Some time ago, I was walking down the main street of Fremantle on a Friday after work, when I noticed a discarded McDonald's drink container that was lying in the middle of a heavily populated walkway.Eager to catch the bus that was soon to arrive, I swiftly approached the foam item, scooped it up and placed it into the trash receptacle which was located nearby.Very soon after I left the area in which the receptacle was located, I felt an eager, but gentle tap on my right shoulder.When I turned around to see who it was that was trying to grab my attention, I saw a young man in his late teens with dreadlocks, who I had earlier noticed talking to a group of people.Before, I could inquire as to his motives for seeking my attention, he opened the dialogue with the words "Nice work buddy! I saw what you just did and I like your style".With this, he enthusiastically patted my back, so as to physically display and reaffirm the substance of his verbal message.Taken by surprise at his forward response to my small act of cleanliness, I quietly responded, "Thank you.You have yourself a great weekend okay." "Sure thing.And you." were the words with which my new friend ended the conversation.It was at this moment that we acknowledged each other with the wave of a hand, and we each went on our separate ways.As I walked briskly towards the bus stop which was now just meters away, I found my attention shift and a calm enveloped me as I reflected on the nature of the interaction that had just passed.No longer was I consumed by my eagerness to make it to the bus stop on time, for something more peaceful had taken its place.As I contemplated his words of kind admiration, I couldn't help but feel inspired by my exchange with him.As I stood there, waiting for the bus that had yet to come, I made the decision to let his gift of inspiration touch me once more.With this, I used my spare moments to scour the area for other discarded items which would be better housed in a trash container, and as I did what I felt was my duty to do, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the solidarity which the young man had engendered in me.In this sense, I was not alone.What his gratitude made me want to do was set a further and better example for others.If he had noticed what I had done by my simple act, then hopefully others would be receptive in the same way and follow my example if I continued to repeat the action.With this, I had all the incentive that I will ever need to continue to clean up when the opportunity presents itself.By showing him a way, my friend had showed me the way that inspiration feeds off itself to become an all powerful force in the physical world.When the bus arrived, I sank comfortably in my seat, content in the knowledge of what had just transpired.What I had received was a lesson in how inspiration leads and moves us to grow in beautiful and profound ways.I also learned that it doesn't take much in the way of physical effort, to give and receive the gift of inspiration.By the simple act of picking up an item of rubbish, I had inspired someone who, by his words and actions, had touched and inspired me in return.What is given in the name of spirit should never be kept to oneself, but shared with others who can benefit from its bestowal.Like the fragrance of the rose which lingers on the hand of the one who presents it to another, inspiration is the gift that continues to give because by its very nature it grows in power as it is given.We have all experienced moments when someone has lived from their heart and the example that they have set touches us for a lifetime.At this, I am reminded of the colossal performance of Germany's Matthias Steiner in the Gold medal round of the Men's Heavyweight Weightlifting event at the Beijing Olympic Games.Losing his wife in a car accident one year before the competition, Steiner produced when it mattered most, raising an astounding 258kg with his final lift in the clean and jerk.Watching his triumph and the emotional celebrations that followed, I couldn't help but feel that the power of the human spirit had revealed itself in a very special way that night.In the preceding rounds, it appeared that Steiner was not the physically strongest man in the competition, but when it came down to it, the strength of spirit was greater in him and that is what saw him through.Remembering his wife, he found a strength within himself that I am not sure he knew he had, but when the moment presented itself, that strength came forth not only to inspire him on his quest, but to inspire the millions who witnessed his victory from near and afar.Seeing him standing on the dais with the Gold medal around his neck and a photo of his wife in his hand, I couldn't help but think that the most deserving man won.Overcoming adversity and the miscellaneous obstacles that an elite athlete faces is what the Olympic Games is all about, and as it professes to serve as a testament to the power of the human spirit, I felt that a purpose was served in his victory that transcended the domain of sport.Needless to say the spirit moves in mysterious ways, and how it comes to touch our hearts is never predictable.What will touch one person may not touch another person in the