Have Been Thinking .. about Love On this day that LOVE is in the air … I acknowledge the Spirit of God within me that is love. My thinking with Spirit & your thinking with Spirit provides the way to co-create a life we can all love. Here’s some words describing love that spoke to my soul from across the Veil. Love Is Love is all important. It is the one most valuable commodity there is in the universe, for all things, truths, and life delineates and distills down into the simple compound we call Love. Without love, nothing would exist. With Love, all things, all beings, all joy, all truth, all worlds, all planes of existence, all of creation comes into the now and is upheld to the pleasure of the one true Source, the God of all things. Love is the fabric upon which the universes are made. Love is the perfect intention of the Creators Will for all beings in the universes to experience, give, and receive and to co-create with. It is the reason for being. Love is the meaning of life. For all your struggles, heartaches, joys, and wonders, this life given to you out of Love, by the Source of Love, was given that you may, by free will, as an individual, rediscover this Love, learn how to Love, and experience Love to the greatest extent of your potential while living a life that begins on the worlds of time and space, and return to the Creator those unique experiences that only you can have. To find utter joy in the pursuit of truth, the appreciation of beauty, and the experience of goodness, is Love. ~Ophelius & the Circle of Seven; Receiver: Chris Maurus (11:11 Correcting Time) Through the Eyes Of Love Through the eyes of love can all things be seen as anew and all hearts healed. It is my desire for you, my child, to see the world through these eyes—my eyes, and know that peace can be a reality for you, for the Father and I are One, and we feel your pain, your disappointments, and broken hearts. Come to me and into my open arms—I will heal your heart and show you the love that I see through a Father’s eyes. I love you with a Father’s love—a higher love—a love that is deeper than any ocean, and a love that forgives all and holds no record of your weaknesses. There are two emotions that bring tears to the eyes—joy and pain. In my embrace, child—in this state of love—the Father’s love—the love and peace that surpasses all understanding, show me now the pain of your suffering. Let it all out—all your disappointments, your failures, your fears, your injuries, and give to me your broken heart. Weep away, my child, and empty yourself of all your pain—watch it roll down your cheeks and splash onto the floor. Now, look into my face—into my eyes, what do you see? In my eyes you see eternity—you see divine love, forgiveness, mercy, healing, joy, hope, and victory over death. Live, my child! See through the eyes of love and live with all your heart! All will be healed—all will be made right in time and eternity, and you will all see the truth, beauty, and goodness of the Father’s Great Plan as you move from this world to the next, but I ask you, my children: Can you see through the eyes of love in this world and bring that truth, beauty, and goodness of the Father’s love through you? Why suffer through this world in hope of greater things in the next when it can be so now in this world—if only you would see through the eyes of love? ~Jesus (Christ Michael); receiver: Chris Maurus (11:11 Correcting Time) Early Morning Routine with a Love Song Part of my early morning routine includes listening to a love song while stretching with a candle lit or incense burning. One of the most profound understandings I learned about love is that your true soul-mate is not “out there”, but “in here” – within your own being. Our adventure in loving others is to realize that the truest love already exists within us when we learn to be still, and listen. Having a healthy relationship within in the absence of judgment – the way we are loved spiritually – allows us to experience love unconditionally. One of the ways I can hear my divine fragment’s voice is through the words of a love song. I’ve discovered songs from my childhood long before I could understand what love could be .. now I know why.   One was called Through the Eyes of Love – take a listen to the words as if they are being spoken to God, and you may experience something magical! What love songs touched your heart? Tune in differently the next time you hear a love song,  and perhaps you’ll feel a nudge to say a quiet thank to our Universal Creator who gave you life to experience love.  Wishing you Divine Love this Day!  Share your Songs of the Spirit with me at carolyn@carolynhidalgo.com – I would love to hear yours 💞.

