Circle of Love

The Way of the Heart

2012-02-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed! And I am truly grateful for all the beautiful people in my life who share this journey with me! I have had a busy weekend full of sharing. I taught two new classes on Saturday, one called Self-Healing Tools, and the other called Manifest Your Heart's Desires. On Sunday, I held my bi-weekly A Course In Miracles Study Group and the Circle of Love Meditation. I love to be of service in this way! My heart is overflowing with love. And I am so grateful..!

I'd like to share with you my insights about manifesting. I now clearly understand a way of manifesting, that includes the Law of Attraction, but is a more expanded view. Let me list the three different ways of manifesting:

1. Goal Setting
2. Law of Attraction (like the Abraham Hicks teachings and the Secret)
3. Way of the Heart

Years ago I learned all about powerful goal setting principles. You would make logical plans on how to arrive at your destination and you would work through any obstacle to get there.

Then came the Law of Attraction; teachings on how to attract things and experiences to you. So, instead of making things happen the old way of goal setting, you visualize what you want and try to make sure that your vibration (how you feel) matches your desired outcome.

In both cases you try to get something separate from you to appear in your experience. For example, if you desire a new job, with goal setting, you would do all the right logical things to land that job. With Law of Attraction you would visualize the new job, and try to keep your vibration at a matching level with how you would feel in the new job.

Nothing wrong with either approach! And both of them can work well. But both also require effort. The second less than the first one, but still some. There is a way that requires no effort! This is the Way of the Heart. Let me explain...

The first two methods are based on mind power, the third one is based on Heart connection. Where the first two methods require mental focus, the third method requires letting go into the Heart. It requires surrendering to the Wisdom of the Heart which is connected with the Higher Self and with Source. Where the first two methods are derived from separation, the third acknowledges Unity.

The Way of the Heart says: We are all one with the Field of Infinite Possibility. This Field is one with the Source. It knows no lack or limitation. Everything that exists on any level, energetic or material, has emerged from this Field. Everything is always in the process of either materializing from the Field, or dematerializing back into the Field.

All that resonates with how we feel about ourselves materializes for us and shows up in our lives, and all that does not resonate with how we feel about ourselves dematerializes into it, and out of our lives. This goes on all the time, whether we are conscious of it or not.

To consciously materialize our Heart's desires, we first must get in touch with our Hearts. One way of doing this is to sit still, close the eyes and breathe into the Heart Center in the chest, inviting it to open. Then allow yourself to just listen to the voice of the Heart, letting go of any preconceived ideas. Another way to know your Heart's desires is to pay attention to what brings you the most joy. This is your Heart leading you into the right direction.

Let yourself feel the joy, and let yourself feel love. Cultivate the understanding that everything is here for you right now. Nothing is separate from you. You are not separate from that which you desire! You are one with the Field of Infinite Possibility. You cannot lack anything. As you feel your oneness with All-That-Is, you will naturally feel more love for yourself, and more joy. It is then that all the desires that resonate with this love and joy start to materialize in your life.

You need not use any effort to focus on what you desire. You simply need to put your attention to cultivating an expanded understanding of who you are. You are one with the Infinite Source. You are unlimited in your ability to love. You are therefore unlimited in your ability to fulfill all your Heart's desires. Focusing on your Unlimited Nature will yield the best, most joyful results. Your true Heart's desires will show up in your life!

Have a joyful day!

With love,

Elara

Related posts (just click on the link to read):
I am Free!
Be That Which You Desire
You Are Love!
Listen for the Joy

2012 is here! What does it mean for you?

2012-01-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

I wrote this article for my Newsletter coming out later this week. (You can subscribe to the Newsletter through my website.) After I had written it, I was guided to also publish it on my blog. So, here it is:

Much has been said about the year 2012. Most of us know by now that it is considered to be the end of an old era and the birth of a new one. This year there will, undoubtedly, be many endings that we will observe in our personal lives, as well as on the collective level in the world. When something ends, something new begins. So, there is no need to be afraid of the endings. Nothing ever comes to us from the outside beyond our control. Even events that seem to happen to us are truly designed by us on another level. Therefore, all events are always for our highest and greatest good. How we experience these events is up to us.

This is an important point, because sometimes it feels that things get out of control. And we don't realize that we have created the events on another level - subconsciously - and that we have the ability to be at peace no matter what happens. The state of mind that we have cultivated thus far is the same state of mind that we will have when big things happen. And this is a year for big things! We cannot avoid the changes that will confront us, but we can use the spiritual tools that we have cultivated thus far, to take us through the changes gracefully, without pain.

For me the most important tool is the absolute trust I have in my process - the knowingness that everything in my life is always in divine right order. When fears come up, I simply recognize them, breathe, and remind myself of what I know to be true. I say to myself: "All is well. Everything will work out perfectly." Some days I may have to say it a hundred times. That's fine. I will say it for as long as it takes to transmute the fear thoughts.

This really works! I feel much more peaceful now at the start of this year than I felt this past fall. This is because I have been telling myself that all is well and everything will work out. I have just as much uncertainty in my life now as I did in the fall, some significant deadlines are coming up faster, and I don't have all the information that I need to make important decisions. Yet, I feel completely at peace. I don't have to tell myself as often that all is well and everything will work out, because I know it now. I feel it with every fiber of my being. Now when I have a fear thought, it is just a small ripple on the surface of my consciousness, where in the past - even just a few months ago - it was a major wave.

There is a teaching in Buddhism about dying before you dye. I understand now what that means. It means letting go of attachments to certain things, people and outcomes, so that you remain at peace no matter what happens - or doesn't happen. We have to let go of it all anyway when we dye, so why not let go now. Then we are free to enjoy everything in our lives. Then we don't let the fear of loss cripple us. And if something seems to be taken away, it doesn't matter. It was simply time to let it go.

If a relationship ends, let it go with love. If a form of livelihood dries up, let it go with love. If something valuable breaks, let it go with love. You are still here! Your identity is not tied to people, things, or circumstances. But if you think it is, letting go can feel painful. This year 2012 is about being a true One - as Solara teaches (Click here for her 2012 Surf Report.) Anything that is not truly us will fall away this year. We can either let it go with love and release the old gracefully, or we can try to hold on making the process more difficult.

And, please, understand, this is not something that is happening to us. This is something we have set into motion collectively long time ago. The time has come to reap the rewards of our past efforts. We have agreed that this year would be the time of a major collective awakening. This is why the Mayans were able to know this several thousand years ago. We all designed the events of this time. And now we have come back to experience it all. Remember, we now decide how we want to experience this shift. That is up to each and every one of us.

I choose to experience this shift as graceful. I choose peace at all times. I am excited about this year. I know it will be remarkable!

I have also been called to be here for others to help them with the shift. Please, know that I am here for you! If I can be of service to you in any way, please, let me know.

With Great Love,

Elara

PS. You can read more about the shift in my book, Vision For The New Earth, available through my website: www.TransformationWithElara.com

Happy New Year 2012!

2011-12-31T16:02:00.000-08:00

As I contemplate the beginning of the new year, I feel different than I thought I would. So much has been said about the year 2012, it feels rather anticlimactic that it is finally here. Much has been said about the Mayan Calendar and the fact that this year marks the ending of an old cycle and the beginning of a new one. I myself have written and talked about it, helping others to understand the significance of choosing our own destiny by aligning with our heart's desire.

I still believe it is important to follow our heart, but my understanding of what that actually means has changed quite radically this past year. Where I used to think it means something about creating a happy life by doing what we love the most, I now understand that our happiness has nothing to do with what we do. It doesn't actually matter... What matters is what we think - not what we do!

As I have shared with my readers, I took a leave of absence from my day job earlier this year. I have now had nine months of being able to do what I want to do. I have taught meditation and self-empowerment classes and workshops, and coached personal clients. This is still what I love to do. However, it is not the doing of it that brings me happiness. Only my state of mind brings me happiness. Only my state of mind brings me peace - or the lack of it. This I choose every moment of every day regardless of what I do, or don't do.

I do not know what this coming year will hold for me in terms of what I will do. But one thing I do know is that I choose to be happy and at peace. And I have the tools I need to make this possible. I am empowered to make this choice every moment. So, how can I be at peace and happy all the time? The answer is simple. I do not make anything wrong. I accept what is. And I use every event as an opportunity to forgive.

It is only when I make something or somebody wrong that I loose my peace of mind. It is only when I can't accept what is that I am unhappy. And it is only when I refuse to forgive that I suffer. How simple is the obvious and how easy to do when my peace of mind is a priority. Nothing outside of me can rob me of my peace of mind. No other person. No outside circumstance. Whatever happens - or not - I can let it be.

There is no need to judge. No need to jump into conclusions. Nothing needs to be a certain way. And when I notice that I have judged, or think that a certain something must happen, I can let it go. I can return to peace of mind. No one else is responsible for what I experience. Only I choose how I perceive things. My feelings will surely follow my choice of thoughts. And I can change my mind.

A Course In Miracles teaches that nothing has any meaning other than what we give to it. It's a powerful thought - one that requires us to take complete responsibility for our thoughts. Things and events only seem to have meaning in themselves. This is why we think something or somebody outside of us can make us feel certain way. This makes us unaware of our power of choice - the power to choose our own thoughts.

Each of us will choose what this year means for us. There certainly seems to be a massive collective awakening taking place: more and more people are realizing that there is more going on in the world than meets the eye, and that we have the power to influence our reality. I challenge us to look at this in a new way. There is nothing going on outside of ourselves. The collective reality that we are witnessing is an agreement of perception.

What this means for us is this: each of us chooses what we see by what we want to see. Right now most of this choice making takes place on an unconscious level. What we see in the world is an out-picturing of what is in our minds. That is all. Nothing more - but also nothing less. We can become conscious of our choices by observing our world as if we were watching a movie. If we don't like the script, we can change it. In our own movie we are the writer, the producer, the director and the main actor.

This year I choose to uncover all hidden reels of film in my mind, so as to not have anything operating unconsciously in my life. I choose to live my life as a fully conscious being. I choose to forgive myself completely, by forgiving everything I see playing out on the screen of my life. In the name of my own freedom, I offer freedom to everyone. I will reject no one, for I know that everyone else is a mirror of myself. I choose to love everyone free.

I look forward to this year. I look forward to discovering how much more I can love.

May you find freedom from all suffering this year. May you be at peace. May you experience true happiness from within. May you recognize the power of a simple change of mind.

Namaste,

Elara

It's just a preference!

2011-12-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

I just came back from a walk. It was a beautiful sunny day - not warm, but still nice. My partner, Roger, and I had a picnic at the park overlooking the stunning view of the Kalamalka Lake here in Vernon BC. We got to talking about A Course In Miracles and related topics. I had a profound awareness of how we humans think we need to justify our preferences, and how we turn our preferences into opinions,value systems, ideologies and judgements. In doing this we disconnect from each other as we emphasize the differences in our preferences. All this leads to conflict in personal relationships that ultimately results in conflicts on a global scale.

A Course In Miracles asks us to question our every value system. The Course also states that nothing has any meaning other than what we give to it! Let's think about this... It is certain that every one of us has preferences. It is also certain that we share our preferences with some people, but not others. We also change our preferences from time to time, as we go through the different stages of life from childhood to retirement years. None of this is a problem for a long us we don't ascribe special meaning to our preferences. We can have our preferences and others can have theirs. It doesn't matter what they are or how long they last.

The problem starts when our preferences evolve into value systems that we think are somehow superior. Then we start to assert them over others, and we form opinions and judgements based on perceptions of our own and others' values. Let me give a few examples: I am a vegetarian; therefore I am more spiritually advanced that meat-eaters. I have a prestigious position at an international company; therefore I am more important that the secretary at a local firm. I prefer a different-sex partner to a same-sex partner; therefore I am normal. I get top marks at school, whereas some others in my class are barely passing; therefore I am smarter than them.

These are just some random examples. You can make up your own. When we look at them, we can see simple preferences: some people prefer not to eat meat, some prefer a high-profile job, some prefer a same-sex partner, some prefer to study more than others. It doesn't have to mean anything beyond that. A preference is just a preference. Here are some personal examples: I prefer a quiet atmosphere to a noisy one, I prefer reading to watching TV, I prefer coffee over tea first thing in the morning, I prefer...

That's that. Simple. Uncomplicated. It doesn't mean anything else! Freedom lies in that. I don't have to justify my preferences. I don't have to change them unless I want to. No one has to share my preferences. I don't have to ask My Higher Power whether my preferences are acceptable in the eyes of the Divine. They don't have any meaning other than what I give to them. They don't have to evolve into values, ideologies, or into opinions and judgements. They don't have to separate me from others. I am not better or worse than some one else because of them.

To summarize, I believe conflict arises when we attempt to impart our preferences as value systems on others. Conflict is resolved - on both personal and global level - as we give everyone freedom to choose their preferences.

Enjoy your preferences today! I will too. I think tonight I prefer to stay in and watch a movie instead of going out. Nothing profound in that choice...

Love,

Elara

PS. This article is also posted in my new A Course In Miracles Thoughts blog which you might like to check out for more Course related ideas at www.acimthoughts.blogspot.com

I am Free!

2011-11-16T14:57:00.000-08:00

Sharing a hug with a friend.

Today I realized that I am free..! I am free to be me! I am free of all cares and concerns! How did I come to this..? By the simple realization that I am Spirit, created by a loving Source that always has my best interests at heart. And that I am one with this Source - I cannot be separated from my Source. This Source provides me with everything I need - always. It does not ask for any sacrifice of me - ever. Therefore, I cannot loose by trusting my Source. Its only desire is my happiness and joy.

I was listening to the Hay House Radio (see link in my blog) and Sonia Choquette was on. She said something that I already knew, but this time I really heard it. She said: "Fear takes you to a place that doesn't exist." So, anytime I am preoccupied with fearful thoughts, I am going to a place in my mind that does not exist! My fears are not real. They are imagined!

Let's think about this a little more... Whatever I think about and imagine in my mind turns into my experience. Why would I want to imagine things that I don't want to experience?! Why not spend my time and energy thinking about things that I enjoy and imagining possibilities that I would love to experience..?

What is real is that I am Spirit, eternally safe in the Everlasting Arms of Love. It is only when I forget this, that I start to fear. When I feel disconnected from my Source, I imagine things that are not real. Yet, I have the same creative power my Source has, because I am one with it. I can create whatever experience I choose with this power. The creative power is my imagination. I am therefore, misusing my power when I make up fearful experiences.

My fearful (painful, joyless) experience may seem very real, because I do experience what I think about and imagine, but what I really have done is make up an illusory existence which I can choose to change anytime I want to. I do have the power. I just need to remember that I am making up my own experience! I can choose happiness and peace just as easily as I can choose misery and pain.

A practical exercise that helps with this is sitting quietly every day for at least five minutes and simply breathing into the heart center in the chest. You can also imagine a beautiful golden light filling your chest and expanding out with each breath you take. Just sit back and enjoy the feeling. If any discomfort surfaces, keep breathing and allow it to pass. It is just trapped energy - fear - that is moving out as you let the light in.

This light is the closest image that we have to show us Who We Really Are. It connects us to our Source, for the Source is light. As the heart center opens, we can feel more and more of the Pure Love of our Source. More energy will flow into our lives and our vibration will rise, so that it becomes easier and easier to choose joy, love and truth - what we truly want - instead of fear.

Sonia also shared a wonderful practical exercise in how to connect with your Inner Wisdom which is your Spirit speaking to you through your heart. She suggested placing a palm of your hand on your heart and saying either: "My Spirit says..." or "My heart says..." and filling in the blank. I tried this, and it worked wonderfully! At first I thought about what I was fearful about, then I let my Spirit speak to me in this way. I connected with the truth and it brought tears to my eyes. It was powerful. I suggest you try it too!

Today I choose to remember that I am one with the Source of love and light. All things are provided for me. I am free of all worry. I am free to love and be loved. I am free to be joyful. I am free to be at peace.

This is my gift to you, dear friend. For by accepting this for myself, I can share it with you. I am also grateful for everyone who has found this wellspring of light within themselves, for I know it has made it easier for me. Each of us adds to the light and love in our world, and together we can create a beautiful life.

Many blessings today and always!

Elara

PS. Don't worry if you can't feel all this right this moment - just try closing your eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath into the heart center. Even one breath with the willingness to open to the possibility that things can be different is enough to start you on your way to feeling better. And, try letting your Spirit speak to you as suggested above. You might be surprised at what you hear!

I give thanks...

2011-10-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

I give thanks for the many blessings in my life. I give thanks for my beautiful children. I am incredibly blessed to have three wonderful children, two of which are at home this Thanksgiving. I give thanks for my loving partner and for our cozy little home. I have many things to be grateful for. Since traditionally Thanksgiving is for being grateful for the harvest... I am grateful for our little garden which produces many tasty fruits and vegetables. We are still harvesting potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce, as well as grapes. I am grateful for all the abundance in my life. Most of all, I am grateful for the abundance of love. Everywhere I look I see love...

I fee the love of the sunshine caressing my face as I sit on the front steps writing this. I see the love in the cat curled up beside me in the sun. I hear the love in the sounds coming from the kitchen where my partner is chopping apples for an apple pie.

Today I am contemplating a Course In Miracles lesson about giving and receiving. The lessons asks you to be still and let the Holy Spirit to tell you about what it means to give and receive. According to the Course giving IS receiving. Whenever we give, we realize what we have received. We realize how much we have, for we cannot give what we do not have. As we give love, we realize how much love we have inside of us. The more love we give, the more love we feel. We become aware of the many blessings of love in our lives.

Another thing the Course teaches is that by giving we keep what we have received. This sounds contrary to the world's view that by giving something, we have given it away and therefore do not have it anymore. This certainly seems to apply to material things. Yet, we know that as we share an idea, it gets stronger. From this we can understand that giving means keeping. The Course also teaches that ideas leave not their source. This is another way of saying that when we share an idea, we do not give it away but strengthen it for ourselves.

It now becomes important to consider what we are giving to others. We cannot be angry or resentful toward another person without feeling bad and guilty. For if we believe that another person has hurt us or deprived us of something and want them to feel guilty for it, we will feel guilty. This is one of the fundamental teachings of the Course. The ego always tries to project guilt outside of ourselves in an attempt to get rid of it. However, in truth, that is a sure way of keeping the guilt. This makes us feel bad and blocks the awareness of love's presence.

The only way out is through true forgiveness. Not the forgiveness the world teaches which says: "You have hurt me but I will overlook it, therefore I am superior to you and you are still guilty." But the forgiveness that says: "You cannot hurt me, for I am solely responsible for the feelings I have. I will therefore choose love. By choosing love I see that we both desire the same thing: a release from guilt and the return of the awareness of love's presence. We both just want to feel love. By extending love to you, I remember the love that lives within me, as me."

This Thanksgiving I choose to give only love, for I would remember what I have received. I was created by Love and given everything in my creation. I will not try to deprive myself, but let myself recognize the abundance that fills my life. I am grateful for the love. And I would give only love to remember that I am love. I am willing to let the blockages to the awareness of love be removed. This is what the Course says in its introduction: "The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance."

I would have it be so this Thanksgiving, and I would share this blessing with you, so that together we can be grateful for all that we have received, and for all that we can give.

Namaste,

Elara

Related posts:
Power Triad
You Are Love!
Ponder This...

Happy Equinox!

2011-09-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

My best friend, Päivi, and I in Finland - summer 2011

Happy Equinox! Just as we have come through the 10th gate of the 11:11 on September 11th, here we have another doorway. It's a fast ride through the landscape of our lives these days. The Autumn Equinox for those of us on the Northern Hemisphere represents an opportunity to start going deeper within. There is a natural tendency to want to do that, as the days grow shorter and the nights are longer. Unfortunately, for many the demands of modern life make it hard to find the time to be still.

This is where I am right now in my life: I feel the importance of just being. I am making the feeling of peace a priority in my life. I have been processing a lot of stress this past month. The stress is produced by the thoughts in my mind - not anything outside of myself. In reality my life is perfect right now! I have time to meditate and contemplate, I have time for my son, I have time for my partner, and I have time to see clients for healing and coaching as well as time to facilitate meditation classes and workshops, and I have time to go for nature walks, visit friends, play the piano, belly dance, do yoga, read and write. I have time for all the things that I enjoy!

I couldn't say the same when I was working at a corporate job full time. So, what does my mind do with all of this? It tries to spoil the fun by telling me things like: So, how long do you think you can keep this up? Have you looked at your bank account lately? Shouldn't you be going back to work already? What are you going to do when your money runs out? If you're not going to go back to work, shouldn't you be getting more serious about your business? You better get your act together..!

That's not all, but it's certainly enough to give you a good idea of how my mind has been trying to throw me into fear. This what our minds seem to be so good at - keeping us fearful. It takes vigilance to calm the mind and trust the heart. I believe very strongly that when we follow our heart's calling, which is the same as following our joy, all other things will be taken care of. In the past few weeks it has become very important for me to cultivate that trust. The 10th gate opening requires that we walk our talk now. Whatever we have embraced as a truth until now, we must live it. We can't just talk about it anymore.

A couple of years ago I wrote a whole book on the importance of following our joy. It's called Vision For The New Earth - Awaken Your True Self and Manifest Your Destiny by Following Your Joy. Never has this been more important than now! The new energy requires that we be true to ourselves and follow our joy. Otherwise our lives can become very uncomfortable. The book is available as an eBook and as a pocket book through my website at the following link: http://www.transformationwithelara.com/eBook-2.html

I hope that this autumn you have time to just be with yourself. You are worth it! You deserve to get to know yourself more intimately. It's good to be your own best friend. And good friends love to spend time together to get to know each other. They are truthful with each other, and love each other unconditionally. Let's see if we can treat ourselves this way now.

