How To Awaken To The Miracle Of Love

"Miracles are not contrary to nature,
but only contrary to what we know about nature."
Saint Augustine

The way I see it, the time leading up to the holiday Season a lot of what I understand as "spiritual Light" is being showered over us. The Light has a way of letting us see the aspects of our lives which are less than Light with the purpose, if we choose it, to heal and restore ourselves. Another word for spiritual Light is loving. Self-awareness is a great gift because it gives us the opportunity to make a fresh choice; to be more loving, forgiving and compassionate towards ourselves.

In past years, I have often felt on an emotional roller coaster during the Advent weeks. The pressures of Christmas preparation, the stresses of life generally seem to grow. And yet, on Christmas morning, I feel a burden has been lifted. There is a lightness and brightness and peace that soothes and restores me. It is almost as if I have been re-born into my own simplicity and newness.

Could it be that this Season is time for awakening to more of our loving? Loving is a two way track. It requires both giving - and receiving. Do you know people who are great givers, but find it hard to receive? Maybe you are one. It can be hard for a person who is used to being in the driving seat to learn to be vulnerable enough to be open to receive. Givers need receivers - and vice versa.

Generally, I have yet to meet one person who does not have some challenge, dilemma or condition to deal with in their lives, more especially this year perhaps. What if the predicaments we have can be viewed as "blessings in disguise". What if a difficulty we experience is an opportunity to receive assistance from someone who is able to give us what we need? What if these issues we have as humans enable us to better connect with each other? They are what make us human.

"Could a greater miracle take place than for us
to look through each other's eyes for an instant?"
Henry David Thoreau

In my experience, some of my greatest difficulties have produced my greatest resources. Like the time I was unable to communicate, to literally put words together to be heard and understood. I used to watch people talking to each other to find out how they did it. I became sensitive to how people make meaningful contact with one another.

The use of words and communication is now a great source of joy for me. My communication issue became a blessing in disguise, a cause for gratitude. I would like to say I have learned the lesson, but the truth is that I am still learning to be grateful for every little thing, including the difficulties, in my life. However, the more I do so, the more full I feel, and the easier life becomes.

It is that simple, though not necessarily easy. It is a question of habit. Getting into the habit of being grateful - I am finding more and more to be grateful for. Thinking of those times when I might allow my energy to drop down: Waiting in traffic, standing in line at the supermarket, being let down by someone who had promised me something, rejection by a friend I thought I could count on. Disappointments, self-doubts, feelings of failure, a bad mood - I can be grateful for those too. They are the wake up calls to loving myself, no matter what.

Those are the moments that call upon my spirit to rise up and look around for the goodness in my life. In traffic, be grateful that I have a car to drive. In the supermarket, be grateful that I am able to shop. Being let down, be grateful that I can be open to receive the resources I need from others. Rejection: be grateful that I can accept and appreciate myself.

"Where there is great love there are always miracles." Willa Cather

A former consultation client, who wanted to stop being a massage therapist and write a best-seller, asked some of his clients to support him financially in making the transition into his new writing career. He drew up an agreement so that each donor would receive a percentage of the profits from his anticipated book, not then knowing how exactly that would come about. It took courage to ask for the support he needed.

He was deeply touched, amazed and felt profoundly grateful at the generosity and trust demonstrated by people who were taking such a risk on his behalf. He went on to win an exceptional contract to write the book, which did become a number one bestseller. His supporters received an increase on their donations. However, his greatest feelings of gratitude were less towards winning the contract and much more towards those who had supported him in the first place.

So what does all of this have to do with awakening to the miracle of love during this Season? The parties and the presents - I enjoy all of those! But I also deeply appreciate the quieter aspect of these days. The time to reflect and be grateful - for all of the blessings that I have received in the past year. To get in touch with friends I do not see so often. To review the year in the light of blessings given and received.