same way because what separates them is the ground that they occupy on the spiritual path.To recognize the spirit is to be moved by the spirit, and while each of us have the inherent capacity to be moved at the very core of who we are, many experience not the ecstasy that others enjoy in their connection to spirit.To honour the spirit is to let it move you and use you as an instrument of inspiration.It is to subdue the ego and force it to take second place, for never can one be an example of the light when the shadow is what they present to the world.With spirit as strength, never do we shine so brightly as when we allow the light to be our shepherd on the journey.One of the people that I admire so greatly in the world is Oprah Winfrey.Having endured abuse and the hardship of poverty, Oprah worked long and hard to forge a successful career in the media, and through her persistence and commitment to what she believes in, she has emerged as a global icon who inspires millions daily with her uplifting television and radio programs.Loved and admired by millions around the world, I would say that the secret of her influence is not the work that she has put in to get to where she is, but the person that she is.Authentic in spirit, Oprah is the beacon of light that we all yearn to be, and in her we see a powerful example of inspiration at work.As an instrument of spirit, what she gives is more than what she receives and what she provides to others cannot be measured in monetary terms alone.As an ambassador for learning, she has built a school for the disadvantaged girls of South Africa, and by her generosity and dedication she has provided hope to those who at one time had little to look forward to.Gifted in spirit, that is what she gives to others because she is free in the abundance that the spirit has created in her life.Wanting that abundance for others, she knows that in giving, others receive not only her gifts, but her example which is much more valuable that gifts alone.Pursuing her purpose, she holds to her vision of a world that will be better tomorrow because it will have been touched by the loving hand that guided her heart and shaped her will.Aware of her legacy, she grows not complacent in what she is called to do, and she continually involves herself in new projects that assist in evolving the consciousness of the world.Finding strength in her example, we can all begin to take steps to shape the world in a better way, and while it is convenient to believe that we cannot have the impact that the Oprah Winfrey's of this world have, we can nevertheless move mountains with the power to be found in spirit.With this remember, that when a tiny pebble is dropped into a pond, it creates a ripple effect that reaches the edges of the pond.So fear not that your efforts to bring inspiration to the lives of others will be forgotten, because the spirit by its very life will ensure that your effort is not wasted.Bound together in spirit, we are bound together in strength and so do we make each other stronger when spirit is the space in which we choose to live.Exhibiting clarity, that is what it brings to the mind and heart that have allowed love to tame it.Being a manifestation of love, inspiration carries a potency that can transform and transcend that which we label as undesirable in the world.Being of the ego, that which fragments and weakens sleeps not easy in the presence of inspiration because in it, it sees the antidote to its suffering.Being not real, it does not provide the example that inspiration does and its vain attempts at moving you are feeble by comparison.Carrying not the voice of influence, it lacks the power of persuasion that is characteristic of authentic spirituality.Speaking not to you in an authoritative voice, it is heard as a whisper that fails to stir the emotions of those closest to you.Sensing your vulnerability, they see in you not a leader to be followed, but a sheep to be led, not to the slaughter, but to liberation in him.With this, understand that one cannot be inspired and ensnared at the same time, for he that is inspired is always free.Being in spirit, he goes where his master calls him to go, and he does not question the wisdom of his calling.Centred in truth, he trusts the one who speaks to him and with this confidence he teaches others to trust the voice inside themselves.As they detect the absence of fear in the one who they follow, so do they become the leaders of the next generation who walk with tender feet on a path that is unfamiliar.But all that is unfamiliar will bear its face before long, and become as recognizable as the hand of God on the hearts of his children who share his identity.Learn from this, what a life lived in inspiration will deliver to you.Bringing you home, it will transform you into the lighthouse that the lonely ships seek for guidance.In you, they will have found more than a mere source of guidance, and through your example they will awaken to their greatest power.Centred in love, you will inspire them not to follow your light, but the light within themselves that shines most brightly for their own heart, and in the humility that they find, they will honour the humility that you have demonstrated by not seeking