Strive each day to be an open channel for divine love and light to flow into an awakening world.

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Creation exists as energy, and all things are united within and because of this energy. The energy of creation is infinite and contains infinite peace, strength, and wisdom. The power of this energy is seen as light, and its quality is unconditional love. Love and light are within all things, and all things exist within love and light. It is our ability to express love and light that dictates the quality of our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our ability to express love and light also affects the thoughts, words, and deeds of those around us. The presence of fear, typified by negative thoughts and feelings, is a sure sign that we are closed off to the peaceful flow of love and light into our lives. Our fear only serves to reinforce the fears of others and results in unnecessary negative situations, which could be avoided if we remained centred in love and light.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded to begin each day with a peaceful, loving attitude to all things. Negative situations are never resolved with negative reactions. Learn to stay focussed within your own centre of love and light, and use it as the foundation for dealing with the day's events. This takes practice, persistence, and patience to maintain. Make the effort in the knowledge that as you live each day this way, you are allowing others to learn through your peace and love, thereby bringing peace and love into their lives. The effort will bring its own rewards and prove itself through your own ability to be calm, peaceful, accepting, and loving. This is perhaps the perfect time for you to experience the power of love and light through meditation, contemplation, and inspirational reading.

Maintain a sense of humour. It washes away hurt like a newly rising sun dissolves the icy frost of a cold, dark night.

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See the lighter side of life. It is too easy to be drawn into the seriousness of things and get stuck there. We too often find ourselves in a prison where the bars are constant streams of fear, confusion, anxiety, and worry. Once in this prison, we start to worry about things that do not matter or that mean very little. By maintaining, possibly even developing, a sense of humour, we keep things in better perspective and learn to laugh at situations — or at the very least see the lighter side of life. Humour acts as a pressure relief valve; it allows the mind to take a break and the body to function with less stress, because all the right hormones and chemicals are being released to maintain a healthy, calm balance.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded to look for and enjoy the lighter moments as they arise because you are running the risk of becoming stuck. You may not see the humour around you because of a situation or attitude that is consuming your thoughts or your time. Look at things differently. Serious situations do not always need to be looked at so seriously. Loosen up a bit. Use humour to explore the way you are looking at life. Learn to laugh, and you learn to live with less rigidity and more freedom to act without fear.

Make love the foundation of everything. It is the only emotion that allows complete freedom from fear.

* * *

Love is the most powerful force we have. Only when we are truly, selflessly loving are we free from fear and insecurity. It is fear that creates disharmony in our lives. When we are unafraid, we are able to face any situation calmly, peacefully, and with a clear mind. The energy of love needs to be fostered in order to build peace and contentment within ourselves. When shared selflessly with others, life is changed in an instant.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded of the power of love and the need to nurture it. It is possible you may be feeling unloved yourself at the moment or have situations around you that require love. Your ability to love is your ability to dissolve these situations. At the very least, dissolve your negative reactions to what others or you yourself are saying or doing. Remember, real love is unconditional.

Smile — it is a gift to others and a reward in itself.

* * *

A smile is a golden gift for anyone who encounters one. A smile can evoke feelings of love, being loved, emotional comfort and safety, closeness, reassurance, or simply a sense of freedom and happiness. A smile sets us free. It frees us from negative feelings and attitudes, even if it is only for the brief time it takes to smile or to appreciate the smile of someone else. It makes our load that little bit lighter and instils an inner warmth that reminds us that really, everything is (or can be) okay and that love still exists. In a world filled with worried, anxious people, it is the humble smile that eases so much of the burden we think we are carrying. It tends to keep us in perspective.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded not to get caught up in the seriousness of life. You are being reminded to smile, to appreciate the value of a smile, and to remember that you have one — so start using it. It is as simple as greeting people with a smile instead of a frown and furrowed brows. You may be surprised how positively a smile can affect how you are feeling; it will always make others feel better about themselves, their lives, and the world.

Let your mind soar to the heavens. Anything is possible there.