Have a peaceful autumn.

With love,

Elara

To read related posts, click on the links here:
Set Your Sights High!
New Life is here!
2011 - An Amazing Year
Your True Financial Blueprint

Set Your Sights High!

2011-08-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

I am back from Finland. I had a lovely trip back to my home country with my daughter, Miia. We toured around Finland visiting friends and family. It was good to see everybody, and it was good to be able to show my daughter where I grew up and went to school. She also got to see where her grandmother and her grandfather were born and raised. Also, most of my Finnish friends I had not seen for twelve years! It's a long time; much has happened over the years.

In my previous post I was anticipating the trip knowing that this summer is very crucial time for tuning into our authentic selves. Also, while I was still in Finland, Mercury turned retrograde. The retrograde phase always gives us an opportunity to contemplate and complete old unfinished stuff. We will be in this phase till August 27th. For me Mercury retrograde brought an unbearable toothache which did not subside until the day before I was ready to come home from my trip. That was a blessing because it made travelling back easier.

However, the ordeal that I went through with the toothache was something I have never experienced. Needless to say, it made me wonder why I manifested something so painful during my trip. One of the insights I had was that I needed to let go of the idea of pain and suffering. I did have a breakthrough moment several days into the worst pain, during which I forgave my home country for all the hardship I experienced while growing up there. I felt a shift as I released the energy I had held for so long that made me feel like there had to be pain and suffering in my life. I felt more free and lighter afterwards.

This is what I have been working with in my own life, as well as talking about to others, for quite a while now: the need to release the thoughtforms of pain, suffering and hardship so that we can move into lives filled with joy. This is what I feel the new energy on the planet is calling for: to let go of the idea that we have to struggle and embrace the idea that life can be easy and effortless. I feel that we are to develop a profound trust in the Divine knowing that all of our needs will always be met.

This shift in our fundamental beliefs will move us out of the survival mentality to creativity and joy. We begin to live from our hearts instead of our heads. We release the need to know everything and to try to control outcomes. We become more comfortable with the unknown, trusting that whatever we need will be given us as we need it, be it information or resources. Our connection to the Divinity within will become so strong that we can absolutely rely on it at all times.

I believe this is what is required of us now as we go through the last stages of transformation into living authentic lives. The next gate of the 11:11 gateway (as taught by Solara, http://www.nvisible.com/) will open up on September 11th. What that means to us is that it is time to live as True Ones, as our authentic self consciously connected to our divine guidance. Until then it is time to fine tune our connection and to let go of the elements of our lives that are not helpful. It is time to let go of all the outdated belief systems that keep us in survival mode, in fear, and in pain and suffering. It is time to move towards our heart's joy.

I also feel that what this new energy is asking from us is that we dream big; that we realize how big we truly are. We are asked to embrace our vastness of Spirit. We are asked to realize that we are Spirit, not our bodies. We are asked to make a shift in identification, from the bodily, or ego level to the spiritual. We need to start acknowledging that we are, indeed, spiritual beings having a human experience, not human beings having a spiritual experience.

Although this may be a familiar saying to many of us, we have perhaps not truly understood what it means. It is time to internalize the spiritual truths that we have heard for a long time. It is time to truly embrace our vastness and remember how magnificent we really are! It is time, also, to live from our vastness and relate to each other through our magnificence. When we do that, we see each other through the eyes of love. We know that we are love, and we treat each other accordingly.

With the integration of Spirit as the 'self ' that we relate from, we start to look at our lives with brand new eyes. We start to see clearly what is out of alignment and needs to be adjusted. We see what does not belong in our new lives at all, and we are able to let go of it easier than before. We also see what aspects of our lives need more emphasis now. We can bring out our gifts and talents. These are the parts of us that give us the greatest joy when expressed, and they are meant to be shared with others.

We are asked to set our sights high! We are indeed magnificent beings of light and love. We are Spirit incarnate in human form and it is time to manifest our greatest dreams and aspirations. We need to live as True Ones. Each and every one of us must know what that means to us. For the next few weeks is the most opportune time to go within and make contact with out innermost selves in order to get to know our True Self. I recommend spending time in meditation and contemplation. On my website there are guided meditations which can be of great help in this. Please, check them out at: http://www.transformationwithelara.com/MeditationCDs-2.html

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and enjoy getting to know your beautiful self!

With love,

Elara

Related posts:
Summer is here!
True Ones in Action
Embrace Your New Life!
Transform Your Life
2011 - An Amazing Year
Be That Which You Desire

Summer is here!

2011-07-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Finally summer is here! It has been sunny and hot this week. And the lake has been calling me. We have come through the month of shifting through our stuff, and I hope you feel like you have new focus and direction. I am actually looking forward to the fall already because I can feel the energy building, and I am excited to get going with my new classes and workshops, as well as doing more personal healing consultations. I have a feeling that with the shift coming in early September, which will require that we actually live as True Ones, there will be a whole new surge of energy.

In the meanwhile, we still have a couple of months to fine tune Who We Really Are. Who is your Authentic Self? What are his or her values? What is most important to him or her? It's time to now know that for sure! For with September there is a new energy template moving in that requires us to live our lives authentically. And how can we live authentically unless we know ourselves, truly? It is time to shed the last bit of falseness from our being and let the True Self out! It's not worth hiding under the covers any more. It's getting too hot and uncomfortable in there.

I am going to Finland for a month. I am going back to my childhood home, and that is likely to bring up some feelings. It will be interesting to see what comes up to be released, and what comes into view that is an important part of who I am and needs to be integrated into my wholeness. This is what this new energy is about: bringing back the parts of your Authentic Self that you may have shoved aside and letting go of the parts of your self that are not truly you. It is time to discern, once and for all, what is part of a program and what is true and real!

So, as you go about your summer fun, let yourself get in touch with the deeper parts of yourself. Let the Inner Child come out and play. Listen to the Inner Child; it may have a lot to say. Of course, I will have a chance to do just that back in Finland. Most of us have forgotten the magic and wonder of the Inner Child. The child in us is pure and innocent. It trusts life and is excited about life! If we don't feel this, it simply means that the Child has gone into hiding because it has been hurt. Now is the time to nurture and love ourselves in order that the Inner Child feels safe to come out.

Without integrating the child part of us into our adult lives we will not be able to feel the magic and wonder of life; we will not be able to be creative and have fun. There will not be much true enjoyment and happiness in our lives, and we will definitely not feel fulfilled. For these are qualities of the Inner Child, along with the trust that we can make anything happen in our lives. Do you remember the exciting things you imagined as a child that you would do when you grow up? What happened to those dreams?

They are not gone. They have simply been buried under all the obligations, cynicism and seriousness of the adult self. It's time to explore your dreams again. You don't have to let go of the wisdom that you have gleaned along the way, but you do need to let go of the mistrust and the disbelief. For it is possible to have dreams come true! Anything you believe is possible! Give it the same chance you gave yourself when you learnt to ride a bike. You did it! You learnt to keep your balance! Life can be the same. Sometimes we fall off balance, but we can always climb back on the saddle and try again. We will succeed for as long as we don't give up!

So, this summer, find out what gives you the most joy. This is your true passion. This is what you came here for! It is your gift to yourself and the world. I don't care how small and insignificant, or how enormous and important it seems to be. Whatever it is, all I care is that you uncover it! It is the Authentic You! Is it worth the sacrifice to try to be somebody else, just because you're tying to please others, or because you think that you won't survive if you let the inauthentic part of you go? Do you want to find yourself one day on your death bed and regret that you didn't live your life your way?

Are you worried that you would be selfish if you lived your life your way? I can assure you that when you truly know Who You Are and live your joy and passion, you will become a light in the world; you will inspire countless others, and this will be your greatest service to them, that they too will honor themselves to be real and true. I can also assure you that you will be much more loving and patient and forgiving of others when you are not in the sacrifice and compromise mode. For sacrifice and compromise never brought forth anything but resentment and judgement. However, being happy as you are always brings forth unconditional love for yourself and others.

This has certainly been my experience. The more I let myself follow my joy and do what I love, the more patient and loving I feel. And it becomes easy to forgive whatever comes my way that does not reflect my joy and love. It then simply dissolves and ceases to be an issue. And I move on with peace of mind and a happy heart.

I look forward to this summer, and I'll let you know how my Finland trip went when in get back in August.

Have yourself a fantastic summer. Let your light shine! I can't wait to see it!

With love,

Elara

P.S. You may want to read some of the related posts below. Just click on the links to take you there. There is a lot of wonderful information to support you on your journey to be all that you can be!

2011 - An Amazing Year
What Inspires You?
Your True Financial Blueprint
Listen for the Joy
End of Fear
Be That Which You Desire
You Were Meant to Fly
All is New!

Power Triad

2011-06-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

photo by Scarlet 07

This June is a very powerful month! I hope you got off to a good start with the New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Gemini on June 1st. This first half of June is best spent by clearing all that no longer serves you and resonates with your truth. It is about clearing our energetic patterns in the subconscious. The best way to do this is by forgiving everything! It does not matter whether it is stuff from the past or something happening presently, or our projections into the future. Simply be willing to forgive, knowing that the power of true forgiveness will free you from all suffering, as taught by A Course In Miracles.

On June 15th we have a Full Moon with a Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius. It will likely bring up many emotions. Its keynote is facing our challenges and aligning our values with our true spiritual values. What truly matters and what doesn't? Likely, most of the things that we thought were so important and serious are just ego attachments to things having to be certain way. Many of our old values actually keep us from discovering who we really are. A Course In Miracles asks us to question every value we hold in order to remember who we really are. It teaches us that we are still as God created us, but we do not remember our true selves because for so long we have identified with the ego - which is the symbol for separation from God. Again, the key to remembering our true selves is forgiveness.

July 1st will be another New Moon and another Solar Eclipse - this time in Cancer. It will be a time to embody the "new you". It will feel like you are not the same person you were a month before! Start thinking about what that means to you. How does the "new you" feel about life? What are his or her primary characteristics? What is the next grandest version of your most magnificent self like? What are his or her primary values? This is the time to align your highest spiritual values with your very being. And it is also time to take practical action to act as that person! It is not enough to think about it; it is time to embody your highest thoughts.

I would like to take a moment here to tell you about my own powerful experience this past weekend and how that relates to what I have just talked about regarding the Eclipse triad. It takes me back to my childhood for a moment. I knew as a child that love is the greatest power in the universe, and I understood about the power of forgiveness. I knew that our true nature IS love and that the way to remember it is by forgiving. That is why I always sent love to the kids that bullied me all throughout my childhood - before school age, in school, and outside of school as well as in the home (my dad dated a lady for several years whose daughter was a bully). I forgave them all knowing that they can't hurt who I really am which is love. And I always sent them love regardless of what they did to me.

When I moved to Canada from Finland in 1987, A Course in Miracles come into my life right away. I started reading this big thick book as much as I could, and I did the workbook lessons after I finished the text. I also eventually attended a Course study group as well as facilitated my own for a while. Twenty four years later after reading the Course several times, I realized this weekend that I had not understood the full magnitude and magnificence of this Course! It was thanks to another book that found its way to me, called The Disappearance of the Universe, that my ears and eyes were opened to truly appreciate what the Course has to offer.

This book is written about the Course and has come to perhaps clarify the teachings of the Course, and definitely to preserve the integrity of the Course. Although there are many paths to God, there is not another path like the Course in the world. It certainly does not mean that everyone has to study the Course, but what it does mean is that for those of us who already do, it offers the fastest way to enlightenment which is union with God. So, I am very excited to have this opportunity to release all other paths that I have been trying to follow at the same time and to just focus on the one path that was given me long ago - the same one I understood even as a child.

So, this has been part of my releasing of that which no longer serves me and aligning myself with my true path which leads me to my true self without fail. I am extremely grateful to be walking the path of forgiveness and love and to finally understand that forgiveness offers me everything I want, just like the Course promises. I didn't quite believe that fully before, because it didn't seem practical to apply forgiveness to all situations, but now I see that it truly can be applied to anything and everything. Forgiveness does not mean that we first condemn and then pardon. That is not forgiveness. Forgiveness sees the truth of everyone and does not buy into the ego's illusions. I'm sure you'll hear more from me on this subject in subsequent posts, but for know I will simply focus on practicing forgiveness in my own life. That is the greatest service I can give to us all; that is doing my part in bringing us all closer to the Peace of God.

Have a beautiful powerful month!

Namaste,

Elara

Related posts:

You Are Love
Be That Which You Desire
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

Are you still afraid to open your heart?

2011-05-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday there is a powerful full moon in Scorpio. Scorpio is the sign of death and rebirth. The old aspects of our lives that are 'dead' need to be released and the aspects that bring new life need to be embraced. Think about your life and see what is not working for you any more. Is your heart still closed because you are too afraid to feel what is buried in there? Are you not able to have good things happen in your life because you won't open your heart to receive?

As the Divine Light energy on Earth is rapidly increasing, it will become more and more difficult to hold on to the old outdated aspects of our lives that are not serving our highest and greatest good. The most essential work to be done on ourselves is heart opening. It is imperative that we find a way to heal the old hurts that are closing us off from life. These are the things that will eventually manifest as dis-ease in the body and literally kill us if we are tenaciously holding onto them.

Self-acceptance and forgiveness are the key factors on our healing journey. As we accept ourselves and our experiences, we grow more compassionate toward ourselves and begin to open our hearts. We begin to trust life again. Acceptance of others follows as we no longer need to project our self-criticism to others once we forgive ourselves and let go of the past. We then naturally forgive others and understand how they have played a role in our awakening and how they have provided opportunities to love ourselves. The most difficult relationships will be seen as the gifts that they truly are.

On the other hand, if we are stubbornly holding onto victim roles, we will experience increasing difficulties in our lives. It is time now to embrace the fact that we co-create our lives with others and the Divine Universe. We have soul contracts with others to help each other to trigger healing which often takes the form of difficulty in the relationship. If there are issues in relationships, it is always an opportunity to find healing and return to love through forgiveness. Anything else will close our hearts and leave us depleted of life-energy.

No, this does not mean becoming a doormat or enabling someone else to continue hurtful behaviour, but neither does it mean feeling justified in holding onto our perceptions and judgements. If you are not sure why you have manifested a difficult relationship, be it in the present or in the past, ask yourself what it is about yourself - or the other person - that you cannot accept. You need not understand everything about the relationship; you simply need to be willing to accept it for what it is, or was, and ask for help from your Higher Power to bring healing to the situation - again this can be a past or present situation.

Then remain open to the healing. Let go of any preconceived ideas of how it will happen. Just know that once you have asked for a healing, you will receive it. Remain open and receptive. You may feel an instant release which often brings tears. You may be guided to see a healer if you are having trouble releasing the old stuck energy. Trust that you will be guided to receive the help that you need.

Know that you will never live fully until your heart is totally open. Yet, be gentle with yourself in your process. Your heart healing will proceed naturally at the pace that is most suitable for you. It will be like peeling of onion layers until you get to the core. Every time you peel of a layer, you will be closer to your True Self. Your heart is intimately connected with your soul, and it will lead you home to the abode of Peace and Love that is your true nature.

Related posts:

You Are Love
Love Yourself!
An Answer

PS. My specialty as a Spiritual Healer and Teacher is heart healing and opening. For more information, please, visit my website at http://www.transformationwithelara.com/

How Happy Are You?

2011-04-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

That's a loaded question, isn't it? Does it seem to you that most of us have been searching for happiness all our lives, never really finding it? We have maybe had our moments of seeming success when we started a new relationship, a new job, or had a new baby, but sometime after that the happiness we thought we found somehow slipped away. Why is that? Why doesn't it last? Can it last..?

I have just begun to read a little book by Osho on the subject of happiness. He has reminded me that there are different levels. The first level is pleasure. This is simply the satisfaction we feel on a physical level, for example from a good meal. This is not happiness. Pleasure is certainly the most fleeting of all; one moment it is there, the next moment it is gone, and you need to do something to try to evoke it again. The second level is happiness. It is experienced emotionally and can be evoked by the smile of a newborn baby, beautiful music, or a beautiful flower, or a beautiful person etc. Yet, because happiness is still dependent on outside stimulus, it cannot last. The baby grows up, the music changes, the flower dies, the person moves out of our lives, and we are unhappy.

The third level is joy. Joy arises from within, and is not necessarily connected to anything in the external world. It happens when you least expect. Maybe you were just sitting with your eyes closed and relaxing, and all of a sudden a deep joy bubbled up to the surface. Nothing took place on the outside to evoke that joy; it simply rose from within your being. Would that not mean that it was always there, and you just allowed it to surface?

Could it be that all your life, while you were busy searching for happiness, joy was always there, but you never stopped long enough to notice it? This is what meditation can do for you. You turn your attention within and there is a possibility of getting in touch with your joy if you can let the mind step aside for a moment and just tune into the heart. If this happens, do not try to cling to it, or it will elude you. Just let it be, and float in the spaciousness of your heart. If it doesn't happen when you meditate, you were probably trying too hard. You cannot chase joy or make it happen. It happens on its own when you simply let go of everything else, and it doesn't disappear when something changes in your outer life.

There is a fourth level. It is called bliss. Bliss is a complete state of surrender. It is a complete merging with your true inner nature; it is a total identification with your true essence. Even joy can come and go, but once you reach the state of bliss, you have attained enlightenment; you have come home to your true self. This is our most natural state of being. It only eludes us until we are able to surrender everything that we thought was real, every idea of who we thought we were, and simply be. No roles, no labels, no attachments, nothing to loose.

For most people, pleasure is all they experience, but along with that they experience a lot of pain. They may get a fleeting sense of happiness at times, which never lasts. Some people are actually happy a lot of the time, but never without periods of unhappiness in between. They have many ups and downs depending on which way the wind blows. There are a few who have let go of the search for pleasure and happiness; a few who have simply surrendered and found the deep well of joy within. Some of the few have even managed to bring the quality of joy into most of their life experience. And some virtually to all aspects of their life.

This is the level that I am interested in. I am using meditation and mindfulness to connect with the wellspring of joy inside. I know it is there for I have touched it. When I sit down to meditate I relax into my heart and allow the joy to bubble up. Sometimes it happens easier than other times, depending on how much resistance I have. I use mindfulness to carry the joy in my awareness throughout the day. If I find that the experience of joy eludes me, I can always go back and find it again. All I have to do is turn my attention within and allow joy to surface.

I am not corcerned about bliss at this stage; I know I can't make it happen. I can only allow it to envelope me on its own. It may happen in this moment or the next. I do not know. There are very few indeed who have become blissful. We call them masters or saints. Ultimately all of us are destined to reach the state of bliss. It is actually our most natural state, so it is entirely possible to experience it. It is our ultimate destiny. But it is not something to be sought after. It is a state of grace. It is the essence of who we really are. It will be there when we are ready to be there.

May you connect with the wellspring of joy within you, and may it lead you to bliss.

Namaste,

Elara

Please, see related post: http://elara11.blogspot.com/2010/04/listen-for-joy.html

For Elara's Meditation Classes, Workshops and CD's, go to http://www.transformationwithelara.com/

Hello Spring!

2011-03-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! I saw little shoots coming up in the garden yesterday. They are so sweet, emerging from the dark moist earth, reaching towards the sun. I feel the same way - I'm reaching for the light, coming out of the darkness. I have been safely tucked inside the earth's embrace for the winter, but now I cannot help but poke my head out of the ground. It is a little scary, but also very exciting. The forces of Nature will help me grow to the beautiful flower I'm meant to be.

This is the time for all of us to let Nature take its course and lead us to our Destiny. Are you still hiding from the light? Or, have you found the courage to reach for the sun, allowing it to lighten up your heavy heart? Know that it is safe to let yourself be seen. Know that you have a divine blueprint inside of you, like the seed of a flower does, that will guide your growth. All you need to do is to connect with the longing in your heart and you will find your way. Be not timid now, dear one. You will be supported.

In all the Universe there is not another being like you. You are unique. Your part is essential for the whole. It is time for you to fulfill your purpose. No one else can do it for you. Only you have the special qualities that make you who you are. Never for a moment doubt your importance. You are irreplaceable in God's plan for salvation, says A Course In Miracles. I know this to be true.

Come into the Heart Space and listen to your guidance. You are never alone. Call on your angels and guides to help you. They are always there for you, but they cannot interfere, for they honor your free will. You must ask for their assistance. You can do this by closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. Bring your attention to the heart center in the middle of your chest, imagining a glow of light there, feeling its warmth. Breath in and out through the heart. Let yourself relax. And listen...

Trust what you feel and hear. We all have ability to receive messages from the angels and guidance from our Higher Self. Do not discount them as mere imagination. Write down any messages you get. You can do this often, at least once a day. That way, as you record the messages daily, you can go back to them later and take note of what messages are recurring. It is also important to take action based on your guidance. This way you will strenghten your connection to it. And you will learn to trust it more and more.

You may remember what I shared in my last post in February about my process of learning to trust my guidance. Now I have something exciting to tell you..! Last weekend I was in Vancouver, B.C. at the Hay House I Can Do It conference. One of the speakers there was Doreen Virtue, the author of the angel card decks that I use for validating my guidance. (Please, read my last post for a complete story if you didn't get a chance yet.)

