If all that remains is a lone flicker of light, let that candle glow brightly as the hope of the future, to guide the children safely. They must have a light to follow, to guide them, for the children are the future of tomorrow. A light needs strength, hope and encouragement as its fuel. Consistency will help it weather all storms, with a single focus to be a light to the world. 

Our soul’s journey is to become this beam of light, pure and unfaltering. Life may bring its ups and downs, with tests and storms to weather, but along with these come wisdom of experience and growth. We have the ability to choose the path we wish to traverse. Freedom of choice is a precious gift; tempered with wisdom, and a loving heart, success and inner peace are the end results. To walk in balance along life’s path requires discipline by choice. The choice to walk a spiritual path is to choose to be all you can be, to reach enlightenment, lifting up others along the way. 

Sometimes the road may seem long and rocky, lonely and hopeless. It is easy to fall prey to the many temptations along the journey. You may get tired and feel like giving up. Or you may lose self-confidence and self esteem, forgetting the roots of which you really are, and you may think life is too hard and you’ll never make it. No one understands you, or listens to you, or seems to care. These are traps that make character. To remain centered and walk on by, or pull yourself up after being caught by one, requires a disciplined mind and a loving heart. 

Spiritual practices may take any shape or form. Meditation is an art that all can do to help us relax, be alert in the midst of life’s problems and focus on the joys of life. It allows us to be present in the moment NOW, seeing life in a constant state of amazement. If you find yourself having fallen prey to any of the traps along the road, the following practices will guarantee to help you return to your center and walk in balance once again.

 Come, journey with me. Sit erect and comfortable, close your eyes, breathe in the life force through all parts of your body. Deeply inhale 2, 3, 4 and exhale 2, 3, 4 and repeat again and again, focusing all the while on your breath. If thoughts come to you, acknowledge them, and remain focused on your breathing, becoming more and more still. Continue until you feel your body forming into a single droplet of water, falling, falling and gently immersing into a deep, deep pool of azure. You become one with the still pond and notice a pure white lotus blossom floating peacefully, also becoming one with the deep peaceful, still, calm water. You feel centered, with clarity of understanding, harmony and inner peace. Your loving heart opens as you extend thoughts of loving kindness, peace, happiness and well being towards yourself as well as others. Start with yourself because without loving yourself it is almost impossible to love others. Feel the love permeate your entire being. See your face looking back at you in the pool of water, as you extend loving kindness to yourself and see the transformation occur. Your smile brings rainbows in the still pond. Now see the faces of both loved ones as well as those with whom you may be having difficulty understanding, and send them all loving kindness. See their faces reflect the gift they have received in appreciation. 

And the rainbows fill the pond with a tone that sends you deeper still. Letting go is important to your healing. In order to let go of past transgressions requires the gift of forgiveness. As you release the pain, sorrows, burdens, resentments and anger you have carried far too long, realize they have harmed yourself as well as others. Allow yourself to feel the natural feelings arise of perhaps rage, sorrow, hurt, fear, grief, confusion, resentment or utter despair. Suddenly you realize forgiveness comes as a relief and a release for your heart, as you once and for all let go of the pain from the past. As you remember the times you have hurt yourself or others, or have been hurt by others, through thought, word or action, out of pain, fear, anger or confusion, open your heart to complete forgiveness of yourself, of others as well as asking others for their forgiveness. Touch softly upon this and let the forgiveness come on its own accord, from a deep pool of compassion, with wise and loving kindness for yourself and all sentient beings. 

You immerse deeper still into the healing water, which births a new life into you. The sorrows of your life are now transformed into a great stream of compassion of true concern and kindness and caring. See in the pond the face of someone you love and care for deeply. Notice if they are hurt, how your heart naturally opens to embrace and comfort them. In your heart you ask that they be free of pain and sorrow and be at peace. Now see your own face in this pond, weathered with the hurts you have had during your life. Open your heart and let the same compassion flow naturally towards yourself. As you do so, you ask that you may be free of pain and sorrow and at peace. Feel the oneness with the water and all living things. You now feel the joys and sorrows of all living things with compassion. Let your heart transform the sorrows of the world in this healing pool of water, breathing compassion, caring, and well being. As you gently awaken your consciousness back to your body, your heart rests naturally knowing you are a center of compassion in the midst of the world.