to lead them on your own path.As a warrior of the light, you will see the wisdom in training others to fight their own battles, for a war is never won when your opponent is a stranger unto the wind.Remember that your task is to make an ally of an enemy.This is what inspiration brings to the wounded heart that knows not the tale of its own struggle.Tormented and troubled, it ventures from the darkness to find itself again, and in the light, hope is not lost, for what it reveals to the heart is what it longs to remember, that you are the embodiment of spirit itself, that can never really be separated from love, but in the depths of a wicked dream.Inspiration is not hard to find for the heart that is looking for it.Being of God, it is in everything, and surrounding you, in invites you in every moment to share in its bliss.But this we do not recognize as we live through the identity of the ego, for under its mask, the light of inspiration is reduced to a speck that is imperceptible to the one with distorted vision.Seeing not the energy of life itself, we know not what it means to be alive.Lethargic in the ego's shadow, we are not vibrantly energized in love's light.See here what the gift of inspiration brings to you.Filling you with love's light, boundless energy makes significant your service, and as your attention is focused, so are your greatest abilities drawn forth.With this, understand that what is most beautiful and extraordinary is created in the light of the spirit.To be 'inspired' is to be in spirit, and as we find ourselves living in this infinite realm, so does this eternal quality come to infuse everything that we do.With an eternal gift being a blessing, this is what we are capable of bringing to the world when we subdue the ego, and create from a higher space.A few months ago, I was in Rome and went to visit the Sistine Chapel.Wanting to see for myself the masterpiece which is its ceiling, I was absolutely transfixed by what flowed from Michelangelo's loving hands between 1508 and 1512.For just over four years, he brought to life with his paintbrush a breathtaking work, which inspires awe in the hearts of those who are blessed in its company.Flowing from his heart, one cannot help but be touched there, as they look upon what he was inspired to create.To produce the piece, Michelangelo often had to bend and contort his body in very awkward and painful ways, but this was not something that he let deter him as he sought to bring glory to God.Blessed with amazing creative gifts, Michelangelo understood that these gifts would ultimately be wasted if they were not utilized in serving God's purpose for his life.Led by the spirit, it is undeniable that he was a man on fire.With love burning in his heart, he knew that he was not ready to die because his work was not finished yet.With much to do, he got to work and revealed to others the power of his passion.Bringing him in touch with the spirit, the spirit reaches out and touches people through his work.Being eternal in nature, we describe his works as timeless, sharing the qualities of the spirit which transcends space and time.So what stands between Michelangelo and ourselves? Much you would think, but thinking is limited in the answers that it produces.Giving a voice to his heart, this great man realized his potential, but he did not do so in the company of a stranger.Finding his centre, he found God in the process.With this, understand what made him great.Trusting the spirit and the gifts that he found in it, this is what he allowed to lead him in his work.Inspired, he produced masterpieces, being that which captures the majesty of the heart.But where is the majesty in what we produce? Living from the ego, we live not in spirit where inspiration is to be found.Guided by the voice of reason, we succumb to the limits of our thinking.With this, understand that thinking plays a secondary role in matters of expression.Expression comes from the heart, and is only hindered when thinking is allowed to dominate.Playing the subservient role, the mind is valuable as a vehicle for expression, but it must know its place.Allowing the heart to express itself, inspiration produces works in the physical world, and in the process is God's presence made more visible in what he has created.We all have much to learn from those who have allowed the spirit to lead them in their lives, and whether their accomplishments were great or small in worldly terms, what remains is most important, being the legacy which is the world's example.With my writing being my voice, it is inspiration that guides me to serve, and as I express myself, so does the spirit find life in me, and in those who my work will touch.From this, learn that you too must honour the voice of your inspiration if you are to know fulfilment in your life.With a legacy to leave, the world cannot be made to suffer in your denial of your greatest gifts.To deny is to withdraw, but the spirit never withdraws from life.Inspired, it remains engaged, which you must do if your purpose is to be fulfilled.Honour this as you step forward and your legacy will not be forgotten in the light which is inspiration's calling.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Giving the Gift of Inspiration