* * *

Sometimes we get caught up in the mundaneness of life or find ourselves overwhelmed by situations that are negative. These are the times when it is difficult to see where we are heading, what we could be doing, and even why we should bother at all about anything. These are the moments to take time to let go and dream again. The imagination is the doorway to possibilities. The only reason we become stuck is because our imagination becomes closed off and negative.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded not to get bogged down. If you don't know what you want out of a situation, let go and spend time exploring the possibilities with your imagination. Start to use your imagination in a positive way. Be creative, be adventurous, and explore it. Enter the heavens of infinite possibility and reignite the flicker of hope and encouragement that you have lost sight of. It could be a matter of using the imagination to expand some creative aspect that is looking for expression. Let it out with your imagination as the key. Be wary of using the imagination to avoid life — use it as an aid to developing positive results in life.

The end result does not matter. It is how I get there that I am judged.

* * *

Judgement comes at many levels. The judgement of others is subjective and only matters insofar as the example we set for others to follow. Our own personal judgement of ourselves and our thoughts, words, and deeds matters in that it shapes how we feel about ourselves. This, of course, has a huge impact on our state of mind and how harmonious we are within ourselves. Divine judgement follows the rule of 'reaping what you sow'. Whatever our place of judgement, there is one common theme: Judgement is based on who we are, not what we have. It is based on how we strive to achieve our goals and grow as people rather than whether or not goals are achieved. Gaining profit through deceit and selfishness will be judged on all levels as far inferior in character to striving to gain through honesty, integrity, and selflessness. This is very much a question of morals and right living.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded to let your conscience guide you in some area of your life. Wherever you might find yourself at the moment, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. You know the difference. You may need to resist the temptation to do something you will not feel good about afterwards. Follow the voice inside that knows, regardless of how difficult it might seem. In this way, you will show others how it can be done, feel confident and strong within and about yourself, and prevent continuous cycles of negative actions and reactions.

When I judge others — that is the very time to look at myself.

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One of the many strange paradoxes in life is the way the world we live in acts as a mirror to our inner state of being. It is almost guaranteed that if we are passing judgement on others now or just being generally judgemental of people and situations around us, then we are also being very judgemental of ourselves. We will be experiencing fears, insecurities, and guilt in our own lives and projecting these onto the world around us. We view the world as we view ourselves.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded to take the time to listen to what is going through your mind. This is particularly the case if you are being judgemental or critical of those around you. Listen to what you are saying to and about yourself. Be on the watch for negative, self-defeating comments or thoughts. Anything negative needs to be looked at and turned into positive, encouraging, and nurturing thoughts. Now could be a good time to develop positive affirmations to transform negative thinking into positive.

Look at what you need to do and surrender to it. Do it and worry not about tomorrow.

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Resistance is futile. Some things just have to be done. We can run around avoiding doing things because we are too concerned about what might happen tomorrow, or filling our heads with so much worry and anxiety about things we are fearful of. When we learn to let go of the things that haven't yet happened, and might never happen, and simply do what needs to be done at this moment, we achieve so much more with less effort and anxiety. We cannot live tomorrow until we have lived today. Deal with today without resisting it; it will make tomorrow easier to live if we do.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded to let go and flow. You know what has to be done, accept it and surrender to it. Do not cloud your mind with unnecessary thinking or worrying. Build an attitude of peaceful surrender to the moment and do what you have to do. You will achieve more and achieve it in a much more productive and constructive way. Choosing this affirmation does not necessarily mean you are in the midst of a crisis. It may simply mean you are spending too much time thinking and not enough time doing.

The art of living simply is simply living. Do not complicate things.

* * *

Life really is quite simple. It is we who complicate it with our fears and worries. These fears and worries create a sometimes mind- boggling forest of thoughts, many of which are negative, that leaves us confused, anxious, and blind to the simplicity of the moment we are living. Oftentimes, we unconsciously create a forest in our mind to avoid the truth, because we nearly always really know what we are to do in any given situation — we just do not want to look at it because it might be difficult, unpleasant, or painful.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded that at any point in time, you can only be doing one thing. Look at what is needed for that moment and do it. Do not spend excessive time and energy thinking about what you 'should' do or all the 'buts' and 'what ifs'. When faced with a situation, look at it honestly, consider your responsibilities and desires, and consider consequences. You know the right course of action because you can feel as well as know it. Do not dwell on the pleasantness or unpleasantness of your options. Look at what the situation requires of you; do it — then let it go. There is no need to think any further on it, because it is now in the past, and you are in a new moment that requires your complete attention.