Picture this: There are about three thousand people in the conference room and Doreen is on stage talking about the angels. She is talking about Archangel Michael and how he helps people to find their purpose and to walk though their fears in making life changes. All of a sudden, she gets a message from Michael coming thought her. She points right in my direction as says: "It is time to let go of your job and become a full-time healer..."

I was stunned and the tears came instantly. I knew this message was for me. The angels are so supportive of us! I wasn't even looking for further validation to my decision, but there, right in the middle of a conference with thousands of people, Michael spoke to me through Doreen. I am so grateful. And I want you to know that all of us are equally supported on our path. We can trust the Divine Universe, our Higher Self and the Angels to be there for us every step of the way.

I am excited about letting my light shine! It sure feels better than trying to keep it hidden. It takes some time to get used to living large when we have kept ourselves small for so long, but we cannot stay small any more in the New Energy. It is way too painful. It is much easier to be Who You Really Are than to try to be who you are not. Now is a good time for spring cleaning. Take a look at your life and note what makes you feel heavy. These are the things you want release. The New Energy on the planet is that of light and joy. Keep what makes you joyful and discard the rest. Make room for new wonderful experiences.

Enjoy! Remember to have fun with it. Life was never meant to be so serious! Have you seen a serious flower...? Or a stressed-out tree? Take yourself outside and let Nature talk to you. Feel her peace. See how easily and effortlessly the flowers grow out of the soil. Be like a flower. You will love the sun and the rain. Have a happy spring!

With love,

Elara

New Life is here!

2011-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

In my January post I wrote about how we must be true to ourselves and follow our hearts this year, or our lives will become intolerable. Well, things really started happening for me soon after that. I received a very clear message in meditation from Archangel Michael that I was to walk away from my job, and I was even given a date! Now, that was different, since until that point it was always just a matter of time, but I never really knew when that time would come.

I have been talking about following our hearts and our joy for a long time know, but still hanging onto a job that is not fulfilling my heart's joy. Why? For the very logical reason of needing to pay the bills! We all need a roof over our heads, food and clothing and so on... I even said to the Beings up in the spirit world - you know angels and the like - that "hey guys, it's easy for you up there to tell me to just go with the joy, but I still need these basic needs met...!"

It wasn't long after that I finally was able to hear the clear messages from them, that these needs will always be met, but I must have trust. So, for as long as I am holding on to the most logical way of having them met, I will limit myself to that being pretty much the only way that they can be met. So much for trusting the Divine Universe!

When I got a clear date in my meditation from Michael, I didn't know what to think, so as soon as I got home I started playing with my angel cards and asking for validation. And, who should jump out of the deck my Michael himself! Oh, and it didn't just happen once - it was like there were no other cards in that deck. Every time I shuffled the 44-card deck, no matter how carefully, I would always get him!

This is the message of the card: "You drew this card as a validation of what you have already known or suspected: Archangel Michael is with you right now. If you are considering making life changes, such as leaving a job... ask Michael for help in moving forward fearlessly." Could it be any more clear?

A couple of weeks later I had a session with a wonderful healer, Eileen Murray, who was sent to me to facilitate coming to my final clarity. During the session I was able to walk through the last of my fears and I did, indeed, get the same message as I had received in my meditation. But just to be on the safe side, I decided to play with my cards again the next morning... two different decks to be exact. So, I sit there and shuffle the angel cards (Angel Therapy Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue), and who else comes out of the deck, but Archangel Michael!

And, if that wasn't enough, just to be doubly sure, I said to him: "OK, if you come to me one more time I will act on this guidance. I am going to do it." So, I start shuffling the other deck (Ascended Masters Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue), and you guessed, here he is again - Archangel Michael himself! The card is titled: You Can Do It! It reads: "You are qualified and ready to take the steps toward your desired outcome. You have what it takes to fulfill your dreams and your life's purpose. This card signals it is time now to make your move. You can do it! Take action without delay or hesitation!" Could this be any more clear...?

I knew then that I could not ask for any more guidance, or any more validation, or any more validation upon validation... It was time to act. So, I did. I am taking the leap of faith I have been contemplating for a long time. I am leaving my day job and going to follow my heart. It has always been my passion to work as a spiritual teacher and healer. I already do of course, but it is clearly time to take this to the next level and to make myself available on a full-time basis. So, here I come!

I am sharing this story with you to encourage you to keep asking for guidance, and to keep asking for validation. The angels really don't mind! But, also to have the courage to trust your guidance and to follow it! It may feel a bit scary at first, but once you start doing it, you move from living in fear to enjoying a life of great adventure! You find your joy! Life won't feel like a heavy burden or a struggle any more, but will have a beautiful quality of lightness to it. And, an unexplainable peace will envelope you. That is probably the most beautiful thing...

This is my wish for you:

May your life be an exciting adventure.

May you find joy everywhere you turn.

May you always follow your heart.

May you always be at peace.

May all your dreams come true!

Namaste,

Elara

2011 - An Amazing Year

2011-01-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

This is the year when all your dreams can come true! The energies in the world are ripe for an amazing transformation. Never before has the energy been so potent with possibilities! As we near the end of the final shifting point from the old to the new in December 21st, 2012, the energies gather momentum at an ever increasing speed. It is time to step into our true power; it is time to live our wildest dreams!

There is an energy of freedom and expansion in the air. There is the promise for an effortless life. As the light increases on the planet, anything in our lives that has been heavy will continue to feel even heavier until the situation becomes intolerable. This will demand us to release the old way of being. If we believe in struggle, we will be struggling like never before. Every experience will be heightened to show us our belief system. This gives us an opportunity to release all that does resonate with the new energy.

The new energy is the vibration of joy and light. When we follow our heart's desires, everything flows easily and effortlessly. When we go against our hearts, everything feels heavy. When there is a choice to make; when we find ourselves standing at a cross road we must choose the road that sparkles with energy, the one that feels lighter. This is how we know we are following our hearts. If we choose the other one, the one that may seem a safer or a more logical choice, we will feel heavy and everything will turn into a struggle.

There is no more virtue in hard work. Our work is supposed to be our love! The new energy asks us to make the love in our hearts visible by what we do. If we cannot love what we do, or bring our love into what we do, we must see where we are holding onto a false sense of security or a belief in having to work hard for a living. The truth is, we are beings of light, and the evolutionary impulse is demanding that we release old outdated heavy ways of living and embrace a new lighthearted way of being.

I have made a mind movie to help you create the life you want (see below). It incorporates the science of reprogramming the subconscious mind through imagery. Let you mind relax as you watch it. The deeper your relaxation, the deeper the positive messages will go into your subconscious mind. The state of relaxation opens up your subconscious. Also, brain synchronization which activates both hemispheres of the brain, is used in the mind movie. The music activates the right side and the words the left side of the brain. Combined with the visual imagery on the screen, this creates a powerful combination for reprogramming your subconscious mind which is your power centre. (Please, see my website http://www.transformationwithelara.com/ under 'services' for further explanation on the subconscious and the services that I offer to reprogram your power centre.)

Enjoy the movie!

What Inspires You?

2010-12-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

I love the definition for the word 'inspiration': in-Spirit, being in-Spirit. I think of it as being filled with Spirit. You know you are filled with Spirit when you feel calm and relaxed, and energized and excited all at the same time. You feel full of love. This is how I feel when I facilitate a guided meditation. As I sit with a group of people, or even just one person, I feel my heart expanding with warm glowing energy that finds its expression through the words that come to me without thinking. The words just flow naturally. Somehow they always sound just right. There is a rhythm and a melody to them as well. And since I have never been gifted with music - although I have a vision for being able to play the piano one day - my meditations are the closest to the inspiration I imagine a musician feels when they sit down and just let the music flow.

I believe that whatever comes naturally is a gift that is meant to be shared with others for their joy and benefit. That will bring us joy and blessings. I know that each of us has something special that we were meant to bring out into the world. Many people are looking for their purpose or Calling in life. Many are looking for it out there somewhere. Yet, we can only find it right within us. Maybe it is so close to us and so simple and natural that we have a hard time seeing it. It may not be anything dazzling or extraordinary by the world's standards. Yet, it will be extraordinary in the sense that it is unique to only us. Even if thousands of people were already doing it, no one could do it exactly like you. Because there is only one of you!

So, if you have wanted to make a difference in the world or at least make a contribution somehow, please, know that the very thing that you love the most, the one that comes naturally to you, that you are already doing in some way is your contribution. It is how you will make the greatest difference. It may be something that you do for your family. Maybe your greatest joy is raising your children. Think of what an amazing difference you will make in the world by being a conscious, loving parent. You are raising the future leaders of humanity!

Maybe your greatest joy is growing food in your little garden. Think of what an important contribution you are making by taking care of Mother Earth. She longs to feel our love and caring through our touch as much as any human does. Or, maybe you are someone who has journals and notebooks filled with private writings that would change some one's life if brought out to the world, because they could relate to your experience. Maybe something you have said is exactly what they need to hear to give them hope.

You could be the cashier who has worked at the same grocery or department store for ten years, the one that always has a smile on her face. Everyone in the community knows that face and is blessed by that smile. You radiate an invisible energy that lifts the tired spirits of those who pass through your wicket every week, sometimes several times per week. You could also be the person who cleans the office building. As you push the vacuum cleaner, you hum your favourite tunes filling the air with good energy. As you wipe the surfaces clean, you cleanse the energy in the office so that the people who come the next day feel somehow refreshed.

Whoever you are and whatever you do, know that you are making a difference whenever you are filled with the feelings of peace and contentment, or the feelings of joy and excitement. You are then filled with Spirit, and Spirit is working through you. But, if ever you find yourself not feeling these feelings, please, stop and consider whether you need to make a change in what you do, or just how you do it. The attitude with which you do anything is generating an energy that is being felt by everyone. It is also being registered in your every cell. Therefore, this energy is either bringing health or dis-ease to the environment and to your body.

What kind of difference do you want to make? What does inspiration feel like to you? What comes to you naturally without effort? I invite you to contemplate these questions and see if you can follow the trail and connect the dots to your purpose in life. I know you have one, for each of us was born with a purpose. And, when we tune into that purpose, our lives take on a new meaning. We start to recognize our gifts and appreciate them. We then become more peaceful and more joyful. We become agents of calm and excitement at the same time. We are calm in the face of seeming difficulties and we are excited like children over the smallest things.

This is when we start to truly live. We let our light shine. We start to inspire others, many times without knowing that we have. Our lives become an example of an inspired life. We give permission for others to shine their light. We rejoice in each other's accomplishments. We share our joy and laugh easily. We don't take ourselves too seriously. Life is too short for that! There is too much to explore and enjoy! Where ever we are we bestow a blessing. And since it is so close to Christmas, I wish you a very blessed time of Christ. May the Christ child be born within your heart as the one who brings a blessing to the world.

Namaste. With Great Love,

Elara

Your True Financial Blueprint

2010-11-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

All my life I have been blessed to have everything I truly need. I may not always have had everything I thought I wanted, but never did I lack anything fundamental, like a roof over my head or something to eat. In a world that believes in the myths of “there is not enough” and “more is better” most of us think that we are lacking something in our lives and that if we had more of that something, then we would be happy.

This is especially true about money. There never seems to be enough money, no matter how much of it we actually have. Our self worth seems to be measured by our net worth. Working in the financial industry for the past ten years I can see how overtly and subtly this holds true. It is my job as a financial advisor to provide people their financial assessment based on their assets versus their liabilities, and although being in debt is not a desirable way to be, hoarding a large amount in savings may not be desirable either. In both cases there is an underlining fear of “not enough”.

A while ago in a workshop that discussed the spiritual aspects of prosperity, I had a startling self-realization: what I now believe about money is likely not my true beliefs but ones I have taken on from my environment. From growing up in a family of very modest means where from a young age I had to work for everything that I wanted for myself, to then working with money for ten years in the banking system, I realized that the subconscious beliefs I held about money did not match what I was consciously trying to embrace.

I wanted to believe that I can do what I love and the money will flow. I wanted to believe that I don’t have to work hard for every penny, that life could be easy and effortless. But deep down, I realized, other beliefs were rooted firmly in place. It now has become my focus to uproot these beliefs in scarcity and hard work and to form new beliefs based on sufficiency and abundance. I am taking steps toward following my heart, doing what I love and trusting that all my needs will be met, as well as the true desires of my heart.

In these times of economic uncertainty on a global level it is important that we redefine our myths. If we believe that there is not enough, we will think that we have to compete and try to secure enough for ourselves before others get our share. If we believe more is better, we will focus on trying to accumulate senselessly without enjoying what we have. We must realize that the truth is that there are enough resources on this planet to meet everyone’s needs and that the true nature of the Universe is unlimited abundance, independent of the money culture.

To find our True Financial Blueprint we must look deeper than the surface of things. We must question our long-held beliefs about money. Whether it seems that we don’t have enough from month to month to meet our obligations, or we have large reservoirs of wealth but feel poor inside, we must take an honest look at our relationship with money. If money was originally created to be just a medium of exchange, how did it come to rule our lives? How did it get to be the determining factor of our happiness, or unhappiness?

Take a moment now to visualize what your life would look like if you could have anything you want, if money was not an issue. What kind of life would you want to live? What would truly make you happy? What would you be doing? Start with the premise that all your needs are met easily and effortlessly. What would your life look like if you were not in survival mode? Or, if in your life you have your survival needs met abundantly but are lacking meaning, let yourself imagine what a meaningful life would look and feel like. Take the time to write down your observations.

If you were able to get a sense of this kind of life, you were touching upon your True Financial Blueprint. This is how you were meant to live. You could not conceive of it in your mind, were it not possible. Did you notice a bubbling sense of joy? If you did, be sure that you were touching the deepest core of your being where your dreams live as seeds yet to sprout. These seeds have existed within you as potential since you were born. They are your individual blueprint to a fulfilled life.

It can be said that there are two significant moments in your life. The first is when you were born and the second is when you discover why. I believe that when we get to the second part, we start to unfold our True Financial Blueprint, for each of us has a purpose for being here and it must be that if we were given a purpose, we were also given the means to its accomplishment. A seed contains all the information it needs to grow into the plant it is meant to become. So do we contain the information within us to grow into who we were meant to become. And the means to its accomplishment will be provided no differently than everything was provided when we were still in the womb.

Is it possible that in our search for more material wealth, or in our daily struggle for survival we have forgotten the meaning and purpose of our existence? Is it possible that when we align ourselves back to our purpose that the happiness we sought from more material wealth will be found, and that all of our survival needs will be met without effort? I would like to think so. And I am embarking on a journey to find out! Will you join me? I believe none of us were meant to do this alone. I believe we were meant to act together and support each other along the way.

Elara

True Ones in Action

2010-10-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

The keynote of the 9th gate opening within the 11:11 is "One Being in Action - the Emergence of theTrue Ones." (re: 11:11, see http://www.nvisible.com/) The ninth gate opened on the 25th of October. The opening ceremonies in Bali where the master cylinder was held this time, started last Sunday, the 24th, at 9:30 Pacific time. My meditation group, Circle of Love, participated as an official anchor group. We did our tuning into the energies earlier that afternoon and a handful of us met again the same evening to do some more connecting. There were hundreds of anchor groups all over the world with thousands of participants. It was a powerful network of the One Being in Action.

Now that we have anchored the energies for this gate, it is time for each and everyone of us to ask ourselves: What does it mean for me to be a True One? Who am I if I strip myself down to my core-self? How much of of what I currently do in my life does not belong? What beliefs and values do I need to shed in order to emerge as a True One? And what does it mean to take action as a True One - what would I do differently? And remember, this time you are not alone! We are not meant to try to do it all alone. We are meant to connect on the deepest levels with each other and form One Being.

I have been inspired to design new workshops which help people discover their True Divine Blueprint. I believe each of us were born into this world carrying a specific blueprint. We are each like a seed which has sprouted and grown but may not ever have had a chance to thrive. Think about it, humans are the only living species on the planet that do not grow to be what we were meant to be. Too many of us were told we were supposed to be a lily when we were born to be a rose, or a dog when we were born to be a cat. We tried to take on the characteristics of someone we didn't carry the blueprint for, and then we wonder why we are not happy and our lives are not working.

There is a way for us to discover our True Blueprint. We were born with it inside of us. We can start by remembering what we dreamt about when we were children before we were told we can't do that. We can start by remembering what we loved to do. This will give us a clue to why were came here. For each of us, without exception, has an important part to play as part of the One Being, as part of the collective family of humanity. Each of us has a purpose we came to fulfill. Don't ever think that you don't, for a being cannot be born without a purpose for being!

Everything in Nature exists for a reason to fulfill its role as part of a harmonious whole. Again, only humans have fallen out of line with the natural harmony of the interconnectedness of all living things. It is time we align ourselves back into that harmony, for we are indeed an inseparable part of all that is; we are one with our world. We are one with each other and our planet. We cannot exist without the life energy that permeates every aspect of Creation. We are all part of the same energy field. Our life depends on it.

What we do as individuals affects this field. Every thought, every feeling contributes to the vibration of the field collectively. We can feel it. Tune in even just for a moment and feel the pulse of Creation within you. You will be able to instantly sense if there is perfect harmony or if something is out of alignment. When I work on people, I can sense where there is a blockage in the field and what is out of alignment. I can help to bring balance into the energy field of the person. I know there is a natural point of alignment and balance we all have and it is easy to come back to that. The problem is, a lot of people do not seek this point of balance; they think that their imbalance is their true state of being.

In the next couple of years it will become increasingly difficult to live with these imbalances. Whatever is out of alignment with your Original Blueprint will cause you suffering. The energy on the planet is demanding us to remember our True Nature and align with our True Blueprint. We cannot continue to try to be who we are not and hope to be healthy and happy. Consider it to be a wake-up call if something in your life is not working. Stop and take time to contemplate what is being shown to you. What message is your discomfort giving you? Are you living as a True One? What needs to go? And what needs to come in?

Here is a quote that summarises the alignment process: "My work and my life's path are now rapidly moving toward their Divine realization. An abundance of love, beauty and energy is now emerging naturally in my life. I share these gifts with others through joyful service." It is by this feeling that I know when I am in alignment with my Original Divine Blueprint. And I also know when I am not, and so do we all. Le's give it some more thought. We have the power to change our lives for the better, and we have the power to change our planet. Let us emerge as True Ones. Let us take action as One Being.

Namaste,

Elara

Embrace Your New Life!

2010-10-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a message that just came through from Archangel Michael as I was sitting in the garden and took my journal out. I wanted to share it with you all as I realized that it wasn't meant for me alone, but to all of you, my dear readers. This is important information as we are getting ready for the ninth gate opening within the 11:11. (For more info, please, visit http://www.nvisible.com/) Enjoy!

Beloved Child of Light, remember that your heart is pure gold. As you abide in your heart, you abide in Love. Love is Who You Really Are. You are now making contact with this deep essence of your Being. Know yourself as Love. Love is the source and sustenance of all that is. It is my mission to assist all souls on Earth to journey back into the heart of Love. I am here to lend my assistance to help heal all situations that have sprung up from the disconnection with Love. You are on a return journey to the heart of Oneness, back to the Source of all that is. Let Love be your guiding light, always.

To become a True One you will pass through the gates of illusion on the way to truth, for at each gate you leave behind that which is not part of Who You Really Are. The gates could also be called the gates of truth. Really, they are transition stations between the true and the untrue. On this side of the gate all manner of illusions that you thought were real, come up to test you, so that as you anchor yourself in the True You, you will step through the gates, leaving behind another layer of who you are not.

This ninth gate is a crucial one because we are getting so close to the final shedding of all untruth. The countdown is on! Only two more years until the shift is complete. Just over two years until you wake up on the New Earth. What does not belong there? Observe your life and your choices, and be sure to align with what resonates with where you're going. What else do you need to shed until you are ready to make the final shift? Two more gates until the final gate which will be the final transition from the old to the New. Keep letting go. Keep shedding the layers of old conditioning.

By stepping through the ninth gate you become a True One. You can only step though this gate AS a True One. As you step through, your new life starts to unfold right before your eyes. It will be more about the EMBRACING of your True Self than about the shedding of your old self. You have shed most of the old and you ARE ready for the new. Congratulations! You are almost at the finish line. Only a little way to go. You will make it!

Watch for the energies of EMBRACING. This is now going to be your new key note. You are used to the energy of letting go, because you have been working with it for several years. Be mindful now that a new focus is required. Although there will still be residual energies that you will be letting go of in the next couple of years until the final shift, your focus should now be in the EMBRACING. Watch for what is coming toward you and allow yourself to remain open. Embrace your Ultimate Self. Your future self is pulling you toward itself into the ultimate fulfillment of your life, into the culmination of your journey.

I will say this again- the rest of the shift will be more about letting things IN than letting go of things. Keep your eye on the price. You can see the finish line. Now you need to incorporate into your Being the new abilities, and into your life the new experiences that are showing up. These abilities are awakening from within and as they do, they will bring about totally new and unexpected experiences. No more of the same old, same old. All is going to be new and new!

It is an exciting time. EMBRACE it, Beloved. Embrace the changes and the surprises! All is new. Welcome to your new life! You will now see some things move out of your life rather quickly as the new elements move in just as quickly. And yet, it will actually feel perfectly comfortable, for truly, you have aligned yourself with Who You Really Are, and therefore, the stress and strain of being who you are REALLY NOT will be gone. It will feel like a huge burden has been lifted - and so it has! You will feel relieved. You will feel much lighter. You will BE lighter. You will be Light.