May this Season bless you with peace, brightness and joy and the New Year bring you fulfilment and a greater sense than ever before of the blessing that you are.

"Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle." Marie Lloyd

Comments

[Arithrianos]

To me gratiude is a part of my everyday spiritual practice, but ideally in this practice it should not be limited, it should be extended as they say to all sentient beings of the three times and the ten directions. The reason for this is to get beyond ego of course, to start to see the vast and profound web of existance of which we are a full participant, and which cannot be untangled. We might only be able to see a few strands of the web, but those strands are supported by others, and so on, until all you are left with is the whole thing, it is really impossible to draw a definite limit on who did what. This is egolessness, the true state of reality.
May all sentient beings realize their original nature.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

What a wonderful vision you draw - thank you! It makes me feel very expansive and included in this wondrous adventure that is life.

May Grace bless you abundantly in every way,
Anne

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Ann- I am touched by the sincerity of your pure heart. Gratitude and humility are 2 great gifts we all can learn from. Lovely blog Ann I look forward to seeing more.

Big Love, Big Heart,

Ed

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you so much, Ed. I appreciate your comment - and am looking forward to sharing more on HuffPo. This is a new departure for me and I feel very honoured to have this opportunity. btw, I am English so my spelling may look weird to you!

Holiday blessings to you,
Anne

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for this article. I am in full alignment with what you present. I love the way you bring forward the concept of gratitude. I too find that gratitude is a practice/habit. The more I take the time to consciously express gratitude in my life the more it just becomes the way that I move in the world. And for that I am so grateful.

Have a blessed holiday!
Jason

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Jason,

Thank you so much for your comment. To me your key words are: "The more I take the time to consciously express gratitude". It is that 'taking time' and 'being conscious' that are the precious gifts I think we can give to ourselves.

Last night, I finally heard to slow down and listen some more - a hectic time of moving back into my apartment. Some things can just wait before they are sorted out!

I am now ready for the blessings....

With love and blessings to you,
Anne

[Swerinjer2]

If your mother and father didn't coach your emotions as a youth then you'll forever be warped. The important part is that they not only be aware of your emotions and respond to them unjudgmentally, they must also use the WORDS for those emotions. that way you can learn to process your emotions so that you don't get overwhelmed, or resort to repression.

The language/logic side of the brain is left, the emotion is the right. When you name an emotion you give it an intellectual boundary that can be dealt with. When you process an emotion you move it from the right side of your brain to the left. Thats why EMDR works so good.

if youve read this far then you want to read raising an emotionally intelligent child by gottman.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

It is an amazing responsibility that parents have to nurture their children on every level, including and importantly the emotional level. I love that we have available to us such information that we can make better choices in how we take care of ourselves and in raising our children.

We are so fortunate I feel to be at this time of much greater understanding and knowledge, so that we can learn and improve on what has gone before.

Thank you for sharing your recommendation.

Warm holiday wishes to you,,
Anne

[Chandi Devi]

Communication is very important, but that includes our self-talk as well. We can recite affirmations that focus on what we want rather than what we don't want. Mantras are very powerful tools of communicating with the divine within. We should remain cognizant of our thoughts, words and feelings and know that that these thoughts, words and feelings are not who we are. Effective communication comes from a place of love and resisting judgment of others. Acceptance of "what is" is necessary before we can make changes in our lives. Then we need to take constructive action to implement the change we desire.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you Chandi-Devi. Clear communications are such a wonderful gift we can be giving to each other, but also as you point out, within ourselves. My understanding is that our relationships with others reflect aspects of the relationship with ourselves. The better we can love and be compassionate with ourselves, the more we can extend that to others. We cannot control others. We can master our own self-talk.

I agree that acceptance of current reality is a starting point for effecting change. I appreciate your comment and your thoughts.

Warm wishes,
Anne

[cktirumalai]

I think we should leave book contracts and success out of Love. In the world of love, success and failure acquire new meanings.