I’ve shared how bewildered I’ve been that humanity is facing so much chaos, divisiveness and war these days. I picture us one day in some distant future looking back at ourselves and thinking “what were we thinking?”   It’s like an innocent part of us knows “We can do better than THIS, can’t we???”   The only way I’ve been able to make sense out of the nonsense comes down to how we use our personal power.   Are you using your power of love or power of control to navigate your life?   Love expands, and control tightens.   I came across something recently that blew my mind around the “power of control”. We’ve all heard that LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe, so I’m starting with love, then I’ll dive into control.   These words first helped me understand the POWER OF LOVE: In other words: our power to LOVE rests in our ability to release our JUDGMENT.    Judging someone is a way we use our power of control, sometimes intentionally, more often unintentionally.   More Wise Words from the Spiritual Masters   Mother Teresa famously said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them”.   It’s as if you’ve tossed love out the window of time when judgment against someone poisons your mind. Jesus said… “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your eye?” ~Matthew 7:1-5 Judgment in this context does not mean evaluation or assessment or even having a negative opinion of someone. We all have the right to think for ourself, however – are your thoughts about someone self-destructive and harmful to others? Here’s a previous article I shared to help clarify what it means to judge someone in practice:   10 Ways to Be Less Judgmental of People You Disagree With   When you label a person as bad or wrong, it becomes a slippery slope as these words are subjective, and can affect how you treat someone because of judgmental thoughts even if you’re not speaking them aloud.   Your personal idea of what’s right or good can have you morally condemning someone from a limited lens of reality, and whatever ILL WILL you hold against someone will come back to you in unseens ways.   The law of attraction works both with dark condemning energy and light loving energy.  It’s why love creates more love and hate creates more hate.   We cannot walk in another’s shoes to ever fully understand their story or the soul lessons they are meant to learn. Being judgmental is an attempt to control someone’s “wrong thinking” with your “right thinking”, and thought is part of our consciousness that has great power.    But what if someone is attacking you with their judgment?   Judgment as Control in Your Interactions   Have you ever had anyone attempt to control you with how they think you’re supposed to be? You will IMMEDIATELY feel defensive, and for GOOD REASON!!   If you allow yourself to be controlled by being imposed upon or avoiding an attack when you silently disagree – someone has power over you.   The spiritual law of free will that gave you the right to think for yourself is being stepped on. A Shocking Wake up Call – the Power of Control I recently came across a book called “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene.   With over 72K reviews on Amazon with 4.5 stars, I was surprised it hadn’t crossed my path – maybe because it was written 25 years ago?   I glanced through recent comments – so much praise.  I thought “wow – this must be a classic”!   These laws were so popular, they’ve been summarized in charts available online. As I began reading, I was stunned.   Here’s a few so you can “be the judge” meaning evaluate these laws for yourself.   Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You, But Always Take the Credit: Delegate tasks when possible and take credit for successes, enhancing your perceived power and influence.   Law 11: Learn to Keep People Dependent on You: Foster dependence in others to increase your power and influence.   Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally: If you have adversaries, eliminate them completely to prevent future retaliation.   One 5 star reviewer praised its “unapologetic examination of human nature” and Greene’s laws for the range “from the strategic and cunning to the ruthless and manipulative, offering readers a glimpse into the darker aspects of human behavior.”   It assumes humans are naturally dark.    This NY Times Bestseller shows how to effectively use “a sword” in your dealings with people to maintain power.   It’s the opposite of what it takes to love someone: trust.   These are 48 ways to maintain your control over others not trust in your higher power of God’s love within you or anyone else.   My first thought was “does this author have any connection or faith God”?   Here’s Greene’s view on God in his words:   “I don’t have a hardcore spiritual practice. I’m not a hardcore Atheist; I’m sort of how Einstein was: He wasn’t a believer in the Jewish God. I’m intrigued by the sense that there’s something there. I want to make people more realistic about the human animal and how we behave sometimes. We are still primates. We are not descended from angels.”   It’s true we did not descend from angels – these are seraphic beings of a different order, and not who we ever become when we cross over after death.   However, when we remember that a fragment of the Creator resides within us: “Be Still and Know I AM God” becomes our reality as spiritual beings who have the potential to ascend beyond our pre-historic animal nature! Getting Triggered with Judgment I admit it took serious effort to suspend my …