Namaste, Beloved. I am Archangel Michael.

Transform Your Life

2010-09-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

It is a powerful day today: Autumn Equinox, and Full Moon in Aries. This is a perfect day to give thanks for the bountiful harvest in your life, embracing the many gifts that have been given to you. Let us open ourselves to receive the abundance of all good things the Universe and Mother Earth have in store for us. Let us give thanks for the way that Mother Earth nourishes and shelters our physical being, and let us open up to the unlimited Love and Light that the Universe pours out to us every moment of every day.

Let us also release all that which does not support our highest and greatest good and open to receive all that does. The sign of Aries is the sign of new beginnings. Today - whenever you read this - is the perfect time to think of what it is that you are now ready to experience in your life. What long-held dreams and visions have not yet manifested for you in the physical? Give intent right now to commit to those dreams and visions. Tell the Universe that you are ready to live the life you have always wanted! All that you have ever dreamt of, is ready for you to be received. Give intent to become receptive to your highest and greatest good right now!

My spiritual sister, Solara, is holding the Master Cylinder for the 9th gate opening of the 11:11 on October 25th in Bali, Indonesia. And I am holding an anchor group in my area (in Vernon B.C. Canada) on the 24th (Sunday) as we are 15 hours behind in time. If you are not familiar with Solara and the 11:11, please visit her website at http://www.nvisible.com/.

The keynote of the 9th gate activation is ONE BEING IN ACTION: the Emergence of True Ones. In Solara's words: "As the True Ones come forth, the planetary evolution is moved to a new level. To become a True One we don't have to become anything other than what we really are, but we can no longer hide WHO WE ARE." This message is right in line with what I am here to teach and learn. It is a process of becoming more of Who We Really Are. And it is time to ACT as Who We Really Are. We cannot afford to deceive ourselves any longer - we cannot hide any longer!

Have you been feeling discomfort on any level lately - be it physical, mental or emotional? If so, you have not been true to yourself. The discomfort is there as a sign of something that needs to be released, and of something that needs to be embraced, in order to move you into a new alignment with your True Being. I can tell you that I have been feeling more and more stressed in my life in the last few months. The discomfort of stress that I was able to tolerate previously has become almost intolerable. I have been feeling like I am not myself! Hmm... how true that is - I HAVE NOT been myself - my True Self.

My True Self is not this person that is primarily focused on survival concerns, such as how to pay the bills. My True Self is not fearful of how she will be supported if she follows her heart. My True Self is not serious with a frown on her face. She is not tired and discouraged. She does not open her eyes in the morning not wanting to get out of bed. This is not Who I Really Am. I know I am more than that.

My True Self knows that everything works out perfectly at all times. My True Self knows that she is supported on all levels as she follows her heart. My True Self is always joyful and vibrant with life! She is excited to get out of bed and embrace the day. She has a permanent smile on her face that radiates out from her Inner Being. She loves life and is constantly flowing with inspiration. She lives life to the fullest and shares her love freely with others. She is truly beautiful. This is Who I Really Am.

I have been observing how I feel and trying to find a way back to my True Self. I know that she lives in me, AS me. But I also know that for as long as I am focused on the busyness of my outer life and not taking time to stop and go within, I cannot feel her and I cannot let her out. If I am worried about all the survival issues, spending most of my time and energy on everyday concerns, I will not be able connect with my Self. Only if I take a break from the busyness of my life and find a way to nurture myself, can I begin to make connection with my Self.

For me, this past weekend when I participated in the Wise Women Festival in Naramata, B.C, helped to make that connection again. And because giving is receiving, I received a great empowerment when I taught my "Access Your Inner Power" workshop at the festival. And I received a wonderful healing when I gave healing sessions to others. Also, being there with other wonderful wild and wise women connected me to the beautiful sisterhood of women, from there expanding to include all of humanity, blessing everyone with Love and Light. (For more information on the annual Wise Women Festival as well as the Spring Festival of Awareness - open to men also - please, go to http://www.issuesmagazine.net/)

I am now ready to transform my life - so that I can help others to transform their lives. It is what I love to do, which is why I call my business "Transformation With Elara". I love to help others to transform their lives, and to do it WITH them. I do not claim to be perfect, or somehow finished with my own transformation. On the contrary, I am in the process of transformation, and I love to share this journey with others. Together we will transform the consciousness of humanity. The more we learn to be true to ourselves, the more we create peace and harmony, not only in our own lives, but also collectively as one people. Together we will create a beautiful New Earth where we will live as True Ones.

I have also written an eBook about this. If you have not read it yet, you can find it at this link: http://www.transformationwithelara.com/eBook-2.html. I hope you enjoy it. It is my intent to help you transform your life in order to become a True One, and to help you find the courage to also act as a True One. For this I have incarnated on this planet at this momentous time. May you find comfort and inspiration in my words, and may you be blessed.

Namaste,

Elara

Adventures in Life and Travelling

2010-08-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here I sit at a beach in Kelowna when right now I was supposed to be in Seattle. But that's probably a good thing since the weather didn't look too promising for Seattle today, so this sunshine is a bonus. I have been up since before 4 am this morning to catch the 6 am flight out of Kelowna to Seattle, but since my partner who has an Australian passport didn't have the electronic VISA which is now required for going to USA, we couldn't get on the plane.

Oh, it took us only a few minutes to get the VISA on line, but the thing is, we didn't have enough minutes to complete the application - we were half way through it when they shut down the check-in at the airport. They told us we should rebook for the 5 pm flight. So, I watched our plane leave while sitting at the airport with my laptop displaying the magical number-letter code that would have allowed us to board the flight. In the meanwhile, my partner was trying to rebook our flight over the phone, only to be told that it was not possible since we had booked one of those packaged deals; we would loose our booking and would have to pay a new full fee...

As I sat there listening to this, I moved into deeper acceptance of the whole situation, not resisting it, becoming one with it... Just then one of the airport security guards came over to see what was going on. I let him know what had happened and he went into the boarding area to get one of the airline workers who came out a few minutes after our plane took flight - without us. I am very grateful for what happened next: she went back to the counter, turned her computer on and booked us for the evening flight without charging us extra. So, here we are enjoying the fine day while waiting for our new flight.

The moral of the story - all is well in the Universe; by accepting what is, a solution appears as the kind Universe brings the most perfect answer to whatever our dilemma may be. Who knows really why we were not supposed to catch that flight. Maybe it was so that I could buy a wonderful new carry-on suitcase and save $88.00 for not having to check in luggage. Maybe it was so that I could have a chat on Skype with my girl friend in Finland while waiting for my son to pick us up. But that's another story... which I will tell you now.

After spending a couple of hours having morning coffee at the Tim Horton's at the airport we made our way back to the parking lot to get the car so that we could go and enjoy our day in Kelowna. As we approached the spot where we had left the car, all we could see was an empty spot and no car!

Luckily for us, no one had actually stolen the car, for my son had picked it up. I had left him with the second set of keys so that he could do that on his way past the airport after spending a night in Kelowna with his buddies. The thing is, he wasn't supposed to pick up the car until the afternoon... So, as we sat there in the middle of the parking lot of an airport in the middle of nowhere, the only logical thing to do was to call my son to come and get us. He agreed to drive back and ended up chauffering us for the day.

When we got back to the airport later in the afternoon and were finally ready to go through security before boarding the 5 pm flight, we were told that there has never been a 5 pm flight before on a Saturday! No one at the airport could figure out why there would be one today, so we just silently concluded that they must have put on an extra flight that day for our benefit...

As I continue writing this story, a couple of other things have transpired. One, I run out of power on my laptop at the beach in Kelowna, so I couldn't finish this post. Two, sitting here at a local Starbucks in Seattle I just finished writing for a good hour or more and got the post done, when I lost it all as I wasn't actually connected to the internet so the program didn't save it. So, here I am typing this again! Don't ask me why it happened, because I don't really know. All I know is that after the initial disappointment, all I can do is accept what happened and start over.

We have had a truly wonderful day here in Seattle, the kind where you just go with the flow with no agenda, just enjoying each moment as it unfolds. I wish I could always be so in the moment, but it is much harder on the days when there is a preset agenda of what to do. I have actually been feeling quite stressed lately. I even got sick two times within a month; the last time I was sick was four or five years ago!

I also lost my voice for a few days and when I asked for the meaning of that, the answer I got was that I have been way too serious lately and not given my Magical Inner Child voice. So, I have made a decision to have us much fun as I can as often as I can; to do those things that seem completely insignificant but make your heart sing, like painting a silly picture, or dancing in the kitchen with loud music on - something I used to do all the time - or eating ice-cream in the middle of the night. Anything to bring out the spontaneity and joy that is part of our true nature.

Today it was nice to just wander most of the day at the Pike's Place Market, letting your nose lead the way, sort of speak, stopping to listen to a street musician here and there, enjoying coffee and pastry in the mid-morning and a glass of wine and appies in the evening, and lying on the grass under a tree by the sea in the afternoon.

I even found the perfect pen to write my Book of Kin with. I have been waiting for about two months for one to show up. I have had the perfect blank book ready to go, but could not start this special project before I found the perfect pen. It is going to be the story of my life handwritten for my children. I learnt from Anastasia (see www.ringingcedars.com ) that only by writing to your children can you access certain deep inner wisdom. I can't wait to start!

So, these are my ingredients for a magical, joyful and peaceful life: 1. accept whatever happens (which is a lot easier than you may think), 2. have fun and enjoy your life as much as possible (which is a lot more often than you may think), 3. loose yourself in the beauty and perfection of the moment (which is every moment if you let it be)! In other words, all things happen for a reason; our life is not at random, and we are meant to discover what makes our heart sing and share our song with the world. All life is happening in the Now; the past is gone, the future is but a dream. This moment is perfect just the way it is even when things don't go according to plan.

Have a great day, my friends. Remember to have fun and laugh a lot! Let you Inner Child out to play.

With love,

Elara

You are Love!

2010-07-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

We are so used to thinking of love either as a sentimental feeling toward the object of our affections or as something we do, it's hard at first to understand the statement "You are love." But once we shift our understanding about love, we come to realize that love is not an action or a commodity, not even a feeling, but our Sacred Essence, our very Being.

Love cannot be measured; it is not a quantity but a quality. It can, however, be felt as a vibration in the feeling body, for every person's love feels different. When we feel love, what we are feeling is the unique quality of the person's essence - their love. It appears that love can be given or withheld, but what is really happening is that a person is either allowing or not allowing their true essence to shine forth. If a person does not know themselves as Love, they will have several layers of a false identity blocking the flow of their love in and out of their being.

Therefore, the most important work that we'll ever do, is releasing the blockages to Love's presence. Love is always there but we cannot access it, if we have blocked its flow. There is no one outside of ourselves that can give us love that we have not embraced within. Another person may reflect the love inside of us, though, and help us to remember who we really are as Love. Unfortunately, most people externalize their love so that if this other person leaves, they think that the love left with them.

The greatest gift a person can give to another is self-realization, which is the remembrance of Love as our Essence, as our Being. The most difficult expression of love is releasing the attachment to the person. Yet, in releasing attachment to the object of our love, we connect with the true nature of love which is freedom.

The second hardest is releasing judgement through forgiveness when it appears another has acted without love, or taken our love away. In forgiving we understand that love does not see anything but love. If a person is not extending their love which naturally radiates out from the center of their being, they have merely forgotten who they are. Now we have an opportunity to connect with the greatest experience of love - compassion - by extending our love to them so they may remember; so they may know themselves again as Love.

The third expression of love is releasing a compulsive urge to do something when there is nothing for you to do. How often do we think that we know what the loving thing to do is in any given situation when in truth we may be interfering with another's path and not honoring them. Glenda Green in her book Love Without End puts it this way: "Until we can walk in another man's shoes, what right have we to tell him what kind of shoes to wear?"

Remember always that love is Who You Really Are. You cannot change your true nature. You may forget about it, cover it up with smoke screens of false identities, social roles, insecurities, or whatever, but at your core your love remains unchanged. Your real identity remains unchanged. And even through the heavy veils of made-up identities and false self-concepts your love still can be felt - although not as strongly. You will always be recognized by the quality of your love.

Your love is unique. It is the your true beauty, your true magnificence. It is radiant with light. It is immortal, eternal. It seeks only to shine brightly like a sun in this world. It is your gift to the world. To remember Who You Really Are as Love is to offer yourself to the world in loving service. By connecting with the Love that you are you will find a power so great it can move mountains. All of Creation wants to bow down at its presence. You are honored for the Love that you are.

Happy Summer Solstice!

2010-06-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

It is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere. That means it's time to celebrate! I grew up in Finland where this celebration is called Juhannus. The whole country parties, and most people stay up all night - just like the sun. Once, when I was 14 years old I spent the Juhannus festival up in the northern part of Finland and witnessed the mid-night sun. It was bright day-light all through the night. In the southern part of the country the light grows a little dimmer somewhere around two to four am, but it never gets dark. As a matter of fact, it never gets dark at all in the summer. Ah, I miss the summers of my home country... Where I live now here in Canada it gets dark at ten pm and the sun doesn't come up again until about four am.

Those of you who don't live in your native country can relate to the nostalgic feelings of missing your home country. Somehow the country where you were born and spent your childhood seems like the best place in the world. You always long for you motherland. I wonder now, though, if this longing is for more than just the home of your childhood. I think that most people have a longing in their heart for something even if they haven't left their motherland. What is it that we are all longing for?

Anastasia gives a new definition for the word "motherland" in the Ringing Cedars Series (www.ringingcedars.com). She says motherland is not a country defined by borders, rather it is a plot of land where you were born that belongs to your family for all time. From this definition, then, we can see that most people in the world don't have a motherland. We have no place to call our own. Even if we own a piece of land with a house, we must pay property taxes to the city, and the land can be taken from us if we don't pay them.

I wrote about the family domains in my last post and now I find myself writing about them again, although I hadn't intended to. I just find myself coming back time and time again to the contemplation of them. I also mentioned in my last post how in the olden days people used to gather for beautiful celebrations at the turning of the seasons. Whole villages would participate and there was a wonderful feeling of kinship and community. I miss that, too. We don't have that any more in our modern city lives.

I know that the Juhannus festival in Finland dates back to the time of these celebrations. Unfortunately, its true spiritual meaning has been lost and it has turned more into a drinking fest than anything else. A lot of people are lost and lonely these days. Our societies lack the most basic spiritual values.

I believe that is what we all long for - a sense of belonging, a sense of community and most especially, a sense of meaning and sacredness in our lives. We live too much in isolation and in separation from each other. We need to find ways to connect with the sacredness of all life and with the sacred essence of ourselves and each other, and from that premise build a sense of community.

Last night I was at a dinner with my peers from work. The dinner was in an outside setting at a local ranch and there was live music. Also, afterwards we sat around the fire and listened to songs. It was a wonderful evening. It was great to share that with people I work with. I love the feeling of sitting around a fire with others. It is a wonderful way to connect. And music and singing just add so much to it. This is one simple, yet powerful way to bring back some of the good old-time feeling of community.

I hope you have a chance to celebrate this summer solstice with some friends and enjoy a sense of connection. Maybe it will stir up some ancient memories when we all lived close to nature and each other in marvellous communities on our own plots of land - when all of us held peace and harmony as the highest value. Do you remember...? You were there... Maybe we knew each other then.

Return to Paradise

2010-05-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

My dear readers, I haven't sat down to write a post for a whole month, but today I am going to write about something that is very close to my heart. I have been doing a lot of sitting and just relaxing in the garden as the weather has been getting warmer. Yet, I have been doing more than that. I have been recharging my batteries. There is no better way to get your energy up than by going out into nature, preferably your own garden. Your own garden with the grass, the flowers and the trees will give you the highest charge for your energy, soothing you and giving you a beautiful sense of peace and calm.

I have been watching the birds making their nests and having families. The male and the female sparrow take turns sitting on the eggs. As one flies out of the little bird house, the other flies in. It's great to watch as the birds flutter back and forth, landing on the bird feeder to get some seeds, then flying again into the trees.

This morning as I sat on the lawn drinking my morning coffee, I glanced to my left and saw that the irises were about to bloom. All of a sudden I felt like I was listening to a symphony and the violins were just about to come in. I realized how every flower in nature takes a turn and blooms at the perfect time in synchronicity with all the other flowers. The lilacs just finished flowering. When they were in full bloom, the scent in the air was just divine.

In the meanwhile, the vegetables in the garden and growing - potatoes, beets, peas, beans, tomatoes and lettuce. The lettuce is ready for picking whereas the little bean sprouts are only just starting to come up. Everything ripens at the right time without any effort.

In the beginning of human civilization on Earth we lived in a beautiful garden. The idea that Earth was a paradise is not just a myth. It is the truth. Each family had their own domain of about a hectare - about five acres - in size. People knew the purpose of each plant that grew on the Earth - several hundred thousand of them. People also knew that each plant was created to serve us in some way, whether it was to provide food, or to provide shade, or beauty and wonderful scents to delight our senses.

People lived on these plots of land in peace and harmony with each other and all of nature, including the animals who also served us and were our friends. Each animal on the planet has a purpose but as we, the people they were created to serve, have forgotten our purpose as the caretakers of this beautiful planet, the animals also have lost their purpose. Many of them are leaving the planet as they have no reason to live.

All the plants and trees on the domains were planted so that the ecosystem of the domain was self-sustaining. There was not a piece of grass that didn't belong. There was no concept of weeds. Everything grew in perfect balance and harmony with each other. It was only later that people lost the knowledge of the science of co-creation and started to plant one type of crop over and over again in the same piece of land that problems started to creep in. The natural balance and harmony of nature had been lost.

The natural balance and harmony of not only food growing but most all aspects of our lives has been lost in our modern civilization. Families are no longer the most important focus of our society. Big business, fame and fortune, and an endless list of meaningless things have become more important. By removing ourselves from the natural world and placing ourselves in the unnatural world, we as a species have become unnatural. Consequently, we have developed a huge amount of social problems and an alarming amount of diseases. We are not well.

Thankfully where there is a problem, there is always a solution. I am not writing this to dwell on the social problems we have created or the number of other ills that we are burdened with. Everyone can look around and see how dis-eased we have become as a species. I am here to offer us a simple solution that will eventually erase every single social problem as well as every single dis-ease from the face of the Earth.

This is not my original idea, for I have been inspired by an incredible woman called Anastasia. (I have talked about her before in a couple of other posts.) She has outlined the plan that will heal us as a species, as well as heal our beloved Mother Earth. We find the answer to our ills in our true history, and in understanding how we used to live we can bring back the natural way of living and become true people again. By regaining the lost knowledge of co-creation, we will be reborn as a species.

We were created in the image and likeness of our Creator. How else could it be? Does not every parent produce a offspring like itself? The carrot seed will grow into a carrot. The bear will give birth to bear cubs. The Force that created the Universe including our own Earth created us as a crown of It's creation. The human being was created in the image and likeness of the Creator. If you contemplate the power and magnitude of the Creator, you cannot help but to wonder what has happened to us. If our Creator is all-powerful, where has our power gone?

What would a loving parent want for his children? Would it not be the most beautiful life that they can imagine? Would a loving parent hold anything back from her children? If we were created in the image and likeness of the Creator, what does that make us?

That's right... creators. The purpose of our being here on this planet is creation. It is to be co-creators with our Creator.

What are we creating? Are we creating anything, or are we just making dead things? Dead things bring death. Living things bring life. Are we truly living if all we create is disease, death and destruction?

We have lost the knowledge of co-creation. The age of technology has not produced anything life-giving. Can it then be called progress?

You may think that living off the land and returning to nature is a simple life style, or that the country folk are somehow more simple minded than their cousins in the cities. Yes, returning to living in the natural environment is a simpler life style, but with it comes peace and happiness unknown to the city-dweller. What most people may not know due to the false propaganda over many, many generations is that the human being who lives closest to nature possesses the greatest power and wisdom and is far more advanced and intelligent than his city cousin.

Does this come as a surprise? Not really, if you think logically for a moment. It is him who has the most time and energy to devote to exercising his mind through quiet contemplation, enhanced by the energy of his natural surroundings, that will gain the greatest wisdom and insight into the workings of the Universe. The one that is distracted constantly by the demands of having to make a living though energy-draining labour in energy-draining unnatural environment, only to come home to zone out in front of a mind-numbing TV, that can scarcely come up with an original thought any more. Which one of these people do you think comes closest to achieving co-creation?

Do not be fooled by false images that country life is hard, that you have to toil on the fields - instead of a factory or an office - from morning till night. The kind of natural living that I am talking about does not involve any hard work. When we regain our lost knowledge of how to create a perfect self-sustaining ecosystem on our family domains, we will once again awaken the latent powers of co-creation, and the Earth will be transformed into a beautiful garden paradise.

You can read more about Anastasia and the ideas of co-creation in the Ringing Cedars Series by Vladimir Megre (see www.ringingcedars.com). These books contain information that is not available though any other source in our present-day society. They have been translated to over 20 languages and sold over 10 million copies, although they have not been published by a major publisher or advertised by anything other than word-of-mouth. In the meanwhile, thousands of families are in he process of building their domains and millions more are creating them in their minds, which is where all creation starts. Creating our domains is the first step in returning to co-creation and reclaiming our birth-right.

