tiny shifts

So yesterday I was on the phone with my teacher.  We only talked for a couple of minutes but in that time a shift occurred for me and I am so grateful.  This is something that may be common knowledge, but it's a new thought for me.  Wanted to share. 

We were talking about Jesus Christ and my teacher said, "Jesus is separate from The Christ.  Jesus is the man who gave his body for three years so that The Christ could come through with messages for us.  And there in lies the sacrifice."

Bing!  Ah-ha!  I get it!  So when Jesus is saying (and I'm not really quoting b/c I'm not well-versed enough in the Bible), "You will only find salvation through ME," he is CHANNELING The Christ.  The Christ is the "me", Jesus is not the "me".  "I am God," is not Jesus saying that he, the carpenter, is God; it's The Christ using his body to communicate, "I am God."  (Am I the only one who never understood this??)

Jesus is the vessel, a man.  A great man who gave three exhausting years of his life to serve as a channel for God's word.  A man whose personality, no doubt, appears to us when we are in times of need because we recognize and trust him.  Because he was the vessel.  He represents home to us.  He represents safety, peace, goodness, trust, purity, fearlessness.

There have always been people who could channel messages from the universe...  be them priests, psychics, mediums, healers, etc.  But these are people who take breaks.  They allow their personalities some time to get pissed off, have sex, get drunk, take care of their kids, or just function as a simpler version of a human being.  But not Jesus.  He committed.  He gave 100% and as a result we have a treasure trove of heavenly wisdom that has inspired and guided folks from all religions for 2,000 years. 

This is the same scenario as The Buddha.  Prince Siddhartha was just a man.  He sought enlightenment and when he gave his body completely to the universe, The Buddha took over and used Siddhartha's body as a medium, and as a result has inspired others to enlightenment over thousands of years.   

The Buddha lives in all of us.  The Christ lives in all of us. 

I think the hope for us reg'ler folk, is that we do our best to let The ________________ (fill in the blank with the prophet of your liking) shine through whenever we can.  We've created lives for ourselves that are incredibly distracting.  Realistically, in this modern age, if we could just clear a little of the clutter to the side and make a path for the universe to slip through, The __________________ in each of us might have a chance to shine a little brighter.

Peace, love, gratitude,
v

where fashion meets godliness

 I spent last week in the lovely city of London with two of the most amazing women you'd want to know. While there we padded as much of the city as we could, happily playing the roles of ultimate tourists.

Like any committed tourists, we had a shopping lists. Mine was very specific. I figured this typically overcast country would be the ideal location to purchase rain gear, so I focused intently on a quest for rubbers and found success in the form of a pair of navy rubber ankle booties by Vivienne Westwood.

Since the weather was strangely glorious in London that week, I didn't have a chance to wear the booties until today, a rainy day at home in New England. While driving in my car I noticed a perfume-y smell filling the air. It took me a few minutes to realize that the scent was wafting up from my tootsies. The boots were scented! What a kick! I slowly inhaled and laughed out loud at the playfulness of scratch-n-sniff rain boots and continued to thoroughly enjoy this cheeky surprise all the way home.

Those silly boots reminded me... when the weather is stormy and the sky is opening up on your head, just take a deep breath in and be happy. In this case, quite literally.

Peace, love, gratitude,
V

a brand new day

I've got an out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new feeling these days.  A feeling that a new chapter in my life is about to begin.  I'm curious, of course, about the future and what it holds for me, but for once in my life I'm taking it in stride.  I'm allowing it to unfold without obsession, analysis or fear.  Just letting it happen.  It's nice.  Peaceful.

The reason I'm not fighting "what is and what will be" is very clear to me.  I'm not tangled up in or distracted by fear like I have been in the past. This is thanks to the journey I'm on.

For years I've been in compulsive research mode.  I have thought about this amazing Universe and what it holds for me, for us, just about every minute of every day.  Some people have told me that my aspirations aren't normal or that my thoughts are obsessive.  But if we are not here to find peace and explore the big questions, what are we here for?  To make money?  To have it all?  To be the best?  Don't we all hope that something greater than earthly gains exists?  And if that's the case, isn't it appropriate to give more of our time to that greatness?

To me, there's nothing more fascinating than exploring the question, "WHY?"  Nothing at all.  And I've enjoyed the journey thus far.  Because by exploring the possible answers to that great big question, I've discovered theories that make good sense to me.  Theories that dissolve my fears.  Theories that have provided me with a truth that works for me and fills me up with loving energy.  Nowadays, I'm not asking, "Why?" anymore.  I'm asking, "Why not?"  And when the mind is open, truth floods in.

I feel like I really "get it" now.  I "get" the connection and the divinity and the sameness between us.  My shelves full of books are not just stacks of thoughts anymore.  They're part of me.  There is so much more to learn, but I feel a deep-down confidence in my faith that provides me with an enormous sense of peace as a trudge through the day-to-day.


My journey to this place has not been easy.  I'm sure there will be moments ahead when I fall back into old patterns, but for now, I'm in the light.  And I'm soaking it up while it shines on me.

Peace, love, gratitude,
V