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Every Christmas I feel closer to the Spirit of “Christ Consciousness” that began with a baby’s birth over 2000 years ago that billions celebrate as the Christmas season. I’ve met many friends who celebrate Christmas even if they don’t know Christ, which is wonderful because his light was for everyone regardless of your religion! He didn’t write the Bible and didn’t create the religion of Christianity. Discovering these facts opened my eyes, and eventually led me to spiritual realities that made sense. Today’s daily message from the Urantia Book (UB) was on religion in perfect timing to help share how spirituality and religion work together. It’s Aways Been a Personal Journey! Religion cannot be bestowed, received, loaned, learned, or lost. It is a personal experience which grows proportionally to the growing quest for final values. Cosmic growth thus attends on the accumulation of meanings and the ever-expanding elevation of values. 100:1.7 (1095.2), UB Jesus separated himself from his religion of Judaism not to start Christianity, but to help us understand who we are spiritually.  He wanted us to know God as the loving, nonjudgmental presence living within us – not an angry punishing God who judges us we are separate from. My wish for you is that you experience the light of Christ’s Spirit by getting curious about him as a fellow human being. His “soul signature” is full of peace and unconditional love. You never needed to be Christian to experience his light! I don’t consider myself to be a Christian. I don’t go to a church even though I believe in the value of his teachings and want to know Him better.  The same way I also find value in Buddha’s teachings, and don’t consider myself a Buddhist. However, Jesus has a special place in my heart after discovering the Urantia Book (UB) in 2011 that covers our entire spiritual history, and his life and teachings. Having many students of the UB over the past decade who can hear from celestial teachers (including Jesus) helped bring the Urantia Book to life for me. Donna D’Ingillo, founder of the Centre for Christ Consciousness is one of them: “Remember me as Jesus and how I lived, that you too may be the LIGHT OF THE WORLD in your particular corner. Be in my PEACE.” ~Donna D’Ingillo, Dec 24, 2011 Many people hear from Jesus, and if you were so inclined – you could hear Him too! I grew up thinking everyone celebrated Christmas until I moved into a pre-dominantly Jewish neighbourhood and was shocked to discover my new friend didn’t have a Christmas tree, and eagerly showed me her Menorah. Despite our differences when it came to God – something told me her God and mine were one and the same. Has it ever made sense that one religious group is at war with another when their religions both talk of peace, compassion and love? Each year in the “Christmas season” we slow down with the ones we love and seek meaningful connection – joy, laughter, love. It comes from the “Christmas Spirit” that begins with knowing Him first as a person. It’s why we’ve begun watching “the Chosen” series as a family this holiday.. Getting to Know Jesus as a Person I grew up attending an Anglican Church, and going to chapel every morning in high school. I  learned of Jesus more as a central figure who was out of reach. Do you think of him only tied to the Christian religion or as a special man who was born and died with some pretty important lessons to share? For the longest time, I couldn’t separate the name Jesus without thinking about religion, and it’s why I still don’t know Him very well, but here’s some of what I’ve learned: Jesus came here to “BE in our shoes” and know us personally in order to administer at His highest for his role on the other side. He did not write anything down for his Apostles or followers wanting to avoid the tendency for words to become dogma or used to enforce rules or justify actions that turn words into weapons. Instead of creating a religion, he role modelled throughout his short life and shared parables planting seeds of spirituality. He lived such a spiritual life that people who know him well will ask themselves in difficult situations “what would Jesus do”? No matter what the question, the answer is always love, and he role modelled divine love for us – unconditional, nonjudgmental, and forgiving. I believe Jesus’s greatest message and why He still lives on today was this: LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe and it comes from God, who is Love and is part of you. “Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world” ~Jesus, Paper 192 (UB) How to Know God Jesus wanted us to have a relationship with God and taught his 12 Apostles to do something radical back then, which I believe more people are now doing today including me! He asked them to go to their room, close the door and talk to your Heavenly Father.  This is a practice my spiritual friend and mentor, Chris has developed with the help of his guides that he calls “Conscious Contact”. In the new year, we plan to develop classes on “spiritual communication”. Stay tuned! Because Jesus and his Apostles were Jewish, they were accustomed to reciting prayers as their way to talk to God, and couldn’t understand how to just have a conversation! So Jesus eventually created the Lord’s Prayer to help them begin fostering this connection with God. I used to say this prayer every night before I went to sleep without a clue what it really meant. It was to prevent having bad dreams and if we (5 siblings & I) got out of bed, they wouldn’t work, and I’d have to say it all over again! I have a smart mother. Our Common “Religious” Threads In 2011, I saw this poster at a workshop called “Going Within – Developing a Conscious Relationship with Spirit” in Michigan, …