We can start today, even if we live in a city apartment. We can get a few pots and plant something - flowers and maybe a few veggies. If you plant even a single tomato plant and nurture it lovingly until it produces a beautiful red tomato for you, you make contact with Creation. Also, this little tomato will be the most perfectly nourishing food for you, for it has grown specifically just for you. If you have a little piece of land, you can do more. You can plant a garden with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

I am lucky to have a little garden like that at the moment. It is where I feel closest to Who I Really Am. It is where I dream of our bright future. Will you join with me in visualising a future where the Earth is covered with beautiful gardens where happy families live together; where they are free to be themselves and devote their time to creative pursuits, to whatever gives them the greatest joy.

These families form beautiful communities where wonderful celebrations take place as they get together to celebrate the changing of the seasons, or the marriage of a couple in love. Every new couple is given a piece of land where they can set up their family domain. Everybody in the community brings seedlings to plant a garden for them. Their house is also built for them by the community. And as they have children, the children will grow up enjoying the peace and harmony of their happy family and community.

I know there are many things that need to change in our society before we are ready for a lifestyle that is free of conflict and competition. I know also that this sounds like a simplistic plan, but bear with me, for the picture has not been completed yet. It is up to each and every one of us to connect with our heart of hearts and feel deep within that which we have forgotten. This is only a brief glimpse into what is possible. Yet, every real change was created by thought and a vision that preceded it. Let us fill in the blanks by finding our own part of the puzzle. Their is no stronger force in the Universe that the power of collective human thought. Will you join me and the millions of others who are creating a better world for our children and grand-children?

Listen for the Joy

2010-04-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the simplest way to find your connection to your True Self: listen for the Joy. Just close your eyes now - after reading these lines - and try it... Take two or three cleansing breaths and tune in. Let go of your thoughts; let them float gently by like clouds in the sky. Relax and just breathe. With each breath, allow yourself to go deeper within. Keep letting go of tension, worry, doubt and stress. Know that all is well. Know that everything will always work out perfectly. Let go... and just breathe...

Once you achieve a sense of letting go and relaxing, just be still and listen... If thoughts distract you - and they will - imagine them floating easily by and focus on your breath. Focus deeper within. And then: listen for the Joy. This Joy is deep within you. It is your very Self. It is your true Essence, your true Being. It is Who You Really Are. When you connect with it, you will feel incredible joy welling up inside of you.

Do not worry if you cannot feel it right away, or at all the first time you try. Just go on with your day and come back to it when you have a quiet moment. Close your eyes again and let yourself relax. Then, listen... See if you can catch even a glimpse of the Joy that dwells within you. It is there. It is unquestionably there! We have just covered it up with all this other stuff - stress, fear, self-doubt, worry, roles we play, all our shoulds and shouldnt's - an endless list of layers of the false self, also known as the ego.

But our True Divine Self has never gone away. It has not disappeared or left us just because we turned our attention to outside things that became seemingly more important and covered up our true magnificence. Do you remember how you were as a small child? You were totally free and absolutely joyful. If you can't remember, then just look at a baby or a very small child. Look at the energy that emanates from them. It is Joy. It is Joy that is vibrating throughout their being. It is joy that cannot be contained but pours out through every pore.

We can become like a child again - free of all limits and bouncing with the energy of Joy. This is how we were meant to live. We were meant to live in absolute joy and bliss all the days of our lives. If we are not, then something has gone wrong. Something must be very wrong... We must regain our childlike innocence and joy in order to live the life we were born to live.

The world does not reflect much joy these days. It hasn't for a long time. Yet, the time has come for us to awaken to the Joy we once knew. It is time for us to remember Who We Really Are and to create the world anew with Joy! We can, and must start with our own lives. We must remove from our lives all that which does not give us joy. It is not in harmony with our authentic selves if it doesn't give us joy. If we cannot remove it right away, then we must see if we can make it joyful. Can we bring joy into it? If we can, then it will transform for us, but if it doesn't, we must have the courage to leave it behind. There is no point in sacrificing ourselves to a joyless life.

My friends, the Time of Joy is at hand. A new day is dawning on the planet Earth! The Earth is moving to a higher place. And all life on Earth must follow. WE must follow. The information age has been upon us for a while now. There is so much information; you can find everything on the Internet - good and bad, light and dark. But this age is quickly passing. It is turning into the Age of Enlightenment. In-Light we shall live. We shall lighten our load. We shall return to Joy. No more sadness, no more sorrow will we know. This is going to take place in our lifetime. This is already happening now.

We are the ones who have come forth to bring this about. We are the ones who have come to usher in the Age of Enlightenment. We are here to create a whole new culture that lives from the heart - not the head. We are to connect with the Joy that lives in our hearts, and we are to create our lives anew from this place of Joy. We will create a beautiful New Earth where everyone is able to follow their Joy. Let us connect with this Joy now and FEEL it. Let us use our imaginations to visualize the New Earth. You can start by imagining what your life would look like if you were living in your Joy.

Dearest one, close your eyes again, and see if you can imagine what this life would be like. What would it be like if you were the embodiment of Joy? Take a deep breath now and pause for a moment...

Close your eyes, Beloved, and listen for the Joy...

Ponder this...

2010-04-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

It's Easter Friday today. What's does that mean? It means a day off from work for a lot of people. Not much more, unless you are a Christian. Then it means something like this: Jesus, the Son of God died on the cross for our sins on this day. OK, but what does THAT mean? That we are all miserable sinners, but God sent his only son to suffer and die so that we could be saved and go to Heaven if we believed this story.

I did as a child. I grew up with Bible stories, and I always talked to Jesus. I still talk to him, but I don't believe the sinner story any more. For me, he has become an elder brother. He has become an example of what all of us are capable of, which is embodying unconditional love. More than that, he has shown that our true essence IS love. This I learnt from him in A Course in Miracles which is a book he gave us to correct the misconceptions of his teachings.

Being Love is much different from being a sinner. Knowing ourselves as Love, I believe, is the goal of all our searching. All of us are searching for something, however we are going about it. We may be trying to manifest the perfect relationship, the perfect job, or be after fame or fortune, or we may be trying to achieve spiritual enlightenment. It doesn't matter what form our searching takes, what we are trying to do is to erase our deep sense of unworthiness. Whether we grew up believing that we are all sinners from birth or not, we still have somehow internalized the idea that we are not good enough just the way we are. Indeed, we have almost completely forgotten who we really are.

In his lifetime on earth Jesus tried to show us who we are. He embodied Love and told us that we are like him, but over the centuries his teachings got twisted and turned so that we were told that we are anything but all powerful sons and daughters of God. We carry this feeling of unworthiness deep within us until we start to awaken to the realization of our true nature. Jesus came to remind us of who we really are in A Course in Miracles, and many other teachers over the centuries have tried to do the same. My question is: why have we been misled so deeply about who we really are?

The best answer for this I have found in the The Ringing Cedars Series where Anastasia reveals the true history of humanity. The following are the pictures we were given when we were children: Firstly, picture a mindless caveman hunting for wild animals for survival. Secondly, picture a war hero, conquering foreign lands, and thirdly, look at the picture of happiness in modern society: someone with fame and fortune, living in a fancy house surrounded by a host of modern gadgets. From these subconscious pictures fed to us ever since childhood we naturally conclude that we have made progress in our civilization.

Now, consider just for a moment that these pictures are false - and most importantly that the first picture of the barbaric caveman is false. Picture this: The first civilization on Earth were intelligent people living in perfect peace and harmony with each other and nature. Picture happy families, each with a magnificent garden, living in beautiful communities. Now, look at the second picture: a half-crazed soldier trekking through the mud, fearing for his life, on his way to kill his so-called enemies while stern-faced priests are orchestrating the wars from behind the scenes. Then, look at the next picture: pale and sickly looking people pretending to be happy, leading meaningless lives surrounded by a host of modern gadgets, slaving away at jobs they hate.

Following the second version of our history, we may ask: have we really made progress or have we gone backwards? Are we now more evolved or more barbaric than before the so-called modern civilization? And what part has religion played in all of this? Are we free or are we slaves and don't even know it? Are we helpless victims and miserable sinners, or are we all powerful sons and daughters of God, created in His image and don't even know it?

Isn't it time we ask these questions?

Love Yourself!

2010-03-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

"Love yourself!" That sounds almost like a command, doesn't it? But how does one love oneself? Easy to say, not so easy to do. Why is that? Why is it so hard to love ourselves? I'm really opening a can of worms (what a strange saying...) with these questions, aren't I?

All my life I have strived to love others unconditionally, and I consider myself a loving non-judgemental person. But for some reason I really seem to have a hard time just to love and accept myself. I am my own worst critic and my own worst enemy. I judge myself harshly at times...

When I was a child I was bullied severely. I didn't enjoy that. It felt bad. But I always thought about how much the bullies must be suffering inside. I knew that they were having a hard time and that they didn't love themselves. So, I always sent them love in my thoughts and I thought that one day when I grew up I would be able to help them heal their pain with my love...

This is what I have been absolutely passionate about all my life: healing our pain with love.

I started my own healing journey consciously in the summer of 1987 when I moved from Finland to Canada. I was twenty-one years old. It was then that I read You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. From her I learnt about the importance of loving myself unconditionally. I would listen to her morning and evening meditations about loving and try to repeat her positive affirmations: "I love and approve of myself. I love and approve of myself..." It felt very strange to say that, and I'm not sure I ever really believed it.

Right at the same time I started reading A Course In Miracles which taught me the meaning and the power of true forgiveness. True forgiveness does not see the other as guilty of anything but looks past the appearances to the heart of the true person, one who is asking for love. Wow, this is what I knew as a child! When someone was behaving hurtfully, it was because they needed to be loved.

So, that is not the hard part for me. The challenge for me for all these years has been to extend the same loving kindness toward myself that I so easily seem to give to others. What kind of hypocrisy is that! How can you not love yourself and think you can love others? Does not all love start with self-love? "Love thy neighbour as thyself", says the Golden Rule. I always loved it even as a child and wanted to live by it, but I don't think I fully understood it back then.

Children get hurt and loose their natural ability to love and adore themselves when they do not look into the mirror of unconditional love in the faces of their parents and other caregivers. The fact is the adults in their lives do not love and approve of themselves unconditionally, so how could they possibly love their children that way?

So, what can we do now that we are all damaged ever since childhood? None of us know how to love ourselves unconditionally. Do we blame our parents, or who do we blame? Or do we stop blaming others and start re-parenting ourselves with loving kindness?

I have done quite a bit of Inner Child work but I find that it is not over and done with at a certain point. It is an on-going process. Every moment we have an opportunity to be loving and kind toward ourselves by turning negative self-talk into loving self-talk. Instead of saying: "You idiot, now look what you've done! You've made a mess of everything..." or the like, we can say: "Oups, I made a mistake but this is a good learning experience. I will do better next time. I forgive myself. I can start over." Does that not feel better...?

I am now committed to treating myself with loving kindness. And I ask you to consider doing the same. I believe we all deserve to be treated with love and respect, with gentleness and even adoration. No matter what happened to us as children, or at any point in our lives, we can still - today - start practising loving and accepting ourselves. There is nothing - absolutely nothing - that we could ever do to change our True Nature which is Love, no matter how much we have covered it up with guilt or blame. As A Course In Miracles assures us, we are innocent; we are still as God created us.

As you look into the eyes of a new-born child, ask yourself: is this not the picture of pure love? And know that you are still like that child. And so am I...

The Last of The Winter Blues

2010-03-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

I do hope this is the last of the winter blues. I have been feeling particularly uninspired lately. I really look forward to the spring! I have been thinking about how important it is to attune ourselves into the rhythms of Nature, including the seasons. Therefore, I am allowing myself the indulgence of the last bits of hibernation as I slowly yawn to wake myself up for the spring. I even went to Mexico just last week to break the winter blues for the first time in my life. It was certainly a different feeling to go straight from winter to summer, to change from jeans to shorts at the airport.

I want to talk more about the cycles of Nature, because I believe that by connecting with those cycles we can connect with our True Nature. We are actually intimately connected with the natural world even though we may have removed ourselves far from natural living. By not observing the rhythms of Nature we become unaware of our own rhythms. By reconnecting with Nature and its rhythms we can live more organically and more harmoniously in all aspects of our lives.

Seasons are one of the larger cycles of Nature. It is very advantageous in raising our awareness to take note of the changing seasons. Winter is naturally a time to go within and contemplate, to let ideas incubate. We may not feel the urge to create as much in the outer world, but if we do not honor our need to hibernate, we may try to push ourselves too hard to do things, to accomplish and be productive. This can create a tremendous amount of stress. It's best to wait for the spring when the seeds (ideas) that have laid dormant for the winter naturally want to come out into the light as the days get progressively longer toward the summer.

Summer, on the other hand, is a time to lighten up and celebrate, to have fun. Remember when we were kids and couldn't wait for summer holidays to have the freedom to let loose and play outside all day?! Summer is a great time to be light-hearted and to spend as much time out in nature as possible, to get energized and to celebrate our accomplishments. It is a time to recharge our batteries for the winter. The autumn, of course, is a time to bring in the harvest and to give thanks for all that Nature provides. It is a time to gather and store for the winter.

Another important cycle to observe is the cycle of the moon. At New Moon it is good to give intent to that which we want to experience and bring forth within the upcoming month. This is why I gather my Circle of Love meditation group together at every New Moon, but you can get focused on your own as well, if you do not have a group that you can go to or gather around you. Just give intent to that which you desire and let yourself be energized with your new focus as the moon grows.

At Full Moon you should feel the fullness of yourself if you have used your awareness to take advantage of the waxing energy of the moon. If there are blockages you need to clear in order to feel your fullness, in other words your True Empowered Self, you will feel those in the form of negative or difficult, even volatile, emotions. Let them move through you. Go howl at the full moon if necessary - or beat the pillow - whatever works for you. Let it all out. Cleanse your emotional body.

As the Moon starts to wane - as it is at the time of this writing - you will feel your energies waning as well. You will likely not feel all that inspired. Honor this time by taking it easy and allowing yourself to be empty for a while, getting ready for the New Moon again and a time for a new focus. (The next New Moon is on March 15th.)

Spring Equinox is coming up on March 21st. It is a great time for getting together with others to celebrate the changing of the season. It is a perfect time to give intent for that which you want to take root in your life and that which you want to bring forth into the light. It is a time to look ahead for the rest of the year. What do you want to bloom in your life in the summer time? And what do you want to get ready to plant for harvest in the autumn? What will you need to sustain yourself over the winter months? What do you want to give to the family and the community of humanity?

***

So, I am trying to allow myself to take it easy and to nurture myself as I feel my energies waning with the moon. I look forward to new inspiration next week - after the New Moon on Monday. And I look forward to celebrating the Spring Equinox on the following Sunday and getting ready for new and wonderful ideas and creations thereof. It feels good to realize that we are so intimately connected with Nature. Doesn't it feel comforting to know that all is well even when we think we have low energy or no inspiration, that it is just part on the cycles of our True Nature - in tune with Nature?!

The Courage of the Tiger

2010-02-14T11:47:00.001-08:00

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year of the Tiger as well as Valentine's Day. In preparation for my Circle of Love meditation group today I am contemplating the meaning of this powerful day. I went onto the Internet looking for the meaning of the Year of the Tiger, but could not find much there. All the sites I found on Google were very commercial. I could not find anything deep, so I was a bit disappointed. Therefore, I decided to write my own article about the meaning of the Year of the Tiger.

I am not an expert on the Chinese Horoscope - I understand the Western Horoscope a lot better, but I do know that the Tiger is a symbol of courage. So, these are my thoughts on this Chinese New Year: It is time for us to have the courage to be our True Authentic Selves. It is time to let go of our fears of being Who We Really Are. I am committing myself to being real this year. I am committing myself to let go of all the roles that hide my True Self. I am committed to listen to the Voice of my Heart and follow its guidance. Let this be the year in which I serve by being myself, for truly the greatest gift we can ever give is ourselves. And if we are not being ourselves, then we are not present in life and love.

On this first day of the Chinese New Year of the courageous Tiger I choose to live as the Love that I am. In so doing I can celebrate the Day of Love - Valentine's Day - as well with a deeper meaning. There is nothing special I need to do. Being present each moment as the Love that I am is enough. How I express myself as the Love that I am will unfold moment by moment, and I rejoice in the discovery of how Love will move me and through me.

This I believe is the opportunity in front of all of us today - and every day: to be the Love that we are and to have the courage to live as that. The most courageous act of all is to drop our defenses and surrender to Love - to the Love that is our True nature, not to the caricature of love that we have gotten used to through the brainwashing of the media and our society at large. Love is not something we can buy or bargain with. Love is our very Essence. It can only be given and received freely, without conditions.

Today, my friends, let us unite in Love. Let us have the courage to come out of hiding and shine the Light of our Love for all to see, so that all the ones who have been hurt will heal and all the ones who have hurt others will find peace through forgiveness. Let us put away our grievances and recognize that Love is gentle and kind, that Love endures all and forgives all. There is no hurt or injury that Love cannot heal. There is no remorse or guilt that Love cannot forgive. We all deserve to find healing and we all deserve to be at peace.

Let us have the courage to put away our swords and shields and emerge as the true Knights in shining armour. The shining armour, we will then see, is not an armour at all, but is the radiance of the Light of Love. This is our protection from all harm. The Princess in the fairy tale is the beauty of our own heart, ever so open to the touch of Love. She receives its radiance without defenses. Let us be open to recognize the beauty within ourselves. Let us find our true strength in the tenderness of our hearts. The courage of the Tiger is the courage of the open heart.

Blessings to all of you, my beautiful readers. May this Year of the Tiger be the happiest year ever, a year in which you shine the Love that you are for all to see.

Namaste,

Elara

Mother Earth's Wake-Up Call

2010-01-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

Today is an absolutely glorious sunny day here in the Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada. In the winter it can get quite dreary here in the valley as the clouds hang low and you can't see the sun for days, sometimes even weeks. It's no wonder many people like to escape the winter blues by going south for the season, or at least for a week or two. It is interesting to note how your mood lifts instantly when the sun comes out.

Recently I was trying to make an important decision with my job at the bank. A door opened up for me to go to a different position that would potentially free up more of my energy to do what I really love, which is to inspire others. It meant moving from a management position back to what I used to do before I took up my current position a year and a half ago. So, as I was in the process of trying to decide if it made sense to go back, I decided to consult the Tarot cards. I pulled three cards, and the last one showing the outcome of my decision was the card called " The Sun". It is described as the highest energy card in the deck. Further, it is said that the person who selects the card has become the source of light, not just one who reflects it.

This is how I knew that I was making the right decision by walking through the door that had opened. I was ready to step into my full power, to embody my full potential self which is the source of light for me. I am light. And light is love. This is who I am. And this is who all of us are in truth. In the Ringing Cedars series by Vladimir Merge (please, see my post on November 22nd, 2009 for more info regarding the books), Anastasia goes a step further by saying that the light and love of humanity is what goes out to the heavens and is gathered by the celestial bodies, especially the sun which then reflects it back to Earth.

According to her then WE collectively are the true source of light on our planet! Could it be that without our love the sun could not warm us up or sustain life on Earth? Can it be that the inspiration and good feelings we experience when we bask in the rays of the sun are the very energy of love that emanates from the human heart? Could it be that we are that intimately connected with our planet and our solar system?

I know that the heart center of each of us is the source of our light and love. It is from the heart center that we radiate out all of our bright and loving feelings. When our hearts are fully open we are absolutely beautiful! The light that radiates out from us is absolutely brilliant. It can heal not only ourselves, but also all others around us and ultimately all of humanity as well as our planet and all lifeforms on it.

I have observed a beautiful opening of the human heart in times of great need, such as has risen in Haiti because of the earthquake there. Could the need to open our hearts be the ultimate reason for a disaster such as this? Could it be that the heart of humanity is still so closed that we do not know ourselves to be one family until something happens that rips open our closed hearts? It is beautiful to see the opening of the hearts but why do we need a disaster for that to happen?

As I contemplate how I could best be of service, besides sending money to programs such as the Red Cross, I can't help but think that the light of my full consciousness is needed in the world now. I AM needed to be present. If I am too preoccupied with the concerns of my ego (the false self that lives a false life), then I am not present. The light of my love is not present in the world. The light of my love is not going out to where it is needed to heal those who suffer. Therefore, I feel that my biggest responsibility is to be fully present with my open heart so that the rays of my love can travel where they are needed.

It is my ask today, my dear reader, that you join your rays of unlimited love and light with those of mine to send out such powerful love that it can be felt all across the world and heal all those who suffer. It can lift up the spirits of all who are in despair. It can give hope to all those who have lost everything they have, who have seen their loved ones die, and who are witnessing a great disaster. Our love will gather power and energy as more and more of us open our hearts to remember Who We Really Are and that we are intimately connected with one another.

I am reminded again of the powerful prayer of St. Francis: "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. "

I interpret the last sentence to mean that it is in dying to our ego, the false self, that we are born to eternal life which is the knowledge of Who We Really Are. For our True Self is eternal, is one with each other and our Creator, and is the the source of love and light as I have described. It is by remembering our True Selves that we become the embodiment and the manifestation of the essence of this prayer. It is a universal yearning, and it is more crucial now than ever, for our beloved Mother, planet Earth, will not tolerate any more sefishness, greed, exploitation, or other manifestations of fear and a sense of separation. She will do whatever is necessary to wake us up, to remind us of what we have forgotten, and to open our hearts. How many more earthquakes, hurricanes, floods or other disasters do we need before we awaken?