Some time ago, I was walking down the main street of Fremantle on a Friday after work, when I noticed a discarded McDonald's drink container that was lying in the middle of a heavily populated walkway.Eager to catch the bus that was soon to arrive, I swiftly approached the foam item, scooped it up and placed it into the trash receptacle which was located nearby.Very soon after I left the area in which the receptacle was located, I felt an eager, but gentle tap on my right shoulder.When I turned around to see who it was that was trying to grab my attention, I saw a young man in his late teens with dreadlocks, who I had earlier noticed talking to a group of people.Before, I could inquire as to his motives for seeking my attention, he opened the dialogue with the words "Nice work buddy! I saw what you just did and I like your style".With this, he enthusiastically patted my back, so as to physically display and reaffirm the substance of his verbal message.Taken by surprise at his forward response to my small act of cleanliness, I quietly responded, "Thank you.You have yourself a great weekend okay." "Sure thing.And you." were the words with which my new friend ended the conversation.It was at this moment that we acknowledged each other with the wave of a hand, and we each went on our separate ways.As I walked briskly towards the bus stop which was now just meters away, I found my attention shift and a calm enveloped me as I reflected on the nature of the interaction that had just passed.No longer was I consumed by my eagerness to make it to the bus stop on time, for something more peaceful had taken its place.As I contemplated his words of kind admiration, I couldn't help but feel inspired by my exchange with him.As I stood there, waiting for the bus that had yet to come, I made the decision to let his gift of inspiration touch me once more.With this, I used my spare moments to scour the area for other discarded items which would be better housed in a trash container, and as I did what I felt was my duty to do, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the solidarity which the young man had engendered in me.In this sense, I was not alone.What his gratitude made me want to do was set a further and better example for others.If he had noticed what I had done by my simple act, then hopefully others would be receptive in the same way and follow my example if I continued to repeat the action.With this, I had all the incentive that I will ever need to continue to clean up when the opportunity presents itself.By showing him a way, my friend had showed me the way that inspiration feeds off itself to become an all powerful force in the physical world.When the bus arrived, I sank comfortably in my seat, content in the knowledge of what had just transpired.What I had received was a lesson in how inspiration leads and moves us to grow in beautiful and profound ways.I also learned that it doesn't take much in the way of physical effort, to give and receive the gift of inspiration.By the simple act of picking up an item of rubbish, I had inspired someone who, by his words and actions, had touched and inspired me in return.What is given in the name of spirit should never be kept to oneself, but shared with others who can benefit from its bestowal.Like the fragrance of the rose which lingers on the hand of the one who presents it to another, inspiration is the gift that continues to give because by its very nature it grows in power as it is given.We have all experienced moments when someone has lived from their heart and the example that they have set touches us for a lifetime.At this, I am reminded of the colossal performance of Germany's Matthias Steiner in the Gold medal round of the Men's Heavyweight Weightlifting event at the Beijing Olympic Games.Losing his wife in a car accident one year before the competition, Steiner produced when it mattered most, raising an astounding 258kg with his final lift in the clean and jerk.Watching his triumph and the emotional celebrations that followed, I couldn't help but feel that the power of the human spirit had revealed itself in a very special way that night.In the preceding rounds, it appeared that Steiner was not the physically strongest man in the competition, but when it came down to it, the strength of spirit was greater in him and that is what saw him through.Remembering his wife, he found a strength within himself that I am not sure he knew he had, but when the moment presented itself, that strength came forth not only to inspire him on his quest, but to inspire the millions who witnessed his victory from near and afar.Seeing him standing on the dais with the Gold medal around his neck and a photo of his wife in his hand, I couldn't help but think that the most deserving man won.Overcoming adversity and the miscellaneous obstacles that an elite athlete faces is what the Olympic Games is all about, and as it professes to serve as a testament to the power of the human spirit, I felt that a purpose was served in his victory that transcended the domain of sport.Needless to say the spirit moves in mysterious ways, and how it comes to touch our hearts is never predictable.What will touch one person may not touch another