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Every year on this day people around the planet PAUSE for a moment at 11:00 on Nov 11th. We stop on 11-11-11 and remember in unity those who died in a war over a century ago that had the whole world against each other. Did you ever wonder whether these 11’s may be a sign for us about something much bigger? Every day I see signs and notice synchronicities showing me that Spirit is guiding me in mysterious and marvellous ways. 11:11 was the very first “sign” I noticed as a child. It began after I rode my cousin’s bike down a slope and over a cliff at 6 years old. A tree growing out of the cliff saved my life after a fall that left me unconscious. I woke up on route to the hospital, my body in shock and my jaw broken. Within a few days, I was back home, and burst into tears unable to recognize my face in the mirror. My mom reassured me the swelling and scars would disappear and not to fret! A part of us changes spiritually when we get close to death and for me that’s when I began seeing 11:11 on my digital clock radio. It felt mesmerizing – like something magical was drawing me here. I would stare into the clock … these 4 red columns that seemed to hold something more. It would be many decades later in 2011 that I would understand who was behind me seeing this time and why. Ever since that close call with death, I believed in angels despite growing up in a family that would have me think otherwise. You see, my parents and grandfather and all 4 of my mom’s siblings became medical doctors. My father’s 2 siblings pursued computer science/math and engineering. I had the mindset growing up that sought scientific proof, analysis and logic. Things had to “make sense” so the idea of unseen “angels” I kept quietly to myself while I sought out evidence. I became fascinated by stories of “spirit” and understanding ghosts, which didn’t scare me as I was sure there was a rational explanation! Stories of Spirit Along the Way My Gran often told a story when she was a young mom of 2, living in British Guyana.  Her “servants” would avoid a certain corridor after dark because they’d all seen a “ghost with long hair” over the years. Apparently a mother had taken her life in that home after her young son tragically died of an insect bite.  My grandfather served as the physician in their hometown, and superstition was common, but considered “nonsense” by the more educated. “Your grandfather was not the sort to believe in ghosts!” my Gran would say. One afternoon, he awoke from a nap hearing his son crying in the nearby cradle and saw my Gran tending to him so he went back to sleep. He’d forgotten that my Gran would grow her hair long when she was pregnant, then cut it short after her children were born.  The lady he saw had long hair and he suddenly realized he had seen the ghost the servants spoke of! That’s when he called on their local Pastor do a blessing on the house, and clear all the Spirits.  No one ever saw the lady with the long hair again. This was one of many stories that kept getting added to my library as I kept piecing the puzzle together of how Spirit works. Proof of Angels In my 20’s I picked up “Many Lives Many Masters” by Dr. Brian Weiss that describes his remarkable discovery of 80+ past life memories of his patient Catherine during hypnotherapy that allowed him to heal her many traumas. During one session, “master spirits” started speaking through Catherine who told Dr. Weiss “your son and father are here”. His son had died soon after birth and his father a year earlier. These Master Spirits not only knew their names, but also HOW they died. Catherine had no way of knowing this information. That’s when Dr. Weiss completely shifted his own reality to believing her past life memories were real not just her imagination. He shares this story here: When I was reading this part in “Many Minds, Many Masters” and the Master Spirits began talking – a profound shift in reality happened for me too! Their words were so beautiful and felt real. It was like the faith I’d been carrying about the existence of angels since childhood suddenly transformed to TRUSTING in a new reality. When you can trust in Spirit, beyond hope and faith – your ability to create your own reality changes.  That’s when my bedside light began to flicker. Have you ever noticed lights or candles flickering in your own quiet or unusual moments? It was like I’d somehow navigated onto an invisible circuit where my “angels” could now communicate “we are present”. Back then, I was still needing to prove everything and tried to screw the light bulb in tighter thinking maybe it’s just loose. NOPE. Over time, lights and candles flickering have been a regular sign of comfort from Spirit that we are not alone. I once had the shower light turn completely off momentarily and then back on.  I kept asking my husband, “has the light ever turned off and back on with you?” NOPE. He didn’t believe in Spirit this way. That’s when I realized BELIEVING IS SEEING, and why the placebo effect works. 11:11 Shows Up BIG Time As I was getting certified to become a life coach in 2009, the 11:11 time prompt kept showing up. It became so ridiculous that I finally googled 11:11 feeling silly and expecting to see nothing. I’d forgotten I used to see it as a child! I was absolutely shocked to discover my screen filled with pages about 11:11  – other people were also seeing 11:11!!!???? Today it’s hundreds of millions that see this sign. WHY??? Remembrance Day – 11:11:11 I …