Happy New Year and many more!

2010-01-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, all my beautiful readers! It has been such an honor to have you read all or some of my posts and hear from your comments (in and outside of the blog comment section) that you have been inspired by my writings. It is truly my greatest pleasure to touch your heart and soul with something that helps you get better acquainted with your Authentic Self. We are on this journey together. We are forever in the process of discovering more and more of Who We Really Are.

A dear friend of mine (Yvonne) asked me last night, as we were spending New Year's Eve together, about when I started this path of self-discovery consciously. I thought about how in the truest sense I had been on this journey all my life, but what marked a real shift for me was the year 1987 when I came to Canada from Finland. Shortly after I had arrived I was able to go on a road trip with my aunt Hellen and uncle Olavi along with my cousins through the Oregon Coast and the California Redwoods - incredible beautiful country. It was then that I read Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life" and for the first time learnt that our thoughts affect our reality. I learnt about positive thinking and affirmations.

And here I am twenty two and a half years later still learning about how our thoughts affect our reality, still refining my thoughts to align them more closely with what I want to experience. I have been perhaps a slow learner and I have had a lot of past programming to undo, but I am making progress! I feel that my understanding has deepened about the influence of our thoughts on our reality: not only do our thoughts affect our reality but they CREATE our very reality. Every thought I think is creative! No thought that I think disappears into nothingness. Rather, it joins thoughts of similar vibration in space creating thought forms which inevitably manifest as physical reality at some point.

This realization is making me aware of the immense responsibility of the quality of our thoughts. There is no such thing as an idle thought. I read this long time ago in "A Course In Miracles" (I started reading the course also in 1987 on the same trip through Oregon and California), but I don't think that the weight of this statement really sank in until recently. (Like I said I have been a slow learner...) Now we have way more information available on the subject than back in the eighties: we have the DVD "The Secret" and we have Esther and Jerry Hicks' wonderful teachings on the Law of Attraction (from Abraham). Yet, I have the feeling that I am not the only one who has not fully comprehended the scope and the importance of these teachings.

I feel that this most important topic - indeed the secret that has been kept from us for several millenia - needs more attention. Our thoughts need more attention! We need to become more aware of our thoughts on a consistent basis in order to take responsibility for the world we live in and to change it for the better. We need to study and understand this ancient science. I have learnt an immense amount in the subject from Anastasia in the Ringing Cedars Series by Vladimir Megre. My eyes have been opened to the infinite possibilities to create a wonderful bright future for the whole of humanity! I will be talking about this a lot more in my subsequent writings. It is a subject that deserves a lot more attention and understanding. At this point in history we are only in our infancy regarding the science of image making (as Anastasia calls it).

What I can say for now is that the increased understanding of the power of our thoughts to create our reality is the answer to EVERY SINGLE problem we face in our lives and in our society as a whole! We are going to be able to undo every problem that we have been plagued with for thousands of years, as well create a wonderful new problem-free future. There was a time in history when we lived in total harmony and peace, free of conflict and disease, in absolute joy and love. Yes... that is true. It is also true that by reclaiming our power to create our lives consciously we will be able to bring back this quality of living in the near future.

I truly look forward to a wonderful new year and a bright new future! I am more excited about life than ever. The possibilites for a happy and fulfilling life are endless. We have the power to create the lives we want within us. The power of our minds to create images that turn into our very reality is the most precious gift we have. Let us not waste it any more in unconsciousness but let us awaken to our true unlimited power. Let us harness that power by focusing our thoughts toward a loving, harmonious, prosperous and meaningful future.

Return to Meaning

2009-12-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

Today is Boxing Day (Where did that name come from?) as I write this. So, it is a day after Christmas Day. (I know you knew that...)It has been a nice few days getting ready for the big day with shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating etc. This year I made a conscious effort not to rush around or get stressed as I was getting ready for Christmas. I did still feel the need to participate in the expected gift giving and other traditions (like Christmas dinner with the family) since I have three children. Otherwise I could have passed on the shopping anyway and just spent time in quiet contemplation through the season.

I managed to get in a day of quiet before Christmas, the day before Winter Solstice. I decided not to go shopping that day but just stay in and contemplate life before the Solstice meditation I facilitated later that day. I was thinking about how far most of us have veered from being in tune with Nature's rhythms. Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year here in the Northern hemisphere and as such should be a day spent going within to connect with our Inner Selves.

Winter time would naturally be a time of sleeping more, dreaming more - and thus getting ready to birth new forms into creation in the spring. However, in our modern societies and city living with the need to get up and go to work we have lost touch with our natural rhythms that coincide with Nature. Our living has become UN-natural - not in tune with Nature. We force and push ourselves to perform in the outer world mostly for the reason on making a living. But what kind of living is it when we don't have the time to think? Whose program are we following? Who is benefiting from our efforts?

We consider it normal to come down with a flu or at least a cold every winter. That may be the only way some of us slow down for a while. But as we get better we continue to push ourselves as before without getting the message our body is trying to give us. What is the message? Slow down. Go within. Dream. Contemplate. Be still. I feel that we give doing way too much importance in our lives. If we are constantly busy doing something, when do we ever assess whether all of our doing is worth the energy we spend even at the cost of our health and well-being?

Do we ever stop and ask ourselves what our true dreams and goals are? Where are we headed in such a hurry? I have been contemplating the importance of spending time in using our mind power to create the lives that we truly desire; lives with meaning and purpose, lives that leave the Earth a better place for our children and generations to come. How many of us stop to ask if what we are currently doing is leaving the world a better place than how we found it? Does that matter? I sure hope so...

I believe each and every one of us - without exception - has an important purpose to fill. I believe that until we fill that purpose, we will not feel fulfilled and we will continue busying ourselves with various activities in order to try to find some satisfaction. It does not matter whether we are rich or poor, in relationship or single, famous or not, until we get in touch with our true Calling, we will not be happy.

I also believe that our purpose, our Calling in life has something to do with making the world a better place. As a matter of fact, I don't just believe it, I know it. How do I know it? Because I trust what I feel to be right, what I feel to be true. Not because someone told me so in order to profit from my efforts, but because I myself as a result of my quiet contemplations have come to know this to be true. And because the thought of making a difference in the world gives me more joy than any other thing that I can imagine. The thought of helping my fellow humans to discover their True Selves and their true Calling gives me the greatest pleasure - and I know I will leave the world a better place if I have touched one person so that they have awakened to their purpose.

If I could give everyone a gift this season we call Christmas, it would be quiet time to spend with their own thoughts in contemplation so that they would touch the very heart of their Being, the very essence of their soul, in order to remember their True Nature. For then I know that they would also remember their purpose and they would fill that place which only they can fill. And they would live lives full of great joy, a joy that would spread across the world and make it a better place.

Movers and Shakers in New York

2009-12-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from The Movers and Shakers course, hosted by Hay House in New York. It was an excellent course. The facilitators were Cheryl Richardson - an absolutely remarkable lady - and Reid Tracy, CEO of Hay House. We also had the honor of having Louise Hay herself there the whole weekend! I know words will not do justice to my experience on the course, but I will try to share a little bit anyway...

The highlight for me was an opportunity to give a little speech - I was one of the four people chosen to speak in front of the hundred and fifty participants! It was truly a great honor for me! And it was also a big turning point in my life. I have seen myself speaking in front of large audiences for a long, long time. Yet, I haven't had an opportunity to do it before. This five-minute speech meant a lot to me. It was an absolute confirmation that I am meant to do this. I am to be a speaker! It is my most sincere desire to help and inspire others to be all that they can be. So, I am going to believe that I can be all that I am meant to be! How else am I going to inspire that in others?

But let me tell you a little bit of my process in the hopes that it will give you something of value, something that you can be inspired by. At the end of the second day on the course we were told that a handful of people would get an opportunity to speak the next day in order to use the speeches as learning examples for all the participants. So, we were all asked to be prepared to deliver a five-minute speech containing an impactfull story with a message and a call to action.

My girlfriend from Finland as well as my cousin from Vancouver, Canada were also in New York the same weekend. So, the three of us met that night for dinner. We had a great time. However, we stayed out late and I did not prepare anything for a speech. When I woke up the next morning, I had no idea what I would talk about if I got called to speak. Nothing I could think of felt right. I had no story to tell. "Oh, well," I reasoned, "It doesn't really matter, because it's a very slim chance that I would get to speak anyway." But then I thought: "What if I do get called and I have nothing to say?! I would miss my one big chance!"

I was waiting for the metro to arrive in the freezing New York wind for about twenty minutes and when I finally jumped into the train I realized it was going to the wrong direction! That's when I surrendered - I knew I would probably be late and I remembered how this happened to me before (Please, read my story in an earlier post about waking up late to catch the plane for the last Hay House event I participated in last July.) This could only mean that the Universe was trying to tell me something! I remembered that I was always in the right place at the right time - no matter what time it was... So, I calmly got off at the first station and waited for the next train.

As I stood there - now in the beautiful sunshine - I thought about how the speech was not about what I was going to get out of the experience; it was not about a performance either - rather, it was about what I might be able to GIVE to the audience. And as I sat in the train going into the right direction (the time was already nine o'clock and the course was starting) I remembered a message I had received recently from a deck of cards by Doreen Virtue. It said: "There is no competition for your life's purpose." And I knew that it didn't matter whether I got to speak at this course or not - I would still be able to fill my life's purpose, because there is no one else that can fill it! And I could trust that the Universe would deliver whatever opportunities I needed for its fulfillment. I also knew that this was the message I wanted to give to the audience if I was chosen to speak that day.

I experienced absolute peace and calm as I walked into the conference room fifteen minutes after the starting time. Just as I entered, Louise Hay was on stage and she said something about finding herself on a gay nudist beach... and every one burst out laughing. I took a seat in a row about one third from the back and as I sat down Louise said: "I have faith in myself and my process." What a prefect affirmation of what I had just realized that morning!

When it came time to do the speeches, Cheryl indicated that she would let the Divine choose some speakers, so that if you didn't get called, you were not meant to speak at that time... As she asked those of us who wished to speak to put up our hands, I did, along with most of the group of hundred and fifty. Cheryl scanned the room feeling where her gaze was led to go, and it landed on me! She called me up to speak! I was feeling absolute stillness as I rose from my seat and walked up onto the stage. And what followed from there seemed like the most natural thing I have ever done.

I spoke for about five minutes - the time we were allotted to - describing the story of that morning's events and the insights I received from those. I spoke from my heart to the hearts of all that were sitting in the audience, and at the end of the speech when it was time for feedback, countless people spoke to me from their hearts about how much they had received from the speech. I was overwhelmed with tears of joy! And I was so grateful! What a beautiful experience - I had been able to give my audience something of value. I had been able to inspire many of them. There is no better feeling for me in life than that! (I was sure glad when I was offered a box of tissues for I could not hold back my tears of joy, so I stood there on the stage with tears streaming down my cheeks...)

I know this experience changed my life forever. I know without any shadow of doubt that I am destined to be a speaker. I know that the Universe will support me and deliver the opportunities where I can give speeches that will inspire others. I know that it is my life's purpose to do that. And I know my message will be a gift of Love from my heart to the hearts of all that will be in my audiences in the future. And for this I am deeply grateful. And I am absolutely honored to have had the opportunity to speak at the Movers and Shakers in New York - with Louise Hay in the audience! Who would have thought that I would get to have her in the audience twenty two years after I first read her book "You Can Heal Your Life" which started me on my healing journey, leading me to where I am today. What a great honor, indeed!

Vision For The New Earth

2009-11-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

I am so immensely inspired by the books I am reading at the moment that I must share them with you, my dear readers, in case you have not had a chance to come into contact with them yet. They will change your life - I guarantee it - if you choose to read them. I am referring to the Ringing Cedars Series by Vladimir Megre (www.ringingcedars.com).

The first book in the series (nine of which have been translated from Russian into English) is called "Anastasia" according to the main character in the books. This remarkable woman is a real person living in the Siberian taiga (forest). She is the embodiment of all that those of us on the spiritual path aspire toward. She is a living example of what us humans were meant to be and how we were in the beginning of creation on the pristine planet Earth, our home which back then was literally a Paradise.

Through Vladimir Megre, a Russian entrepreneur, Anastasia delivers her message to us in the books that she asked him to write. It is a message of hope for humanity that shows us the way to return to Paradise, to transform our planet back into a beautiful Garden of Eden. Through the awakening new consciousness and, more specifically, by returning to Nature we will be able to return to our Pristine Origins and live as co-creators with our Creator.

In the fourth book of the series, called "Co-creation", Anastasia tells the story of creation and how we lost our creative faculties - or rather gave them up - in favour of tearing God's creation apart. However, she also gives us the key to returning to co-creation: the science of image making. There are teachings in the spiritual movement, specifically ones that talk about manifestating through visualizing and affirming the desired outcome, that echo the return of the ancient abilities of Man (the term used for humans throughout the Ringing Cedars Series), but there is something unique in the way Anastasia delivers her message that touches your very heart and soul on a deeper level and clears your mind of any lingering doubts.

The purity of Anastasia's message is astounding. Here is someone who in our modern times lives in her "Garden of Eden" and has the full faculties of Man's creative potential intact. Here is someone whose vision for the future of our planet gives us hope for a beautiful new era of peace and happiness as well as abundance for all. Her vision for the future is so close to my heart, because it is also my vision! The book that I am currently writing is called "Vision for the New Earth". So many things in Anastasia's vision agree with my own, I find it truly remarkable!

It is a vision for people returning to live off the Earth and loving and caring for our beautiful planet that gives us life. It is a vision of honoring our children and letting them discover their God-given abilities from within without interfering with their natural process of unfolding - and letting them teach us and show us the way! It is a vision of living with an open heart and experiencing joy as your constant companion.

I know there are many of us with similar visions for the future, and I know it is time for all of us to come together and share those visions in order to put them into practise, so that we can start to take some real concrete steps to clean our own thoughts and to clean the Earth as well. As we humans return our consciousness to that of our Pristine Origins, the Earth too will return to its Pristine Origins, and we will restore Paradise!

I ask you, dear readers, to consider joining our hands and hearts in order to create the world of Anastasia's vision and making it your own. I know I am! This is what I have been dreaming about all my life. The time has come for us to become real people again and put away our destructive ways. The time has come to awaken the knowledge of co-creation.

The Greatest Secret

2009-11-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

You may find it hard to believe but I am about to reveal the greatest secret to manifesting your heart's desires! I am not kidding! It may not be something you've never heard before, but if you are anything like most humans on this planet, the same problem that has been bothering me for a very long time, may have been bothering you too: you've made things much harder than they need to be.

Have you been giving intent to change a circumstance in your life, or to create more abundance, more satisfying work, or a deeply resonating love relationship? Has your heart been yearning to make your life more peaceful, more fulfilling, or more joyful? You may have even followed the advice on how to manifest these things by visualizing it all in complete detail with feeling. For this is indeed what you need to do. This is what we learnt from the movie "Secret" and from other sources that teach manifestation.

So, why isn't it working?! You have spent countless hours thinking about and visualizing what you want. You have written your desires in your journal, you have cut and pasted pictures on a cardboard that hangs on you wall. And still nothing... You have tried to connect with the right people making yourself available for opportunities. You have let go of old situations making room for the new. You have done all the right things, so why isn't anything happening?

Here it comes, the missing ingredient, the greatest secret, the forgotten part of the formula for manifesting your heart's desire... Are you ready?! Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Then I will tell you. This is it: You do not need to know how it is going to happen.

What? That's it! What do you mean: "I do not need to know how it is going to happen?" You must be mistaken! That can't be the greatest secret to manifesting what I want!

Ahh... but it is! The more you try to figure out how it's going to happen, the more you get in the way. And the more you start doubting if it's ever going to happen. You have not done the one thing that makes all your visualizing with feeling, your writing, affirming and drawing, cutting and pasting your desired outcome possible. You have not let go of the need to know how it could come about. You have not surrendered the need to be in control. And you are interfering with the process.

You may even say: "I don't know how it's going to happen," but then you spend hours and days, and weeks and months trying to get the answers, trying to figure it out. You meditate to get the answer, you read oracle cards and you go ask psychics. You talk to other people to get their advice. You set intent to get answers in dreams. You feel you need to know how it's going to happen and what it is you must do to make it happen.

Here's what you must do - the very last thing you thought: you need do nothing! This would be far more valuable now than all your doing, thinking, agonizing, second-guessing, even praying and visualizing. You have given your intent to the Universe. Now you must let go and allow the Universe to do its part. But do not interfere.

The Universe is perfectly capable of figuring out the best possible way and timing to bring your heart's desire to you. You can trust that if you initially felt joy at the thought of what you want to happen, it will come to you. It is bound to come, because you felt the joy and you could see this for yourself. This is what you want. It is your heart's desire. It is on its way to you. But do not interfere. Trust! Say to the Universe only: "Thank you for bringing my heart's desire to me. I know and trust that you will, but I don't have any idea how!"

This will open up the infinite, unlimited possibilities for your desire to come to you. If you try to make it happen, you may have access to about four percent of the universal resources through your experience, learning, know-how, skills and abilities. The rest of the ninety-six percent will remain untapped, if you do not let go. By saying to the Universe that you don't have the faintest clue of how it is going to happen, the Universe will go to work on your behalf - and you will witness miracles!

These miracles will be unthought-of solutions to your problems, and surprising events and encounters that will deliver to you exactly what you need to bring about your desire. There are no limits to the possibilities. And you will be pleasantly surprised at the ingeniousness of the way in which everything will happen.

How much more fun is this that stressing about every single detail of trying to make things happen and accomplish what seems beyond your reach. You can relax and have fun, enjoying the process of manifesting. You become the witness to infinite creation. You let the music of manifestation move you in a dance that delights you. You need not calculate the steps you take. Indeed, you cannot, or you won't enjoy the dance. Just listen to the music and let it move you!

In other words, "let go and let God" does not mean that you never lift a finger, that you never move a muscle or get off your seat to do anything. On the contrary, you will be moved to do a lot of things, but not until the music grabs you! That's when you start dancing, not before. Your doing will be inspired. There is no effort. It's easy, and it's fun! You love it, for it is in line with your heart's desire. And before you know it, you're living the life you want to live! You have manifested your heart's desire!

An Answer

2009-10-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had asked for guidance for a situation I am dealing with in my life. Today I picked up my journal and read what I had written. I want to share it with you here for two reasons: first, because I feel that it may provide an answer for you as well for what you are dealing with right now, and secondly, because it will help me to really integrate the answer I was given.

Beloved, you have come to this lifetime with a vision and a purpose. That vision WILL be actualized and that purpose WILL be fulfilled. Have no concern over this. Focus on one thing - and one thing alone: LOVE. Know that THIS IS WHO YOU ARE no matter where you are and what you do. Being Who You Really Are will give you JOY. Therefore, following you Joy is the key to finding Who You Really Are. In every circumstance that you find yourself BE Who You Really Are. You are Love.

Even if you cannot feel Joy at a given moment, you can at least BE AT PEACE. Do your best to look for the Joy in the moment, and you can always find something joyful. Your GRATITUDE will take you to your Joy. For there is always something to be grateful for.

Be at peace with what is even if you don't understand it. When you are at peace by ACCEPTING what is, the situation will reveal its lesson and its blessing. You will then be able to transcend the situation, either by rising above it or by transforming it. Either way you will be at peace.

Your gratitude will transport you to your Joy. What you focus upon will be magnified. Focus on Peace, Love and Joy. The way to find these is through Gratitude. Find something to be grateful for. Be okay with not knowing. All answers will reveal themselves to you at the right time. Before that they would not make sense.

If you desire more abundance in any area of your life, FOCUS ON ABUNDANCE. Only then will it magnify. This is again where gratitude comes in: be grateful for what you have and more will come. This is a Universal Law. It must be so.

Be at peace. Love is Who You Are. Follow your Joy. Love will find a way.

What is Life?

2009-10-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was very touched by a song that was sent to me in an email by my aunt Hellen. In this song written and sung by a 13-year old boy he asks why the world is the way it is; why we don't help others is need. Here it is. Please, listen to it. I know you, too, will be moved.

This song reminded me of a poem my son Erik wrote when he, too, was 13. That was five years ago. After having been suffering from a tooth infection for several days, he had woken up in the middle of the night to write it. I got up in the morning as usual to get the children ready for school and myself ready for work. As I went into the kitchen half asleep to make coffee, I found the poem on the counter. I was deeply moved. I would like to share it with you here.

Life - no one knows it -

Can't be described by even the greatest poets.

Life - what is its meaning?

Is it emotions and what you're feeling?

Is is a gateway to our future?

Is is creating life to protect and nurture?

Is it to make everyone strong?

Is it for all beliefs, religions, and races to get along?

Is it for knowledge and wisdom?

Is it for posture and charisma?

Is it to solve all our wonders?

Is it to make us brave for the fearsome thunders?

Is is to make the world a better place,

To put a smile on everyone's face?

Is is to correct all types of sin,

Not to judge big, small, wide or thin?

Not to stumble but to keep steady,

Not to earn going to heaven but to live in it already!

To get the fear out of people's eyes,

To protect people from all those hurtful lies.

To prevent torture and violence,

To speak up instead of silence,

To stop all the pain,

To make sure everyone feels the same.

Not to take but to give

The right for every creature to live.

To get rid of all that fiction,

To let go of every harmful addiction.

To get rid of every boundary,

To live as one whole family.

