To Thine Own Self be True

Recently, while perusing the website Quora, I stumbled upon a contemplative question posed under the category "Spirituality and Personal Religion." I am reposting the question here, along with my personal answer, for my readers to contemplate and/or offer their personal feedback.

Question:  What can we do when our desire and values conflict?

Answer:

If our values are in conflict with our desires, as often seems to be the case, it is a warning sign that we may not be living authentically.  Our values are deep-rooted in us, yet many of us follow our desires instead.  To live authentically, we must re-evaluate our desires, as well as our values, and make a conscious choice whether to act in accordance with our values or to act against what we BELIEVE to be our values. 

Ask yourself: "Are my desires merely short-term desires or "whims" that will bring me temporary pleasure but long-lasting conflict, regret or misery?  If my values are in conflict with my desires, what is the basis of my values?  Are they values instilled in me by others, or through my upbringing, that I have not internalized?"  If they are truly your values, your conviction will be so strong you will be able to justify them without hesitation.  Your desires, on the other hand, may seem strong at the immediate moment, but choose to reflect on them rather than opting for "immediate gratification."  You may find the desire waning in intensity, much like a craving, or you may experience anxiety, but ultimately you must make a choice, so take the time to make the "right one", the one that, in the end, will strengthen your character rather than weaken, bring you peace of mind rather than conflict, and make you smile on the inside rather than frown. 

~ Lisa Pearlman 7/14/13 (Words and Photo Credit) 

The Waterfall

Water flows rhythmically to and from source...Just as our breath flows in and out so effortlessly...a simple exchange of energy, a seemingly infinite process that knows no beginning or end...gentle reciprocity, unhurried and unattached to any outcome or destination... comfortable silences speak volumes... revealing a wealth of natural beauty and serenity borne out of patience and simplicity, and untouched by human greed or motive. Such is the infinite flow of chi connecting all humanity, the animal kingdom, nature and Universe and returning all life that is, was and will be, back to Source. 

© Words by Lisa Pearlman 5/10/13

Photo courtesy of Philomina Minj on Google+ 

You Are Not Your Mind

"Emancipate Yourself From Mental Slavery...only We Can Free Our Minds" ~ Bob Marley

We are all spiritual beings inhabiting human bodies, conditioned by our environment, culture, upbringing and experience. We are, indeed, born free, with a "clean slate"...but the minute we are of form in the world, we become a slave to our surroundings, enslaved by the "matrix" we are unwittingly immersed in from the moment of birth, the paradigms imprinted in our minds, conditioned by way of language, cultural mores, family values, blind patriotism, religious beliefs...our whole identity and moral code is shaped by our external environment, while our internal environment is equipped with all the answers we could ever want or need. To deprogram our paradigms, we must listen from within and allow our inner voice to guide us. We must cultivate mindfulness, an unbiased awareness that transcends not only the world around us, but also our absorbent sponge-like minds. Transcendental Awareness essentially removes the sponge, the perceptual filters that organize all the incoming stimuli into manageable compartments, freeing the mind from the constraints of self, leaving only an open receptacle, both full and empty at once, vibrating with cosmic energy. This energy within is in harmony with the Universe's energy, also referred to as Source, Chi or God. When your energy is in alignment with the Universal Flow of Energy, all potentialities exist as viable possibilities, and all polarities merge into one unified point of singularity.

© Lisa Pearlman 4/6/13

photo created by Lisa Pearlman on Kindle Fire HD via Geometrics app

My Unconditional Valentine

My "Happy Valentine's Day" Message to my Family, Friends and Followers:

The Enduring and Unconditional Love that defines a true friendship is a precious and rare gift, a blessing beyond compare. Romantic feelings come and go, along with their associated attachments; they are an all-inclusive packaged deal accessorized with costly baggage and personal drama that accumulates exponentially with experience and time. LOVE - REAL LOVE - is pure, unconditonal, transformative, expansive, self-sustaining. A vibration of the highest frequency, LOVE connects us to one another, as well as to the Universal Source; LOVE raises our vibrational frequency to a level of pure consciousness, revealing our core essence and potential as divine beings, creating miracles, transforming possibilities into manifest realities, dissolving negativity and transcending limitation.
So on this day dedicated to the Art of Love, know that you are loved! I LOVE YOU!!!
Thank you for being in my life. <3

© Lisa Pearlman

Legacy of Love

Live each day like it's your last...it just might be! Your lifetime of choices become your legacy, regardless of the amount of material or length of time you amass during your temporary human experience.

Be authentic in all your actions and interactions...Follow your heart but do so mindfully...Choose Compassion over Apathy...Be Kind to yourself and others...Love Unconditionally...Be Fully Present for all of Life's experiences, accepting all without attaching meaning or preference to any one in particular - Life is a series of sequential moments, each one unique and fleeting; as one passes, another silently follows...Practice Equanimity and Humility in all situations, with the knowledge that This Too Shall Pass...
Above all else, Always DO YOU! Make Choices that enable your experience of Manifest Happiness and lessen your experience of Suffering. YOU are the only one who can choose and control your Thoughts, Attitudes, Feelings and Actions. YOU are the Reality Architect - YOU create your personal Reality!

If you choose wisely and live your life authentically...mindfully...humbly, then there will never be a reason for regret. Do not postpone matters of the heart -they are of the utmost importance...do not leave positive sentiment or loving words unsaid, as you may not get another chance to convey them...do not express negative, hurtful sentiment or criticism as you may never get a chance to apologize...Words wield power...they can never be retracted once uttered...they linger in the mind and heart like a moldy scent...their effects echo for eternity, a repetitive loop of cutting edge sound replayed in one's memory like a broken record.

It's ultimately your choice...why not start creating a Legacy of Love today?

© Lisa Pearlman 1/21/13

Check out my Instacanvas portfolio

Hello friends! So excited to share my creative art & photos with y'all! Check Out my Instacanvas Portfolio! (Share/RT please!) http://instacanv.as/scorpiol13

Thanks for your friendship and support!!! Y'all inspire me!!! Love & Light ... Lisa "Be the Change You Wish to See in the World." ~ Gandhi

Letter To My Brother Marc

To my brother Marc in Heaven:

Today, December 14, 2012 would be your 40th birthday. It has been 5 years since you left this Earth, but it seems like yesterday. I feel your presence often, and know you are watching over me always, my dear guardian angel. You are of the timeless and formless now, finally and completely free, free of pain, attachments, wordly thoughts, and all forms of suffering. I pray your transition was one of peaceful passing, as you transcended your human experience. You embody the spirit eternal now.

Today, here on earth, a tragedy took place, as I'm sure you already are aware. I know you will watch over these children whose lives were abruptly cut short today, and empower their heavenly spirit to ease the suffering of their grieving loved ones here on earth.

I miss you and love you, my dear brother...please continue to guide me in the right direction, to give me the strength and confidence I need to face my fears and conquer my demons as I navigate the bumpy roads on this journey called Life. I used to envision us sharing and supporting one another through life's defining moments...I still interact with you nightly in my dreams, only to awake and accept the reality of your physical absence daily. May you R.I.P. Marc. May your spirit soar gloriously above the heavens, gracefully free like a butterfly chasing a rainbow.

© Lisa Pearlman 12/14/12