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The new year is here!! Happy 2024 It is anticipated that this year is one where some major spiritual shifts will take place in the collective consciousness. Are you ready for transformation? I spent New Year’s at our family cottage hanging with family. Being present. Having conversations. Laughing. Eating too much. Reading, relaxing and reflecting. The photo above captures the joy I feel here, and a vision I couldn’t see before it became a reality. It got me wondering .. how do you enVision to create your reality? You may think it was outer circumstances of seeing a great cottage and simply buying it with $$ we had, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But the outer world is only half the reality. Over the last decade of going inward, I’ve learned to look back differently to see things I couldn’t see at the time. This process has helped me create realities that have come true I could never have anticipated and allows me to keep creating what I most desire.  Winter is definitely a different vibe than summer – quieter, peaceful and a great time for reflection. My parents are in their 80’s and moments in person feel numbered with each passing day. I treasure this precious time much more these days. 17 grandchildren came along and have created “soul moments” here since the birth of my niece 26 years ago. I was in University when my parents bought this place so I didn’t grow up here. My children and their cousins did, and developed a family bond I wish I could bottle and send out to the world. The most precious things in life can’t be packaged or given away; they can only be experienced from the light of your own soul. It’s this part of you that is co-creating your life from your inner world of reality. I took a deeper look back reflecting on “how did this cottage experience” that’s evolved over time become my reality”? My mom can’t swim, and was always concerned about us being near water. She made sure all of us took swimming lessons!! So having a cottage by a lake I couldn’t see with our family …. or could I? Reflecting Back on Your Year​ When I’m at the start of a new year, I do a lot of reflection. I scrolled back through my past year’s photos and noticed “what happened? Who did I spend time with? What experiences stood out? What am I grateful for?” Then the deeper reflections: “What was I willing to step into? What hard decisions did I make? How did Spirit show me I’m on the right track with signs and synchronicities? What were the big lessons here for me? I slowed down to remember what was happening before we got this cottage, and a hidden inner reality began to unravel. “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”  ~Maya Angelou Where Have You Been? I happened to be with my parents when they made the offer to buy our family cottage 35 years ago. Was it a mere coincidence I was there? Their agent had made a ridiculously low offer given my parent’s budget and said “let’s take a chance and see”. The secret piece of manifesting your dreams is recognizing where your own light plays a role in co-creation. Think of it like your deepest hidden desire with your intention being sent out into the field of possibility. Then you engage by paying attention, acting on, and making decisions that may feel like a “leap of faith”. Think of something you are truly grateful for and see if you can look back to see: What was I experiencing back then internally, what did I SAY and DO that may have influenced what transpired? Who you choose to BE today is where your light comes in for what you want to create tomorrow. The Hidden Reality You Co-Create The story I have told friends about how we ended up with a family cottage goes like this: My father always wanted a boat and despite my mother’s protest against such nonsense, he got one. A “mid-life crisis” perhaps – he was 50 at the time : ) My father asks for very little, and rarely buys anything. It wasn’t until I saw the joy and peace he experiences driving a boat that I understood. Time waits for no one. His “if not now, when” moment had come. When will it be for what you desire, if not NOW?  Where do you put a boat that doesn’t fit in your garage? It needed a home. So they got a cottage to store the boat. My parents were looking for something small and simple, and weren’t willing to spend much. Most of their hard earned $$ had gone into putting 6 of us through private school. Our family vacations were spent driving a motorhome across Canada and the U.S. Since we were a family of 8, it had to at least sleep 8 of us! After weeks of looking, their agent finally said “there’s one last cottage outside your price range I want to show you. It’s been on the market for a long time”. I was getting tired of looking at places with my parents. The outside was unimpressive – a dark brown wood, and the whole place looked old and clearly needed work. But when I walked down to the lake and stood on the dock. Time seemed to stand still. The view was spectacular. I knew immediately this was the location before I’d stepped into the cottage. Have you ever had a moment where it feels like a quiet voice is whispering really loudly? You don’t have all the details to make a big decision – just enough for a leap of faith you must be willing to take. I was not a daughter who voiced her opinion strongly, but this time I heard myself boldly exclaim “LET’S GET THIS ONE!!!” I knew nothing about the extent of work it needed or costs involved … the roof had to be replaced, it leaked inside, the deck has been re-built 3 …