For us not to compare,

For us to treat everyone fair.

Is it to make everyone feel great?

Is it up to you - or up to fate?

Our children are the leaders of the New Earth. It is our children that will show us the way to a better world. They have so much to teach us! Let us nurture them so that they will not forget their True Identity. Let us support them so that they feel free to express themselves. Let this be our highest duty as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, caregivers, and educators of our children. Let us all together show our children that we are here for them; that they can rely on us to be on their side. Let us listen to our children and honor their wisdom.

End of Fear

2009-09-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I wrote a blog post titled: "End of Worry", the message of which would be enough to completely transform your life, if applied consistently. Here I am attempting to go one step further: to consider your life without any fear. What would you do if you had no fear? What would your life look like? Can you imagine that? Most of us are so accustomed to living with our fears that we find it hard to imagine a life without them. Yet, the beginning of the possibility of life without fear is being able to imagine such a possibility! Let's see if we can do it.

Let's start by imagining that... Hmm... Where would you start? Just when I was trying to figure that out I noticed a big spider crawling on the blanket on my lap. Although I claim not to mind spiders, I quickly tried to get rid of the spider. I did not want one crawling on me! When my attempt to remove the spider with the arm of my sunglasses failed, I jumped up and started shaking the blanket. I was afraid of the little spider!

Now I know where to start. I must start with not being afraid of nature. I think a lot of us have removed ourselves so far from being in tune with nature that we have become fearful of the natural world. We have become fearful of other creatures that inhabit the Earth with us, and we have become afraid of the forces of nature, such as possible floods, hurricanes or earth quakes. We have lost our sense of oneness with nature. Let us start by acknowledging our connection to nature and knowing that no harm can come to us if we respect Mother Nature.

Let us love the Earth and Mother Nature and She will lovingly take care of us. It is no accident that She is called a Mother. She gave us life, and She nurtures that life even as a mother takes care of her children. She provides us with food and shelter. Our very physical lives would be impossible without Her life giving energy. We can feel completely safe in Her loving arms. We can trust that all of our physical needs will be met by Her. We need not go hungry or cold. She is capable of providing for us.

This is something I was contemplating this morning; that although many of us live in artificial environments, forgetting where our true sustenance comes from when we buy our food from the super market in glittery packages, throw it in the microwave, and scorf it down absentmindedly in front of the evening news after a hard day in the office under the fluorescent lights, all that keeps us alive and well still comes from the Earth. We may not grow our own food, but without the life giving energy of the grains and fruits and vegetables grown in the soil of the Earth, we would not survive.

So, this is my starting point in living a life without fear. Let us imagine a life where our every need is met easily and effortlessly; where we need not be fearful of running short of food or going without shelter. Now let us imagine that we are also perfectly safe always; that the world is a safe place. If we do no harm to the smallest of God's creatures, no harm can come to us. I will not harm even a spider; although I may move it outside, if it lands on my lap. Yet, I need not be afraid.

Now that I feel perfectly safe and taken care of in the world, I am free to imagine a life without fear. When I am completely in harmony with nature, I can also be in complete harmony with my environment which includes other people. Let us imagine that we are not the least bit concerned about other people's opinions; that we give ourselves the freedom to follow our heart's joy without worrying about what others will think. If we live our lives in fear of others' judgements, we will not be free. Rather, we have made ourselves slaves to our fears of disapproval. Let us give ourselves and each other the freedom to choose our own course in life. Nature does not tell the cucumber to become a tomato, no mater how many more tomatoes than cucumbers grow in the garden.

I think I have touched on the two most basic fears that we have: the fear of not having our basic survival needs met and the fear of not belonging, of being disapproved. These are also our two most basic needs: to have food and shelter, and to have a community of others who support us. If we did not have these needs met unconditionally as a child, we may not trust Life to deliver them consistently. Yet, now as adults, it becomes our duty to question the validity of such fears. For the truth is, the Universe is a benevolent place where all that we could ever need is available to us. Our job then becomes to believe that we deserve it and open up to it!

Yes, we deserve all of our needs to be met, the greatest of which is the need to be loved. But let us not go searching for love and approval outside of ourselves. Let us start by giving it to ourselves. Each of us is perfect just the way we are. Everything in nature is perfect. It doesn't matter the shape and size of the tomato or the cucumber. There will not be two that are identical, but every single one is perfect in its own way. This has got to be the least we can do for ourselves: to let ourselves off the hook when it comes to trying to fit in or be accepted by others. Each of us was born to deliver something unique to the world!

We are not random passers-by in the world; we are not insignificant. We are players in a grand movie called life, and each of our parts are important. We have a gift to give, a song to sing, a message to deliver. It is time that we release our fears and step into our power! Aha! There it is - our ultimate fear: that we are powerful beyond measure! We have come to fear our own power. How could this be? Why are we afraid to show our true colors? Why are we afraid to create the lives that we want? Why are we afraid of being Who We Really Are?

The answers to these questions may lie in the same place where our other fears were found: by removing ourselves from the natural world, WE have become unnatural! We have covered our true identity with all kinds of roles and pretenses. We hardly remember Who We Really Are. So, the end of fear is actually this: remembering our True Selves, remembering Who We Really Are. And as we continue to remove fear, we become more and more natural; we get in touch with our True Selves more and more. Let us not let this lifetime pass by without singing our song! It is time for our voices to be heard.

It is time to come out of hiding. There will be something missing in the world until we deliver our gift. Let us not be afraid, for we will discover that the more that we bring out our True Selves, the more everything in our lives starts falling into place. Our basic needs will be met easily and effortlessly. As we connect with our joy, we delight and inspire others. We step into our Path of Service by bringing out our gifts, and therefore the Universe will serve us in return by taking care of us in every way. We need not worry about our well-being. All we need to do is keep on sharing our gift.

The gift can be anything. Only you will know what yours is by what gives you the most joy. It may be growing or making food; it may be painting or singing; it may be knowing how to comfort those in sorrow, or to discover a cure for a disease; it may be knowing how to create beautiful spaces for others to enjoy; it may be knowing how to care for children. The possibilities are endless. You will discover your gift as you lift the veil of fear and step into the sunlight. There you will find your True self. You will love what you see, and you will not be afraid to show it to the world, for it is beautiful!

Be That Which You Desire

2009-09-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Whenever you think of becoming something, remember this: You already are that which you wish to become. Just BE Who You Really Are. Whenever you think of wanting to get something, remember this: You already have that which you want. Just give thanks to that which you have in your life now. Once you recognize that everything is within you now, you can manifest that which you wish to experience externally. There is nothing that comes to you from the external world that you haven't already realized within. If you desire abundance, you must feel abundance within. If you desire happiness, you must feel happiness within, and so on.

All that you desire to experience externally must first be experienced as a feeling internally. Otherwise you will not recognize the external manifestation, even if it is right before your eyes. You cannot see beauty without, unless you see beauty within. You could be looking right at the most magnificently beautiful flower and not even see it. You might notice its outer form, yet remain completely untouched by its true beauty. Unfortunately this is how we often look at each other; we see the outer form but remain untouched by the inner beauty.

If you are experiencing any appearance of lack in your life, know that you have focused on the lack in your mind, be it lack of money, lack of love, or whatever. You must first connect with the incredible abundance of the universe within your very being, and the incredible wellspring of love within yourself, until you can enjoy their external manifestations. As soon as you start connecting with the FEELING of abundance and the FEELING of happiness, joy, love, or whatever you desire, you become the vibrational match for it to manifest in your external world. As soon as you connect with your true inner beauty, you see beauty absolutely everywhere in your external world. "As within, so without."

I would like to share a poem that I channeled from my Higher Self in March of 2000 which speaks of this truth:

I am that I am.

All that I am, you are.

All that I have, you have.

All that know, you know.

My knowing is in the moment.

All that I am, I am now.

I do not look to the future to find out what I know.

I do not look to the future to get what I have.

I do not look to he future to find out who I am.

All is now.

I am that I am now.

I have all that I need now.

I know all that I need to know now.

In truth I have no needs,

for "need" implies lack,

and I lack nothing.

I have everything, because I am everything.

In truth having and being are the same.

And also, being and knowing are the same.

Suffice it to say:

I am that I am.

Add nothing to that,

or you are trying to take away something

from all that you are,

from All That Is,

which you cannot do.

It would only lead to illusion,

making an illusion of who you are.

Therefore, "Know Thyself" remains the key to everything.

Seek nothing outside of yourself.

You are All That Is.

For you are that which I am.

We are the same.

We are one.

Each of us have all that we desire within ourselves. The divine aspect of us that we often term the Higher Self, is the source of all knowledge and wisdom, of all happiness and joy, of all inspiration, as well as the source of all abundance and prosperity. It is with us - within us - all the time. Never has there been a time that we have been disconnected from our Divine Self. Never has there been a time that we have disconnected from our Divine Source. We may think we have, though, and that has produced untold unhappiness and misery in our experience. Yet, as close as our next breath, is the source of all happiness and joy, all abundance and prosperity, all inspiration and infinite wisdom.

I would like to share another poem that I wrote in August of 2000, when I was getting ready to teach a workshop on how to access your Inner Power:

My Light flows from me like a radiant sun.

My Rays touch the world with their brilliance,

and the world is transformed along with me.

My Love pours out of me

like a waterfall from snow covered mountains.

It touches the hearts of all,

in order to heal.

And as the hearts open,

they become wellsprings of Love

that extends all around the Earth.

As the Great Rays light up the whole world,

it is transformed into Majesty.

And the highest feeling of Love,

which is Unity with All,

has been achieved.

And we know we are One.

And we know Love is all there is.

With this thought I will conclude this post.

With All My Love,

Elara

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

2009-08-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may

not so much seek

to be consoled

as to console;

to be understood

as to understand;

to be loved

as to love.

For it is in giving

that we receive;

it is in pardoning

that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying

that we are born to eternal life.

This prayer of St. Francis from the thirteenth century is very close to my heart. It resonates in my being very deeply. It conveys the essence of who I aspire to be. I have been listening to the version of it sung by Cecilia, over and over again since I bought her CD on the I Can Do It cruise, hosted by Hay House, that I had the pleasure of going on about a month ago. It is speaking to me and elevating my thoughts. It is reminding me of why I am here; of my life's purpose. I am deeply humbled and grateful for this beautiful reminder. I wanted to share it with you here in the hopes that it would inspire you as well.

Blessings,

Elara

When God closes a door He opens a window

2009-08-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Today there is a powerful shift taking place. It is the opening of the "Lion's Gate". Now it is of the utmost importance to claim the truth of Who You Really Are. Who you see yourself as today, will carry you onto the next phase of your life. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Use this day to claim your power. Align yourself with your truest heart, with your greatest joy.

The "Lion's Gate" is an opening to another world, another dimension. In the ancient Egypt only the highest Initiates were able to ride the chariots which were pulled by lions. The lions received telepathic communication from the Initiate and responded to their slightest request. They were an extension of the mind of the Initiate, taking them to where they needed to go. Only the purest heart and mind was able to connect with the lions this way. If a person had any fear whatsoever, the lions would instantly attack and kill that person.

A person with fear in their heart or mind is not living in the full Light of Truth. They are not being true to themselves, and are therefore not authentic. They are living a lie, and they are deceived in themselves and therefore not fully trustworthy. The pure consciousness of a lion would detect that, and their nature as a beast would instinctively attack a person like that, in self-defense. Yet, the same magnificent animal would purr like a domestic cat at the slightest touch of the pure heart and mind.

You can only pass through the "Lion's Gate" as your True Authentic Self. You cannot pass with fear in your heart or mind. You cannot pass with deception and lies. You must pass the test of Truth: the truth of Who You Really Are. You must be aligned with you True Self in both your heart and mind. Nothing less than that will do. If you come with any residue of fear in your being, the gate will remain closed to you. But if you come as your True Self with pure heart and mind, the gate will swing open, and you will step into your magnificent New Life.

Think about this today: What elements of your life do not belong in your new life? If you had no fear, what would you do? Who is Your Real Self? What would your life look like if you followed your true heart, your greatest joy? And last but not least: Are you willing to let go of all that does not resonate with Who You Really Are? Are you willing to risk everything for the sake of Truth?

If you do not have the courage to live as your Authentic Self, the gate to the fulfilment of your highest potential will remain closed. You will continue to struggle in the grips of your ego, edging God out, deceived in yourself. You will remain small even if your were the most famous person in the world. You will not know your true greatness, and you will die bitter, knowing that it was all meaningless.

In contrast, if you have the courage to live as Who You Really Are, hiding nothing, holding nothing back, you will step through the gate and find yourself walking with grace on a peaceful road that takes you to the fulfillment of your wildest dreams. You will be living as a transparent being of pure Light and Love. You will be guided every step of the way, lacking nothing, at the service of your Highest Calling. And when you pass from this world, you will take your last breath with your heart overflowing with gratitude for the honor of having served the Light.

Whatever your path of service looks like, it is where you find your greatest joy and fulfillment. You may or may not become known in the worldly sense. It makes no difference. YOU will know that your path is true; that you are being true to yourself. You will be a light in the darkness. You will be a comfort to the suffering. You will be an inspiration to the disheartened. Like in the prayer of St Francis, you will seek not so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand; you will seek not so much to be loved as to love with all your soul.

This morning I had a long conversation with one of my dearest friends, Patty. Her greatest joy would be to just be at home, but to have her house be open for people to come and seek her wisdom. She is a person with indescribable depth of Love and definitely a channel for Higher Wisdom. As she puts it, she is "the voice of all voices", and whoever comes into contact with her, is transformed by her presence. One of her greatest gifts is the gift of joy. Her laughter is contagious, and I see her as the laughing Buddha.

I, on the other hand, desire to travel to many places in the world, speaking words of inspiration to hundreds and thousands of people. Although it doesn't matter whether I am speaking to an audience of one, or one hundred, or one thousand, for the message is ultimately the same, it is my vision to be speaking to large audiences. Therefore I believe that it is part of my Calling to inspire as many people as possible. The thought of it gives me great joy and fills my heart with gladness.

Today I am stepping into my truth by making this statement to the world: I am a spiritual teacher and healer. I am here to awaken as many people as possible, to know their True Self and to find their path of service, their Calling in life. I claim my true power as a being of pure Light and Love. I commit to live my life authentically in the service to the Light. And with the words from A Course In Miracles, I now step through the gate: I am here only to be helpful. I am here to represent Him Who sent me. I do not have to worry about what to say or do, for He Who sent me, will direct me. I am content to be where ever He wishes me to be, knowing that He will go there with me.

I will hold nothing back. I will risk everything for sake of Truth, for I know that I will be supported. All that I need will be given me. I need take care for nothing, but fulfilling the only purpose I came here for. I will ride the golden chariot pulled by the lions, for my heart is pure and my mind is clear. I joyfully release all that does not belong in my new life and embrace that which awaits me. I know that when God closes a door, He opens a window, for He knows that we can fly through that window to be free and to live our dreams. This I know. So be it. Namaste.

I Can Do It!

2009-07-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I Can Do it! This was the name of the cruise, hosted by Hay House, that I went on, a week ago. It was a life altering experience for me. As I shared in my last post, I felt completely inspired to go on this cruise and to participate in the writers' workshop. I went through a big shift during the cruise and emerged at the end of it knowing that I am definitely meant to get my book out there and step more fully into living my dreams. It is about following my Calling and fulfilling my life's purpose. And it's about believing that I can do it.

During the cruise I was particularly inspired by Wayne Dyer. I bought his book "Inspiration - Your Ultimate Calling", because it jumped at me at the bookstore and a single line from the book brought tears to my eyes. I knew I was to live an inspired life following my Calling. I know what my Calling is; I have always known what my Calling is. However, I have been too afraid to follow it. I have not always believed in myself to be worthy of it. This is what the ego does to us: it tells us that we are not good enough to follow our dreams, our joy. If we listen to it, we won't, and we will be uninspired - not living in Spirit.

My Calling is to awaken people to who they really are. It is my purpose in life and it is my path of service. It is what gives me the greatest joy! I have been doing it in small ways all my life, because this is who I am: an Awakener. However, now it is time to step in with both feet and follow my destiny. I want to reach as many people as I can, so that I can inspire them to awaken to their True Identity and find their Calling; to follow their dreams and fulfill their destiny. In so doing, humanity will awaken from the dream of separation and realize that we are all one and meant to work together as one to create a beautiful new reality based on the highest truths, based on Love. This is what my book is about.

It is quite significant to me that I spent a week being exposed to successful authors and speakers, such as Wayne Dyer. Listening to them inspired me greatly. I could see myself doing the same in a couple of years; being part of a great event like this as one of the authors. I could see myself in each of them. They all had their own distinct styles of speaking. Wayne Dyer's energy is so soothing and comforting. He exudes an incredible amount of love. Gregg Braden has great charisma and is very professional and articulate. I was very touched by his message. He talks about the shift culminating in 2012 from a scientific point of view, which is a great compliment to those of us who talk about it merely from the spiritual perspective. His work is incredibly valuable in many respects. I was greatly honored to get his autograph. Sonia Choquette was wonderful: she was so dynamic and a true free spirit. She had most of her audience dancing on the stage with her at the end of her talk! Carolyne Myss is one who doesn't put up with any nonsense; she is someone who knows how to apply, what I think of as tough love, in order to get people off the pot, so to speak, and to get on with their lives.

There were others, such as John Holland and Brian Weiss, who shared their stories and generously demonstrated their gifts. John Holland is a medium; he can connect with your loved ones and bring messages from them from the other side. After many years of trying to hold back his gift - it wasn't necessarily cool to talk to dead people - he finally decided to embrace it and get trained in mediumship. He studied in England and tells an interesting story of how when he applied for a student visa, he received a letter of refusal in the same envelope with the visa! It is a great example of how miracles, in other words events that defy logic, take place to support us when we are following our Calling.

Brian Weiss used to practise traditional psychotherapy prescribing pills to his clients. Through a series of events he was called to do past life regression work. He was not someone who even believed in past lives, but what do you do when clients in your office start having past life memories! Do you deny it as nonsense or do you keep an open mind and explore it? Thankfully he was open minded, so that he would find his Calling and come to help countless people to heal their past life dramas.

Spending a whole week with like-minded, spiritually aware people was fantastic. I made some wonderful new friendships. It is interesting that although I went on the cruise by myself, I hardly spent a moment alone. It was so easy to talk to everyone and be totally myself without having to hold back on any level or sensor what I was saying. It was very refreshing, and the thought that the whole world would one day be like that, is very exciting to me. Imagine a world where everyone is able to be freely themselves, where everyone is your friend, and where everyone is following their joy, living their highest life. What a wonderful world that will be! This is also what my book is about.

I must include an interesting story about how my trip started. I needed to wake up at 4 am and start driving to the airport at 4:30 to catch a 6 am flight from Kelowna to Vancouver where I would change planes to Seattle to board the cruise ship. I was up in the middle of the night, not being able to sleep, thinking about how early I needed to wake up, only to awaken startled, as I realized that I had slept in. It was 5:35 am when I looked at the time. My plane would leave in 25 minutes! The drive to the airport alone was 30 minutes, so I arrived at 6:15 and found out that the plane had been delayed! It didn't leave until 8 am, so I had plenty of time to have morning coffee and catch my plane as well as make my connection at 10:15. How wonderful that I got the extra hour and a half of sleep that I really needed! It is interesting that the night before I had been talking with my family about how clock time does not exist and that we are always at the right time in the right place, no matter what time it is!

Each of us has a Calling. We came to this Earth with something we wanted to accomplish, something that we wanted to give. Our Calling is our Path of Service. It is our purpose and it is what will give us the greatest joy. Following our joy will take us to our Calling. We will recognize it by how we feel. Even just the thought of it will excite us! Our Calling is bigger than us; it is part of the greater whole. It is our gift to Humanity. There is not one person alive on this planet that does not have something to give! Each of us has a contribution to make in this lifetime. We must trust that our Calling will find us and be open to it. And once it does, it will consume us! It will not let us be complacent; it will not let us sit on the side lines of our lives. It will get our attention everywhere we turn. It will remind us of who we are and why we are here. It will guide us to live our lives full-on from our hearts.

Sometimes surrendering to our Calling means we need to make big life changes. We may need to leave jobs, relationships or living situations that we have outgrown, that do not resonate with our Calling. We may not always be understood by our family or friends or society at large. But to us it doesn't matter anymore, for we are following the fire in our hearts. We have made contact with our Spirit. We are willing to be consumed by the fire. Our egos cannot talk us into conformity anymore. We are not willing to betray our own truth anymore. We are not looking for any one's approval. We are following an Inner Voice that we cannot ignore anymore. We have answered our Calling. Whatever is asked of us, we can do it! We may not know how, but we trust that all that we need will be given us. We will be guided every step of the way. Our hearts are full, and we must share our love in the way that we were meant to, in the way that we intended to before we were born.

This is why we were born; this is why we are here. We are not here to resolve karma or to pay for the sins of our ancestors. We are certainly not here at random without a purpose. We are here to awaken to our glorious True Nature and to follow our Dharma. Our Dharma is our Calling, our Destiny, our Purpose for living; it is our greatest Joy! This is why we are here. And as Wayne Dyer put it in his talk: let us not die with our music still inside us! We are meant to share it with the world. Let the world hear your music. You are never to young or too old to find your Dharma. Louise Hay was 61 when she started Hay House. She is now 83, and Hay House is the biggest self-help publishing house in North America with offices in all the English speaking countries around the world.

