Heaven On Earth: The Art Of Conscious Living

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“There is only one path to Heaven. On Earth, we call it Love.” Henry David Thoreau

Life is a continual process of growth and change, learning and discovery, and an opportunity to make healthy choices to live a meaningful life. We often find ourselves struggling against forces which we have no control, and we learn to adapt in order to survive.

The world is filled with complex systems of interacting forces. We are constantly bombarded with information, false beliefs, illusions, and misconceptions that penetrate our consciousness and inhibit our capacity to live with peace, grace, and ease.

To become a connoisseur of change, the connection with our inner source of divine love is essential to sustain well-being and harmony in the midst of life’s most challenging situations. The capacity to flourish and achieve self-mastery is indeed an art form that is empowering. With the realization that our inner being reflects external conditions, the courage for self-introspection enables us to take an honest inventory of ourselves, examine aspects of our lives that are out of balance, and discern what no longer serves us that blocks our personal development and spiritual growth.

Cultivating the art of conscious living requires becoming empowered to flourish and achieve self-mastery by embracing change, embodying love, being grateful, and living with purpose.

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Embracing change

Change is the only constant in our lives. It can be exhilarating and heartbreaking. Loss and change is inevitable, and a reality in everyday life. Whether perceived as negative or positive, change seems to invoke automatic fear responses resulting in uncertainty, ambiguity  and discomfort. Challenges to change may manifest through unconsciously embedded fear responses that inhibit progress and well-being. Change presents opportunities to discard outworn beliefs and habits that inhibit our capacity to live a meaningful life. Self-empowerment makes us more aware of ourselves in all areas of our lives and enables us to embrace change.

By accepting change as natural cycles in the ebb and flow of life, we can consciously set new intentions and create the life we desire.

Embodying love

It is said that we are motivated by love or fear. Love is a powerful force and an essential part of the human experience. Fear is a major impediment to personal development and spiritual growth. Love is our innate nature and our natural state of being. Self-love is the foundation of self-worth and is the cornerstone of personal empowerment. Buscaglia quotes, “Love and self are one and the discovery of either is the realization of both.” Learning to love yourself, becoming aware of unconscious fear-based beliefs that keep you stuck is essential to making desirable choices to live in peace and joy.

What does love really mean? What qualities make a person loving? How is authentic unconditional love demonstrated? Henry Drummond’s Spectrum of Love is a model for conscious living and represents the wholeness of love that can be put into practice. The Spectrum of Love includes patience, kindness, generosity, humility, courtesy, unselfishness, good temper, guiltlessness, and sincerity.

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Love is an art, and as Erich Fromm states, the practice of any art has certain general requirements-discipline, concentration, patience, and supreme concern. A daily love practice incorporating these ingredients can awaken our consciousness and open our hearts to live in the spirit of love.

Being grateful

Each one of us is on our journey filled with infinite possibilities to awaken to the true essence of life and divine love. The inevitable strength on our journey is to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness and deep gratitude daily. Gratitude nurtures within us a positive, joy-filled consciousness and unifies us with the flow of life, which gives birth to inner fulfillment. It shifts our perspective even in the midst of the most challenging situations. Gratitude helps us recognize the abundance of joy that is present in our lives.

Keep the thought of abundance constantly in your mind and reflect on the ample supply of goodness in the universe. Make gratitude a daily practice and see how it changes your life.

Living purposefully

What is your passion? What ignites your soul? What brings you joy? We search for purpose beyond survival and pleasure. To live with purpose and minimize needless distractions keep us mindful of what is worthy of our attention. Meaning and purpose are innate desires and essential for self-discovery. Pay attention to the quiet power within, the gentle whisper, the gut feeling that nudges you to make certain choices. Your heart speaks to guide you on the right path.

Creative inspiration is the key to uniting with your passion. It is the true expression of inner talents and gifts that can be shared in the world. Meaning and purpose energizes our life and aligns us with our true self for ultimate fulfillment.

Life is not just existing and settling for less than who we really are. It is flourishing and mastering our lives. The following are recommended:

• Maintain a positive outlook on life
• Be in control of yourself by reframing negative self-talk
• Release old stories and self-defeating patterns
• Evaluate what deserves your attention and energy
• Participate with change as a natural part of the human experience
• Radiate love and make gratitude a way of life.

The art of conscious living brings peace to our soul, awakens our consciousness, and brings heaven to earth.