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Here’s my second instalment on wisdom I’ve been reflecting on from our Japan trip: In Part 1, I shared how the Japanese people are calm and polite. There’s a deep sense of order and efficiency that creates great results. People don’t just follow the rules, there’s a deep respect for what’s “right and wrong” in their society that works well and everyone benefits or so it appears. It reminded me of my own family growing up with Asian roots. We all want peace and harmony that I experienced in Japan and felt growing up. There’s been something mysterious about Japan – their high advances mixed with unexpected high suicide I talked about in Part 1. I noticed 2 things that can create blocks to our spiritual growth vital for our lives that exists among Japanese people: 1. Emotional suppression and 2. Conflict avoidance There was a pattern I began noticing when I got onto the spiritual path. Those who suffered through a major trauma as opposed to avoiding it seemed to be the same ones who had spiritually awakened. I began wondering “do people have to suffer to awaken to their Spirit”? It seemed like avoiding pain and not processing your true emotions meant you were missing an opportunity to grow your soul. Eckhart Tolle, author of the Power of Now, experienced a profound transformation that led to his awakening and pulled him out of a period of deep despair and suicidal thoughts. Tolle’s major thought, which became the foundation of his teachings, revolves around the concept of living in the present moment and finding inner peace and fulfillment through a deep connection to the present. Being present is one of the foundational teachings of Zen Buddhism that also originated from Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. It was through his deep suffering after leaving his palace and giving up all his worldly goods  that he found enlightenment. A Way of Life in Japan –  Buddhism and Shintoism In simplest terms, temples are Buddhist, while shrines are Shinto. Temples have the large incense burners and Buddhist statues, while Shrines have the distinctive Torii gates. Marriages and births are celebrated at Shines while funerals are held at Buddhist temples. Shintoism is Japan’s indigenous spirituality. It believes that every living thing in nature (e.g. trees, rocks, flowers, animals – even sounds) contains kami or gods. Shinto means “the way” and “spirit” and focuses on the importance of purity, harmony, respect for nature, family, and subordination of the individual before the group. Zen Buddhism evolved from China as a separate form of Buddhism that emphasized direct experience, meditation, and insight into one’s true nature. Zen focuses on simplicity, living in the present and that enlightenment is achieved through the profound realization that one is already an enlightened being. About 80% of the Japanese population follow the Shinto and Buddhism as a way of life as opposed to a religion. At many Shrines you will find areas where you can “purify yourself” including “evil spirits” by pouring clean water over your hands. The temple below in Kyoto had pure water filtered straight from the mountains! Clean everything is the norm in Japan. Applying Spirituality to Life This zen wisdom hangs on my bedroom wall. It made perfect sense until I went to Japan, and took a deeper look. If there is light in the soul, There will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, There will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, There will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, There will be peace in the world. Google translate’s camera feature was super handy in Japan for instantly translating the language right on your phone. We all have a light of God within us, which guides us in ways that can grow our soul. Not everyone is aware of this divine light within. Your beauty (character) evolves as you co-create with your divine light to create what is unique to you. Does having Beauty guarantee harmony? No. There are plenty of awakened beautiful souls who continue to suffer and some choose to do harm. What if your style of Beauty doesn’t fit into the rules you grew up with? Harmony also does not necessary mean order. In fact, orderliness can lead to a need to control. Where is the space for authenticity, our inevitable differences, and unconditional love?  “If …. Then” thinking with any philosophy can be misleading because humanity isn’t black and white. I grew up in a family that thought in a very logical and linear way. It felt like common sense and the right way to approach life because there was harmony, respect and hard work that resulted in “achievement” in terms of jobs, health, financial stability and family. I thought there was a right way and a wrong way instead of realizing there are many different ways that may be right for one person and wrong for another. Unless we can agree on how we express our shared values like compassion, empathy, and kindness, how can we ever allow for our differences? If harmony is achieved only by avoiding conflict and suppressing emotions, there’s a hidden danger. The Paradox of Allowing for Conflict (Differences), but not War (Destruction) Have you ever wondered why the Japanese were renowned for being devastatingly cruel during WW2 yet at the same time we know them to be calm, reserved & polite? I wasn’t aware of the volume of loss that the Japanese military were responsible for massacring up to ~30M people (mostly the Chinese – my ancestry) during the war that happened less than a century ago. The atrocities here none of us want to know about – it’s so hard to digest. You’d rather die than get captured by the Japanese. The Japanese Express Emotion Through the Arts I watched the Japanese anime called Grave of the Fireflies recently based on the 1967 semi-autobiographical account of a teenage boy orphaned with his …