person in the same way because what separates them is the ground that they occupy on the spiritual path.To recognize the spirit is to be moved by the spirit, and while each of us have the inherent capacity to be moved at the very core of who we are, many experience not the ecstasy that others enjoy in their connection to spirit.To honour the spirit is to let it move you and use you as an instrument of inspiration.It is to subdue the ego and force it to take second place, for never can one be an example of the light when the shadow is what they present to the world.With spirit as strength, never do we shine so brightly as when we allow the light to be our shepherd on the journey.One of the people that I admire so greatly in the world is Oprah Winfrey.Having endured abuse and the hardship of poverty, Oprah worked long and hard to forge a successful career in the media, and through her persistence and commitment to what she believes in, she has emerged as a global icon who inspires millions daily with her uplifting television and radio programs.Loved and admired by millions around the world, I would say that the secret of her influence is not the work that she has put in to get to where she is, but the person that she is.Authentic in spirit, Oprah is the beacon of light that we all yearn to be, and in her we see a powerful example of inspiration at work.As an instrument of spirit, what she gives is more than what she receives and what she provides to others cannot be measured in monetary terms alone.As an ambassador for learning, she has built a school for the disadvantaged girls of South Africa, and by her generosity and dedication she has provided hope to those who at one time had little to look forward to.Gifted in spirit, that is what she gives to others because she is free in the abundance that the spirit has created in her life.Wanting that abundance for others, she knows that in giving, others receive not only her gifts, but her example which is much more valuable that gifts alone.Pursuing her purpose, she holds to her vision of a world that will be better tomorrow because it will have been touched by the loving hand that guided her heart and shaped her will.Aware of her legacy, she grows not complacent in what she is called to do, and she continually involves herself in new projects that assist in evolving the consciousness of the world.Finding strength in her example, we can all begin to take steps to shape the world in a better way, and while it is convenient to believe that we cannot have the impact that the Oprah Winfrey's of this world have, we can nevertheless move mountains with the power to be found in spirit.With this remember, that when a tiny pebble is dropped into a pond, it creates a ripple effect that reaches the edges of the pond.So fear not that your efforts to bring inspiration to the lives of others will be forgotten, because the spirit by its very life will ensure that your effort is not wasted.Bound together in spirit, we are bound together in strength and so do we make each other stronger when spirit is the space in which we choose to live.Exhibiting clarity, that is what it brings to the mind and heart that have allowed love to tame it.Being a manifestation of love, inspiration carries a potency that can transform and transcend that which we label as undesirable in the world.Being of the ego, that which fragments and weakens sleeps not easy in the presence of inspiration because in it, it sees the antidote to its suffering.Being not real, it does not provide the example that inspiration does and its vain attempts at moving you are feeble by comparison.Carrying not the voice of influence, it lacks the power of persuasion that is characteristic of authentic spirituality.Speaking not to you in an authoritative voice, it is heard as a whisper that fails to stir the emotions of those closest to you.Sensing your vulnerability, they see in you not a leader to be followed, but a sheep to be led, not to the slaughter, but to liberation in him.With this, understand that one cannot be inspired and ensnared at the same time, for he that is inspired is always free.Being in spirit, he goes where his master calls him to go, and he does not question the wisdom of his calling.Centred in truth, he trusts the one who speaks to him and with this confidence he teaches others to trust the voice inside themselves.As they detect the absence of fear in the one who they follow, so do they become the leaders of the next generation who walk with tender feet on a path that is unfamiliar.But all that is unfamiliar will bear its face before long, and become as recognizable as the hand of God on the hearts of his children who share his identity.Learn from this, what a life lived in inspiration will deliver to you.Bringing you home, it will transform you into the lighthouse that the lonely ships seek for guidance.In you, they will have found more than a mere source of guidance, and through your example they will awaken to their greatest power.Centred in love, you will inspire them not to follow your light, but the light within themselves that shines most brightly for their own heart, and in the humility that they find, they will honour the humility that you have demonstrated