You are certainly never too poor to follow your Dharma. It does not require a big bank account, but it may require a willingness to receive unlimited abundance. As Louise Hay put it: when she was growing up it would take her family weeks to save up an extra dime and now she can rent an entire ship! It was truly an honor to be on that ship! And Louise Hay and the Hay House authors are a perfect example of people who are following their Dharma. Wayne Dyer gave up a guaranteed and highly esteemed position as a university professor and everything he owned, in order to market his first book in 1976 by driving around the country (United States). Today he is the author of 35 books and living an entirely inspired life, residing in a beautiful place in Maui, touching the hearts of millions of people worldwide. What an honor to have his autograph on my copy of his book, "Inspiration - Your Ultimate Calling".

You can heal your life, as the title of Louise Hay's first book, published in 1984, suggests. You can follow your Inspiration and find your Ultimate calling, as Wayne Dyer tells us in his book. You and I can do it, as Louise Hay tells us in her book called "I can do it", for which I have the honor of having her autograph. We can do anything we desire. We just need to make ourselves available by signifying our willingness to follow our hearts and follow our truth, no matter what. Let us not let anything stand in our way. Let us not make any more excuses. By the way, the latest book by Wayne Dyer is called "Excuses begone". So be it! I am going to get busy writing my book as well as my book proposal to Hay House. I can do it! I can get my book published by Hay House! This was the inspiration for going on the cruise. I will follow it. It is part of my Calling and my next step. How about you - what is your Calling and what is your next step? Whatever it is, you can do it!

You were meant to fly!

2009-07-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

I am sitting on the back veranda watching the sparrows as they fly to and from their nest. Soon the little baby birds will be ready to fly. They don't know it, though, until their parents push them out of the nest. Birds have such absolute trust in that their little ones will be able to fly, that they do not hesitate to push them out. And fly the little ones will as they were meant to. Nature provides such wonderful examples of how were were meant to live, for we humans, too, were meant to fly.

What does "flying" mean to you? What would your life be like if you believed you can fly; if you believed that you can manifest your dreams? I was talking with a friend the other day about how I decided to go on an Alaskan cruise, and how to me it was so important to give myself the permission to go because it meant that I was walking my talk about following our joy and believing that we can make out dreams come true, when she said: "...yes, for as long as we know what they are..." All of a sudden I realized that many of us do not even know what our dreams are. We have so gotten lost in our mundane survival modes that we have stopped dreaming; we have lost touch with our joy.

I found myself saying that the way to find our dreams again is to take notice of what gets our attention. When we feel a sudden excitement about something, we are connecting with joy; we are connecting with our dreams. It was only a week ago that I was scrolling through an email that I noticed a link to another site. What caught my attention was the heading: "You can get your book published by Hay House". Somehow I had always thought that I would send my book to Hay House first when it was time to get it published. And here was this course that Hay House was putting on for writers that would teach you all about how to get your book published, and it took place on a cruise boat!

I checked out the link and thought that the cruise was pretty neat and would be fun. However, I don't know that it even really occurred to me that I could go on this cruise. It wasn't until the next day, when I was talking to my partner about it, that I realised that I had automatically concluded that I could not go, without even giving myself a chance. All of a sudden I felt like I had let myself down. I then opened my mind up to the idea that I could go, and I got in touch with incredible feelings of joy and excitement. Isn't this what I had been talking and writing about, to follow your joy?! I felt I owed it to myself and all those that I was wanting to inspire that I go on this cruise. I felt it would open doors for me and shift a lot of energy. Even just the thought of going was already creating a huge shift for me!

I was so excited I could barely sleep that night. Yet, I woke up with all the usual doubts running through my head. What was I thinking I could spend that kind of money and just take off in less than two weeks, leaving my family and my work for a week just like that? I must have been dreaming... Fortunately I have a partner that was encouraging me to go, because he understood what this meant for me, so after talking with him some more about it, I connected with the wonderful feeling of joy again and felt very strongly that this was right for me. A couple of days later I had arranged the time off work and prebooked the cruise. Now it only depended on whether the travel agent would find a cabin mate for me so that I could go at an affordable price. Sure enough, the next day I got the confirmation that I could go; they had found a perfect cabin mate for me!

There were enough unknown factors along the way, from not knowing for a couple of days if I could get the time off work to not knowing if a cabin mate would be found, that it gave me the perfect opportunity to give the whole thing over to the Universe and trust that if all the details fell into place, I would know I was truly meant to go. At the same time, it gave me an opportunity to let go, knowing that it would be fine even if I didn't go. There is nothing as comforting as trusting your Higher Power to work everything out for you. When you do that, you can absolutely trust that everything will work out perfectly as it is meant to for everyone's highest and greatest good. And here I am, getting ready to go on this wonderful cruise in a week!

Looking back at my process, it is clear to me how often we may not even give ourselves the chance to follow our joy; how fast we bypass our joy by all the rational reasoning of why we could not possibly do what we would like to do. How often do we count ourselves out from wonderful opportunities that come our way? It may feel a little - or a lot - scary to stretch our wings and see if we could fly, but it is certainly well worth it. Think about it: would you rather just stay in your comfort zone, not experiencing anything new and exciting, or would you want to give yourself permission to discover new wonderful adventures that may be waiting for you? Life is a grand adventure, and if we are not following that which excites us, we will be missing out on a lot of fun!

Connect with your dreams. Let yourself be pushed out of the nest which has become the comfort zone. Chances are you have outgrown it! When the Universe gives you a nudge, jump to the opportunity. See where it will take you. I will be honest, for awhile I was almost hoping that I didn't get the time off work or that a cabin mate wasn't found for me, because then I could have stayed in my nest and not ventured out. This is not just a cruise for me; this is a statement to the Universe that I am serious about getting my book published! This is a writers' cruise! I must count myself in as a writer since I'm going... I am following my dreams: I have always wanted to write a book to inspire others.

In 1987 when I had just come to Canada, the very first inspirational, self-help book that I read was "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay, published by Hay House. In 1988 Hay House had published three books. Now they are the biggest publishing house in North America for self-help books. I am going on a cruise put on by Hay House... What a wonderful opportunity! Not to mention that one of the participants has a chance to win a publishing contract with Hay House! How exciting is that! Also, on the cruise will be some of my all time favourite authors that have inspired me over the years, including Louise Hay! How could I not go?

This is what excites me right now, but I'm sure as you are reading this, you are not jumping up and down about having to go on this cruise as well, so here is my question to you: What excites YOU? If you don't know the answer to this question right away, don't worry, it will come. It will present itself if you pay attention to what comes your way and how you feel about it. Notice what catches your attention and what stirs you. Follow it; see where it takes you. Chances are, it will take you to your joy. And as you follow your joy, you will discover, or rediscover, your dreams. This is the beginning of their fulfilment. Dare to follow your joy and dare to dream big! The Universe has no difficulty in delivering your dreams to you - big or small. All you need to do is get in touch with them. How else can you find your wings and fly?

A Little Bit About Myself

2009-06-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

I have always loved writing. Ever since I was a young girl growing up in Finland I have kept a journal and written poems. In the recent months the writer in me has been begging to get out from the pages of a private journal into a format that could be shared with others. My journals are filled with inspirational writings that could be shared except that it would be a big project to edit out all the personal parts and type up the more universal messages. It is a project that I have never found or made time for. So, finally a couple of months ago I purchased a little laptop and started writing a book that had been wanting to come through for a long time. And now, thanks to the inspiration from my cousin, Maria, I have started this blog. I am very excited to be sharing the messages that come through me from my Higher Self.

My given name is Lea. The name, Elara, is a name that I received in 1993 in a meditation when I asked for the name for my Higher Self. It was then that I first started to consciously channel messages from this higher aspect of myself. The idea to name my Higher Self came from a wonderful book by Solara, called "The Star-Borne". It was all rather new for me to ask for written messages from my Higher Self, but as soon as I started to write as Elara, wonderful inspiration just started to pour on to the pages quite easily and effortlessly. At first it was more personal but soon it started to change so that I felt it should be shared with others.

In 1995 I started to hold a meditation group called "Circle of Love". It was then that I realized that I was able to channel my Higher Self also verbally on the spot. I would feel an expanded energy and my heart would start beating faster than normal. There would be only one clear thought floating in my mind which would not go away until I opened my mouth to speak. As soon as I did that, more thoughts would come in, again very easily and effortlessly, just flowing through me as I spoke. It was very empowering and I was always filled with incredible love.

I have facilitated the "Circle of Love" since then with the exception of a few years in between. I have had the honor of meeting many wonderful people over the years that have come to meditate with me. There is always a guided meditation that comes through on the spot. I know it is co-created by the people present in the circle and I simply become the vehicle for the words to flow through to facilitate the meditation. I am so grateful for everyone who has shared this journey with me over the years as the most powerful experiences that I have had, as far as being fully aligned with the Higher Power, have been in these circles. I also feel overjoyed by the fact that I know so many people have gotten in touch with their Higher Self and through that their own Inner Wisdom as they have participated in the circles.

In 1999 I wanted to take the meditation process a step further and I stated to facilitate weekend workshops. This created an even more powerful energy as several people came together for a common purpose for a whole weekend. The process, however, was much the same in that each workshop was always completely unique depending on who the participants were. Again, it was a co-creation on a higher level of all the participants in the workshop with myself as the facilitator. I would get an outline in advance for the agenda for the workshop but the rest was given on the spot. The workshops were called "Awakening your Inner Power", for the awakening to your True Nature and consequently to your Inner Power was always the essence of all of the work.

In 1997 I had the opportunity to give a talk in my homeland, in Finland. I had not been there for ten years, and I was concerned how I would do since I had never channeled my Higher Self in Finnish. Although Finnish is my native language, everything I had learnt and done on my spiritual journey since I moved to Canada in 1987 had been in English. Fortunately my Higher Self is also bilingual! To this day that channeling I did in Helsinki, Finland, was probably the most powerful experience I have had. An interesting point I would like to share about that is the fact that the entire three weeks that I spent in Finland that summer, the weather was sunny the whole time except for the two hours, the duration of my speech. As soon as I started speaking I heard a thunder outside and the thunder storm lasted till the end of the talk!

Since 1996 I have also practiced Reiki combined with other energy healing modalities that come through me. I have called it "Reiki Light Touch", for truly it is a wonderful Healing Light that passes through my very being out through the palms of the hands onto the receiver. I also found out as soon as I started to work on people that I would receive messages for them that would help them heal the issues that they were working on, and ready to bring to the surface. Later on I also learnt Reflexology and Acupressure Massage which provided a wonderful option for those who wanted more physical touch in their healing. In all modalities I find that it is the Healing Energy that I am able to channel that works in a unique manner for the highest and greatest good of the healee. I simply give intent for that as I connect with the healee's Higher Self in the beginning of the session.

In the past few years I have not facilitated as many meditation groups or practised the healing modalities as I have been called to work in the mainstream, in banking. It has been an interesting growing experience for me. I have often questioned why I needed to be there because it seemed limiting to my Spirit and Soul. Yet, time and time again I have felt guided to stay in banking, not just because of financial reasons or the fact that I moved geographical locations and consequently left the healing practice that I had started previously. I knew there was always more to it than met the eye. I went from what seemed to be a spiritual woo-woo to a straight and narrow mainstream professional.

Having experienced both extremes of temporary identity, I feel that it has finally brought me to a place in life where the two worlds are starting to meet. I was recently able to give a talk at a staff meeting at the bank where I felt I was able to channel the higher understanding that I have always had and bring it into a practical context in the workplace. This was very empowering for me and I believe it was an opening for something much bigger.

In the book that I am currently writing I am being given a vision for the New Earth. An important part of that vision is how the systems of the world will need to transform. Besides the banking system, these will include the health care system, the education system, the political system, the justice system and also the media and the entertainment industry. And not surprisingly, it is people like myself that need to be working in leadership roles in these systems in order to make a difference and affect a change. You may recognize yourself as one of the Lightworkers within a system as you read this.

So, what will this change look like? It will mainly have to do with everyone being empowered to fulfill their life's purpose through their work. Ideally everyone will be doing what they love, employing their unique gifts and talents. All societal institutions will truly be working for the highest and greatest good of all people. Win-win will be the name of the game. There are a lot more elements to this vision. However, this article will only touch on the vision as part of my own story that I am sharing with you.

My main point here is that I am very excited about the fact that I am able to start bridging the gap between my spiritual understanding and my role in the world at the moment. The world is changing in leaps and bounds and more and more people are embracing their spirituality. What used to be considered woo-woo, even in the nineties, is now becoming mainstream. Every second person I talk to seems to have heard about "The Secret" which is really all about the Power of Manifestation and the Law of Attraction. It is about how we create our reality and indeed, we do have the power to do that. People are starting to awaken to their Inner Power. This gives me great joy!

My own journey has truly been just that: a journey of awakening my Inner Power. What I have always wanted to facilitate for others, I feel I have been able to do for myself over the years. There is a saying that we teach what we most need to learn. This is why I have always been so immensely grateful for everyone that has shared this journey of Awakening with me in the meditations and the healings, as well as to all my friends and family who have had to listen to me over the years. I really have a way of getting going once I get inspired and it's hard to shut me up sometimes! On that note, perhaps this is a good place to end this post on this blog. You know you will hear from me more, if you care to read. As always, it is my sincere wish that I have been able to inspire you on some level.

Namaste.

End of Worry

2009-06-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

How would you like to live completely worry-free? Is it possible? This is probably your first question. Or you may have already decided that it is not possible. I am now asking you to consider the possibility. For if you are unwilling to consider worry-free living as a possibility, it will certainly be impossible for you to create that. You will continue to worry. What I would like to point out, though, is that you are choosing to worry. You may choose differently any time you like.

Maybe ignorance used to be bliss, but I would ask yourself: Is it really? Once you know you have a choice you cannot claim ignorance anymore. Even if you don't believe that you do have a choice, you still do. You are then choosing not to consider another point of you. You have a fixed belief about something and are choosing to stay closed-minded. You believe you know better.

It is your free will to choose any belief you like, but it may be worthwhile to stop and check your inventory of beliefs every once in a while just to see if the ones that you have adopted are worth keeping. How well are they serving you? Are they making your life better? Are they keeping you happy? Are they empowering you? If you come across any beliefs that you would like to change, there are several techniques I can share with you to help you with this.

I would like to share one right now to help you get started. Find yourself in a comfortable location where you won't be disturbed for a few minutes. Get in touch with the feelings and thoughts that are triggered by my statement: You can live a worry-free life. You can write your thoughts down on a piece of paper. After you have completed a list of possible objections and other thoughts, cross out each one and replace it with a new thought. For example, if you wrote down: "Everyone worries about something all the time", cross it out and write: "I can be an exception to what everyone else does. I do not have to worry about something all the time. I am willing to consider that I can live worry-free." Now take a moment to notice how you feel. Take a deep breath to clear the old belief and embrace the new one.

You have just released a lot of energy that was holding the belief in place. You should notice feeling a bit lighter. You have created room in your mind for a new possiblity. Congratulations! You have taken an important step toward taking charge of your life. Now that you are more open to the possibility of worry-free living, I would like to share another powerful exercise with you. Again, make sure that you are comfortable and won't be disturbed for a while. Start by taking a nice deep breath, then close your eyes and imagine that you are looking at a blank screen. Now allow yourself to see a movie of your worry-free life on the screen.

Don't worry about how this would be possible. Just have fun imagining all the things that you would do and the ways in which you would relate with others. Remember, you are watching a movie. Anything is possible in movies! Have fun with this. Get into it! Notice how it makes you feel to imagine yourself having no worries. What would you do differently than you do now? What would the quality of your life be like? Remember, no limits! Don't let the mind get in there with its doubting commentary. Just use your imagination for a moment. You are directing a movie!

When you feel complete with your movie, you can gently return to your normal awareness by taking another nice deep breath and opening your eyes. Let yourself have a moment to notice how you feel and let yourself entertain the thought, even if just for a moment, that you can have the life you imagined. You have just created a new possible reality for yourself. You can choose it anytime you like. You can choose to be worry-free. You can choose to trust that everything always works out perfectly even if you don't know exactly how just yet.

I am now asking you to develop a trust in the Universe that has yours and everyone's highest and greatest good in mind all the time. I am asking you to consider that there is a Higher Power that watches over you and looks after you. I also want to make it very clear that you have absolute free will to choose your beliefs. I am not asking you to follow someone else's truth. I am merely asking you to be open minded about the possibility that you have been taught lies about how your life works; that you have not been told the whole story; that you are infinitely more powerful than you think. These are things I ask you to consider.

Worry ties up a lot of your energy. The more you worry, the less energy you have. The more you worry, the less empowered you feel. The more you worry, the more you feel like a victim. This is why when you consider the possibility that everything always works out for everyone's highest and greatest good, you can free up your energy. You do not have to try to control situations and outcomes. You can focus on trusting that the highest outcome is already there. You can choose the highest outcome by giving the situation over to your Higher Power. You can say: "I trust that the highest and greatest good for all involved will be realized in this situation. So be it." Then let your worry go with a deep breath as you affirm your trust in the Universe. Try it! You'll be surprised at the difference it makes.

Always expect the best instead of the worst! Worry always expects the worst whereas trust always expects the best. Which would you rather have: the best or the worst outcome? Know that you choose the outcome by your thoughts, coupled with your expectations. Be careful what thoughts you choose to focus on. They may become self-fulfilling prophesies. You do have that much power! Try it out for yourself. Start to become aware of your thoughts and expectations and observe the link between them and events in your life.

Just for a day, decide to live worry-free. Every time you notice yourself worrying, tell yourself: "Everything is going to work out perfectly. I trust in the best possible outcome." Take a deep breath to release your worries and another one to embrace the new thought. Do this as often during the day as you remember. Notice how you feel. See what happens. Perhaps some unexpected things will take place either the same day or another day. Know that you are choosing to align yourself with a new reality where everything always works out for everyone's highest and greatest good. Do your best to release any expectations of what that looks like. Be willing not to know and just trust. Welcome yourself to worry-free living!

All is New!

2009-06-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

The world is changing. Can you feel it? Nothing is as it was before! You are not as you were before. It is a new day, a new life. You are new! Have you wondered what might be going on? Have you noticed that things don't work the same way they used to? Are you frustrated or confused about your life? I believe I can help! You are in good company. You are among the many that are just starting to awaken.

There is an amazing energy that has been set loose on the planet. Everyone can feel it but most still don't know what is really going on. By finding this blog you are among the many that are ready to find out. The world has been born anew. You have been born anew on a cellular level. Your slate has been wiped clean. You can now start your life anew! All you need to do is to imagine the kind of life that you would like to create. You do not need to bring any elements from your old life that do not resonate with who you are choosing to be now and what you are choosing to experience now.

You are the master designer of your life. Everything that you have experienced until now has been created by you, although you may not have been aware of it. You may have believed that things just happened without your consent or without you asking for them on some level. But nothing ever happens by chance. Every event and circumstance in your life has been carefully designed by you! If you are not aware of your creative power, you use it unconsciously but you still use it! You cannot not use it. It is your birthright to design your life the way you choose.

If you don't know about your power to create, it is like having a beautiful new vehicle in your garage and not knowing that you even have a garage! Have you been parking your old worn-out vehicle by the road all these years? Is it on its last legs, not very reliable any more to take you from one place to another? Look in your garage! There is the vehicle of your dreams sitting there with keys in the ignition. Go ahead, take it for a test drive! You'll love it! It can take you anywhere you want. You choose the destination. You are on the driver's seat.

Once you know about the creative power that is in you, you will never give your life over to outside forces again. Why would you not want to drive the new vehicle once you had a taste of what it feels like? Starting today, right now, take a moment to write down what your ideal life would look like. Write a story. Don't worry about how it would be possible to have a life like that. Just imagine anything you like as if you were writing a fictitious story about someone else. This will free up your imagination.

Your imagination is the key to manifesting all your heart's desires. You can manifest anything you can imagine. You had it right as a child! Do you remember those days when you were free to imagine the future and what you would like to be when you grew up? There were no limits in the beginning. It was only after someone told you that you could not have those things that you started doubting yourself and putting limits on the possibilities. You have been drawn to this blog so that someone could tell you: there are no limits! You can create the life you want!

Day dreaming is a wonderful thing. Never feel guilty that you are not being productive if your mind is wondering to places of imagination. It is the most productive use of your mind! The more you can relax and just let your thoughts flow freely, the more you will be able to tap into the power behind those thoughts. Let yourself feel what it would feel like to have all the things that you ever wanted. Your feelings are the fuel that will bring things into manifestation. Imagine what would give you the most joy and let yourself feel the joy! Go as deep into the feeling of joy as you can!

It is all right. You can do this. You deserve to have the life that you want! It is okay to finally let go of all the struggle. You will not receive a medal at the end of your life for the most difficulty and strife or martyrdom and sacrifice. You will only feel regret. That is not a medal or a reward. Give yourself permission now to be free. Let yourself out of the cage. You will discover you have wings and you can fly!

There is a New Energy on the Earth now. If you do not know Who You Really Are, how can you live your life with integrity? Nothing but complete integrity will work in the New Energy. You can find out Who You Really Are by following your joy. Get in touch with yourself. What do you really love to do? What is important to you? What makes you smile? What makes your heart sing? Follow that melody. It will take you Home. And home is where the heart is. Follow your heart, follow your joy! Welcome Home. Welcome to your New Life!