Truth and Truth alone is my teacher. All things emanate from the Source.

* * *

All things which exist do so because of universal energy. Nothing can exist without it. This energy is the outward expression of consciousness, it is ultimately seen as light, and its quality is love. Within this consciousness is held innate wisdom, knowledge, and ultimate truth. The permeation of this energy within all things ensures we have natural access to the self-same truth which has created, shaped, taught, and guided beings from the beginning of time. It is our task to acknowledge, seek, and allow this truth to be expressed in our daily life.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded that truth is truth, even if you are the only one who knows it. Now might be a good time to sit back and think about where you are and if it is right for you. Are you living from a point of truth, or are you allowing yourself to be blinded by emotion, fear, or desire? If you have been falsely held responsible for something, understand that as you sit in Divine truth, there is nothing to fear from the narrow judgement of people who do not see, or choose not to see, the truth. If you are blaming others for something, reconsider your judgement from a position of truth. Be assured the peaceful person is the one who is living true to her/himself.

Life gives me the skills to deal with anything it dishes out to me.

* * *

One of the truisms of life is that we never get more than we can handle, even though it doesn't seem so sometimes. When we are faced with a crisis, what we have experienced, seen, heard, and learnt so far somehow has provided us with whatever is needed. If we need strength to deal with a situation, we will find that it really is there. The greatest difficulty is usually overcoming intense emotional feelings, and in some cases trauma, that can make it very difficult to think, see, and act clearly and rationally.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded of the need to be very patient with yourself. Accept the fact that you are in the midst of a difficult situation, if not a crisis, and it is perfectly natural to have difficulties in coping. Now is the time to remind yourself that somewhere inside, you have whatever it takes to overcome and survive the situation. Try asking yourself what quality you need: strength, patience, understanding, love ... Now start to look for it within yourself. It may help to bring into your life inspirational things and people who remind you of the quality or characteristic you are seeking.

Hate cannot live where love resides.

* * *

Love is the only feeling we experience that brings total freedom. Not any form of selfish love, rather love that desires nothing in return. If love is present, hate is not. If love is only partially present, then there is room for hate, as well as many other negative thoughts and feelings like envy, greed, jealousy, and selfishness. By becoming more loving, we become less fearful, less hateful, less selfish, and less of anything that is creating disharmony in our lives. The actions of others that create upset and discord within us can only do so when we are not living our own lives based on love. When we are expressing in a loving way, these things do not have such a powerful impact.

In choosing this reflection, you are being reminded not to close yourself off to love, either giving it or receiving it. Reconnect with and appreciate love and its healing power. Take time to understand how love can work for you. Do things that make you feel more loving, and then feel the calm energy of that love. Begin to appreciate how you feel and take steps to feel that way more often. If your trust is being challenged in some way, remember that love does not rely on trust or anything else for its ability to make you feel peaceful and safe. Love really is its own reward, and the more you allow yourself to feel it, the more peaceful you will become.

Life is a puzzle, an intricate work of art. As with all great works, it is best appreciated from a distance.

* * *

Every life is an amazing series of events that have combined to lead us to where we are right now. If we look at all the separate events as a tapestry of our being and view it as a whole, we will see who we are and how we became who we are. See the lessons learned in life as a related progression of experiences that have brought, and continue to bring, love, wisdom, strength, compassion, tolerance, and many other things into our lives. If we look at each event in our life as separate and unrelated, we become focussed on very small parts of our learning experience. If we are feeling low, the tendency will be to recall and focus on only past events and associated feelings that also made us feel low. This blows our present low feelings out of proportion, and we run the risk of them consuming us. Likewise, we can run the risk of becoming carried away with happy feelings when things are going well and allow this to affect our judgement and choices.