by not seeking to lead them on your own path.As a warrior of the light, you will see the wisdom in training others to fight their own battles, for a war is never won when your opponent is a stranger unto the wind.Remember that your task is to make an ally of an enemy.This is what inspiration brings to the wounded heart that knows not the tale of its own struggle.Tormented and troubled, it ventures from the darkness to find itself again, and in the light, hope is not lost, for what it reveals to the heart is what it longs to remember, that you are the embodiment of spirit itself, that can never really be separated from love, but in the depths of a wicked dream.Inspiration is not hard to find for the heart that is looking for it.Being of God, it is in everything, and surrounding you, in invites you in every moment to share in its bliss.But this we do not recognize as we live through the identity of the ego, for under its mask, the light of inspiration is reduced to a speck that is imperceptible to the one with distorted vision.Seeing not the energy of life itself, we know not what it means to be alive.Lethargic in the ego's shadow, we are not vibrantly energized in love's light.See here what the gift of inspiration brings to you.Filling you with love's light, boundless energy makes significant your service, and as your attention is focused, so are your greatest abilities drawn forth.With this, understand that what is most beautiful and extraordinary is created in the light of the spirit.To be 'inspired' is to be in spirit, and as we find ourselves living in this infinite realm, so does this eternal quality come to infuse everything that we do.With an eternal gift being a blessing, this is what we are capable of bringing to the world when we subdue the ego, and create from a higher space.A few months ago, I was in Rome and went to visit the Sistine Chapel.Wanting to see for myself the masterpiece which is its ceiling, I was absolutely transfixed by what flowed from Michelangelo's loving hands between 1508 and 1512.For just over four years, he brought to life with his paintbrush a breathtaking work, which inspires awe in the hearts of those who are blessed in its company.Flowing from his heart, one cannot help but be touched there, as they look upon what he was inspired to create.To produce the piece, Michelangelo often had to bend and contort his body in very awkward and painful ways, but this was not something that he let deter him as he sought to bring glory to God.Blessed with amazing creative gifts, Michelangelo understood that these gifts would ultimately be wasted if they were not utilized in serving God's purpose for his life.Led by the spirit, it is undeniable that he was a man on fire.With love burning in his heart, he knew that he was not ready to die because his work was not finished yet.With much to do, he got to work and revealed to others the power of his passion.Bringing him in touch with the spirit, the spirit reaches out and touches people through his work.Being eternal in nature, we describe his works as timeless, sharing the qualities of the spirit which transcends space and time.So what stands between Michelangelo and ourselves? Much you would think, but thinking is limited in the answers that it produces.Giving a voice to his heart, this great man realized his potential, but he did not do so in the company of a stranger.Finding his centre, he found God in the process.With this, understand what made him great.Trusting the spirit and the gifts that he found in it, this is what he allowed to lead him in his work.Inspired, he produced masterpieces, being that which captures the majesty of the heart.But where is the majesty in what we produce? Living from the ego, we live not in spirit where inspiration is to be found.Guided by the voice of reason, we succumb to the limits of our thinking.With this, understand that thinking plays a secondary role in matters of expression.Expression comes from the heart, and is only hindered when thinking is allowed to dominate.Playing the subservient role, the mind is valuable as a vehicle for expression, but it must know its place.Allowing the heart to express itself, inspiration produces works in the physical world, and in the process is God's presence made more visible in what he has created.We all have much to learn from those who have allowed the spirit to lead them in their lives, and whether their accomplishments were great or small in worldly terms, what remains is most important, being the legacy which is the world's example.With my writing being my voice, it is inspiration that guides me to serve, and as I express myself, so does the spirit find life in me, and in those who my work will touch.From this, learn that you too must honour the voice of your inspiration if you are to know fulfilment in your life.With a legacy to leave, the world cannot be made to suffer in your denial of your greatest gifts.To deny is to withdraw, but the spirit never withdraws from life.Inspired, it remains engaged, which you must do if your purpose is to be fulfilled.Honour this as you step forward and your legacy will not be forgotten in the light which is inspiration's calling.
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