by Navjit Kandola
Share your smile.
Share your footloose, fancy-free dreams.
Share your love.
Share your passions.
Share your vision.
Share your giggles and guffaws
Share something today. Break bread with “the enemy”, drink deep with friends, speak a kind word to someone, give somebody the shirt off your back… anything, as long as you share.
This is not about being politically correct or righteous – you do not have to feed the hungry or give money to charities. Instead, I want you to focus on tapping into the excitement, plenitude, and joy of sharing something that you can give with gratitude.
Through radical, fearless sharing of ourselves, our lives, our gifts, we as individuals can transform the world. We must begin by changing our inner landscape from poverty & lack (in whatever form) to affluence & wellness by growing more of what we love and want within ourselves. And in that wonderful, perfect feeling of fullness amplified and magnified in as many ways as possible, we can transform the deepest, most ingrained ideas and attitudes that keep us small and imprisoned.
Simply put: we must shift up. Vibrationally, intentionally, spiritually.
Sharing is one way to shift up – one way to build a bounteous and fresh future, and pave the way for a Golden Age for all.
How will you join me in giving today? A smile? A story? A sense of calm in your interactions at work?
We can do this, you and I.
by Navjit Kandola
So many times when we want a moment to ourselves, we are looking to move beyond the distractions and attractions of surface awareness – the “this and that” of our lives. We want to go deeper; in part to rejuvenate and replenish, and in part to stretch out in our consciousness.
We want to be able to take as much space as possible within, so that we can contemplate our lives, issues that need to be addressed, and questions that want whole answers.
We know that our thoughts and emotions are active and can interfere with this quest towards silence. We do not need to be discouraged by this – we can learn to move to this silence even with the distractions.
Imagine that you can choose to focus your attention to a quieter place, listening not to the words or feelings, but to the sensation of quietude. It may feel like an opening, a sense of being “in the zone”, or the feeling that things are falling into place. It may just feel better, brighter, or clearer.
Take a moment today to sit quietly, and see if you can direct your attention to the silence. Practicing this will allow you to have the ability to direct your focus at will and win you grace in gritty situations.
by Navjit Kandola
Too often we forget to treat our hearts with respect, love and kindness. When we do that, we love ourselves and others critically, conditionally and oftentimes too occasionally. We ignore the wild pull of our hearts, urging us to explore the zenith of heavens and horizons by telling ourselves that we are no longer young, that we have responsibilities and therefore have no time for giggles, silliness or unicorns.
Like most people, I too have squeezed my heart out of fear, desiring to make the “right” decision and not wanting to hurt others. Just look at the conclusions there – why does making the “right” decisions rule out my heart’s desires? Ah, the number of times I have heard clients say, “I should have listened to my heart, but I was afraid to” . And the number of times people told me what they most wanted as a child, teenager, young adult and adult was to have been loved, to have been truly seen.
Can we do that? Really see someone’s light when we carry so many scars and stories?
Have you ever wondered what you carry in your heart from your life’s walk. Is there a long-past heartbreak, or the love for your child beating steadily inside your chest? Are there unspoken words of tenderness, or a new language of love waiting to unfold with each heartbeat?
Whether good or bad, we may be carrying more than is good for our hearts. Luggage is luggage, whether it’s Gucci or Walmart, and now is the time to discard it.
For today’s meditation, let’s wash our hearts clean of old memories of hurt, loss, pain, loneliness, or any obstacles to the pure light that resides there.
Let’s do it!
Take a long, deep breath into your body and close your eyes. Allow the next few breaths to deepen and relax the body. Now on your next deep breath, ask your heart to show you something it needs to clear. You may perceive a memory, emotion, or sensation. It could be anything, so be prepared for a surprise. Just allow your heart to show you.
Once you get a sense of what it is, take a deep breath into your heart, and ask it what color your heart wants to release it. Allow yourself to perceive the color, and imagine bringing it directly into your heart. Feel it begin to wash away the shadows. You can imagine the color as a river of color, an ocean of color, or beams of light – there is no wrong way to visualize it, just direct it to your heart until the negativity and pain is washed out completely. Take as long as you like until you feel your heart is lighter and radiant.
Breathe into this lightness, and ask your heart to give you a message. Listen carefully as the message can come as words, thoughts, feelings or sensations. Tune in with your awareness. Feel the message radiate from your heart out to the rest of your body and into your aura, shifting the vibration of your whole being.
Enjoy this experience. There is no rush. When you are ready, open your eyes and feel the world with a fresh heart.
Three cheers!
by Navjit Kandola
I remember a time when my mind was driving me completely bananas (well there has been more than one time!). I was in overdrive – busy over thinking and over analysing my thoughts, actions, and motivations. It got to the point where I had to sit in a cold bath to shock myself into quietness!
Have you ever had that kind of exhaustion from mind chatter?
On the other hand, there have been times when my mind has been brilliant, funny and insightful. I have witnessed it orchestrate and organize disparate pieces of information and coalesce them into delicious experiences of wholeness.
The mind is an ally; willing, creative, and always on. It is this sense of the mind always being “on” that has inspired me to posit the following meditation. It’s time to give your mind a little time off!