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There’s so many insights I had visiting Japan that I’m breaking it down into a few parts! It felt like I walked into the future and the past at the same time during our packed 2 week visit. Japan’s way of life brought some surprising shifts in perspective for what’s possible in the world. There’s a quiet dark side also not to be overlooked. OVERALL EXPERIENCE I loved Japan for many reasons, but first its beauty in nature and the calm in people’s nature really stood out: The Japanese people seem to have successfully integrated the value of calm in their deep respect, and politeness that’s evident with their treatment of one another and nature. There’s great care taken of the beautiful gardens around the thousands of temples and shrines. It’s clean everywhere because the simple idea of “if you make a mess, you clean it up” or self-responsibility is ingrained. There are no janitors in schools!  Doesn’t it make sense that kids clean their own classrooms? Imagine if all children accepted they are supposed to clean up after themselves everywhere they go, what kind of adults would that create? Discipline is a strong value & there’s an unspoken way everyone is operating on the same page. Everyone is trusted to do their part and collectively these shared values of calm, order and respect creates a level of outer beauty where the whole of society benefits. A CALM WAY of LIFE It seemed like the Japanese have learned the art of not taking someone personally or feeling offended. It reminded me of the harmony, discipline and rules I grew up with in my own family. I never heard anyone shouting at anyone. I also didn’t grow up in a household where anyone shouted at someone though sometimes voices got raised! No one got annoyed or reacted angrily during our visit even when we got confused navigating the train system & our passes suddenly stopped working. We were simply helped and were back on our way.  We spent one day with the most wonderful guide who drove us around Kyoto. I’ve never driven with anyone so patient and calm through busy streets! I asked him if he has a daily meditation practice given the thousands of temples and shrines in Kyoto. He chuckled and said “no”. It was clear, this man did’t need additional time to meditate – he was already living calmness! He shared that everyone follows the custom of soaking in a hot bath daily   – like brushing your teeth! It surprised him that in the West, most people only take showers. There is evidence that regular soaking in hot water improves circulation, pumps more nutrients and oxygen through our bodies while displacing toxins and likely contributes to what makes Japan one of the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world. I didn’t see any homeless people. Bikes were not locked up and very young children walked to school on their own. Japan has a virtually 0% homeless rate. It was nice to see many elderly people riding bikes, working and able to ride their complex train system! What’s remarkable is how much bigger with more variety & higher quality everything is. Basics like transportation, quality of food and waste disposal are more advanced and it’s all so organized! I remember seeing anything “made in Japan” was synonymous with high quality, and now I understood why. The whole atmosphere feels less hurried, more harmonious with less stress compared to the West. I see how the energy that is Marie Kondo came from here. When we walked across Tokyo’s busiest intersection – Shibuya Crossing (up to 2,500 people) – I was surprised to hear birds singing playing on the loudspeaker! They know that sounds in nature calms the mind to keep everyone safely moving along. INTEGRATING the BEAUTY OF NATURE in Your Life Staying connected to nature is one of the best ways to stay connected to your spiritual path. It’s why I decided to make a significant investment in our outside space a few years ago. Friends and family would often ask “are you going to finish your basement?” It felt like a “should”. We barely spent time there. Your heart knows where to put your resources. I could feel a garden, a place to read, eat, gather for conversations for many years .. if you are open to allowing what you desire vibrationally, when you are ready – divine orchestration will happen. I believed this kind of space would bring immeasurable value to our family. Our backyard is now a sacred place to connect and be at one with the sights and sounds of nature. Can you carve out your own sacred space to be connected to Beauty in Nature? It’s so vital for your soul. This week I had this surprise show up sitting at my desk looking outside my office window: Doves!! The universal symbol for peace. It’s what living judgment-free gives us – inner peace, and what feels instilled when you visit Japan.  The Japanese are very disciplined and work extremely hard, and I believe living from an inner calm provides more space for creativity and greater success. The Sadly High Suicide Rate Although Japan has incredible strengths, there’s also very little space for emotional expression. It’s like there’s great harmony that produces results, but at the cost of emotional authenticity. Our emotions are one of our most important inner guides. We all hear about Japan having a high suicide rate. According to Chat GPT, it’s approximately 15 per 100,000 in Japan compared to slightly less at 14 per 100,000 in the U.S and 11 per 100,000 in Canada. Europe’s suicide rates are in the 9 to 11 range per 100,000. The danger of not expressing ourselves emotionally can be the suppression of inner pain that can lead to wanting to escape from life. Being mentally healthy is so important, and an essential ingredient is feeling connected to Spirit through nature. How can you add a part of nature to your every day ritual? Stay tuned for Part 2…