Imagine if you could pull back the focus on your mind, and tell it to take a break while you (your higher, self or the witness part of your consciousness) take care of things. By instructing the mind in this way, and reassuring it through your inner voice, your mind can be persuaded to step down.
Let’s try it.
Take a couple of deep breaths and close your eyes. Listen quietly to the inhalation and exhalation of your breath, allowing your awareness to deepen. Now ask your mind what gift it would like from you today to be nourished and switch off to unwind.
You may perceive a feeling, a color, an image or an object – whatever your mind wants. It could be a cool breeze or a glass of water.
Imagine this gift coming in from the universe and into your mind. Take a moment to allow the gift to nourish your mind, and feel it begin to release.
Permit your mind to expand and dissolve into the infinite energy of the universe. Encourage it to let go and be free.
Continue to breathe and allow your mind to have a holiday. Give your mind as long as you can, so that it can grow accustomed to not being switched on all the time.
Take another couple of deep breaths and open your eyes.
All parts of our being need to touch the infinite, to be nourished, and to free up more RAM for loving and living!
by Navjit Kandola
Sometimes, silence must be pursued.
It’s especially the case when the mind is busy providing commentary, directions, and opinions about any and all aspects of life. In such instances, silence disappears into the nether regions of our awareness, and fades as a memory of something amorphous from our past.
We become so unfamiliar with silence that it makes us uncomfortable. We decry its qualities. We listen to our iPods or watch Youtube videos or chat on our cell phones, not once realizing the good fortune and well being peace & quiet can bring.
Imagine creating a space for silence and stillness by turning off all electronics – yes, that does mean your phone, computer, TV and iPod. Imagine disconnecting the internet server or any other device that creates white noise, like printers or DVRs. Give yourself permission not to check your emails, Facebook, or texts for a day (imagine that!) or at least for an hour. See what happens.
Silence is our most primal resource for recomposing our core awareness and being. So for today, let us dip into this pool of nourishing quietude and feel the pulse and magnificence of silence.
Take a moment and find a wonderful, quiet spot. As you prepare for this meditation let go of your to-do lists, schedule and stress, and allow your body to relax. Begin to quieten the mind, and close your eyes. With each in and out breath, release the tension and noise from yourself. Begin to move your mind consciously towards stillness and silence.
Continue in this practice for a little bit longer than your usual meditation, just to give yourself the extra soul rejuvenation that silence creates.
And then when you are ready, open your eyes and know that the sound of the universe is within you!
Have a wonderful day!
by Navjit Kandola
Before I enrolled at the Nizhoni School’s College of Divinity, I had never heard the term “Higher Self” used to describe one’s inner voice, intuition or soul wisdom. I had never imagined I could articulate intuition as something more powerful than a feeling, or a vague knowing. I certainly did not know it was possible to actually “grow” those intuitive feelings.
During my first sessions of Higher Self (HS) meditation, I encountered a great deal of resistance and challenge from within. I wondered – was I making it all up? How would I know the difference between my emotions/thoughts and my HS? Doubt and logic were at the forefront of this rebellion. Uncertainty and fear clouded my inner focus.
I persevered, however, because I had already experienced very clear instances of my intuition stepping in and speaking to me with an “inner voice”. I had literally heard a voice telling me things before they happened, or directing me towards a decision that seemed contrary to the result I was seeking… but proved to be accurate.
Weird? Not at all. To me, it was an intriguing skill that I was interested in honing.
Since those early days, I have learned to think of the Higher Self as a brilliant, wise, expansive, funny, honest, present, all-knowing, all-loving consciousness. It is the truest part of me – clear of all fear, judgement, and mental clutter. The part that can witness, orchestrate, teach and guide me to be more wholly me, without masks or doubt. It is deeper than the subconscious and bigger than the mind. I imagine it as my spiritual consigliere – my wise counselor and friend.
So for today’s meditation, let us connect to that deepest part of ourselves – that magnificent, awe-inspiring, all-loving, divine essence!
Take a couple of deep breaths and close your eyes. Give yourself a few moments to allow your awareness to turn from the outside to the inside. Let your breath begin to deepen, and your body begin to feel relaxed and safe.
Now, take another deep breath into your body and ask your Higher Self, your all-knowing, all-loving, divine HS to take a form for you. Focus on the first form you perceive – it may be an energy, a feeling or a symbol. What is the energy of your HS? Is it warm, soft or bright? Does it feel loving or humorous?
Once you can perceive your HS, ask it to touch your body. Breathe into that place, and feel the energy rippling through your whole body from the touch. Drink in this experience like a cool glass of water.
Take your time to really feel this energy, and allow your senses to savor the essence.
When you are ready to move on, ask your HS to give you a message. The message may be in the form of words, or a feeling. Just allow yourself to receive it. What is your HS communicating to you? Connect to the message, and feel its meaning resonate within you.
Then, take another deep breath and draw your HS into your body. Commune with it for as long as you would like.
When you are ready, take another deep breath and open your eyes.
This wonderful exercise reminds us that we can choose to shift our awareness into higher states of consciousness. And when we do, we nourish not only ourselves, but the Whole!
