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Be of Service

Here we discover that what we do in our daily lives matters. Each prayer, each meditation, each loving action, each small act of kindness or support makes a difference. If you could only see the energy of it you would be amazed. Think of a pebble thrown in a pond, the ripples moving outward encompassing each thing in their path, then reflecting back again. What pebbles of service can you toss into your pond today?

You Have a Choice

3/20/2020

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“Always choose love over fear.”
 - A.D. Posey

"This too shall pass."
​ - Persian Adage


At my behest, Peter has been out over the last several days, stocking up our food supplies and paper goods, and yes, toilet paper! To be fair, we were also preparing for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner with a few, close friends and family. To supply us, he has patiently and not so patiently waited in long lines in store after store, amidst others doing the same thing because DeSoto and the Kansas City area has caught the virus, the virus of fear.
There is a glut of information on the internet for how to protect ourselves from the Corona virus, but how do we protect ourselves from the hidden one, the one that is arguably the more contagious and devastating infection – fear?

​
At the heart of the journey of spiritual and personal development is a choice. Each of us must decide if we want to live with love or live with fear. When we decide that we have had enough of living in fear and choose love, then we turn to gathering the tools that will aid us on our journey from fear into love.

The journey we are on individually at this time is no different, we have the same choice. Each of us must decide, “Do I choose love or fear?”

If you decide to choose to respond with love rather than fear here are some ideas to support you.

- It does make sense to prepare, to supply yourself with what you will need for the next several weeks. This does not mean overbuying. It means buying what you would normally use over the next little while. It makes sense to do this because then you can let go of worrying about it. Once stocked you can let go of concern about having what you need, knowing that you do.

- The antidote to isolation and separation is connection and community. Reach out. Get involved in positively focused on-line groups, prayer circles and classes. Choose ones that uplift and give you a feeling of connection. Get on the phone and connect with those you love.

- Place your attention on the good stuff that is happening and make that your focus. Look around you, there is so much good going on, people reaching out, businesses supporting their employees, communities helping. People and businesses coming together to support each other. Here are just a few examples -

We joined Nextdoor Neighbor, a local website for community connection and information. On it I found some uplifting messages.

“If anyone is unable to get out of their house and needs food, water, supplies, etc., please let me or another neighbor know ♥️ Even if we are all being distanced from one another, don't feel alone and know you're part of a community and we are here to help!!” And in response – “We would also love to help if anyone around needs anything. We are somewhat new to the area and haven't met many neighbors yet, but please reach out and we can try to do what we can. :)”

On the town of DeSoto, KS website was this supportive message. - “Understanding that some residents may face financial difficulties arising from COVID-19 related closings, De Soto is suspending disconnections and late payment fees until further notice. This applies to all City water, sewer, and refuse accounts.”

Local stores like REI Coop are offering support to their employees like this - “We have modified our paid time off policies to ensure that our employees—including hourly retail employees—who miss work due to illness or to care for sick family members do not suffer loss of income or other benefits.” A number of big stores are implementing similar policies.

-Get out into nature. Go out to the woods and less frequented natural areas. Plan to go with a friend if possible. Get out into your yard and your garden. Listen to the caroling songs of the birds celebrating spring’s arrival. Feel the wind caress your cheeks. Watch the sky as fluffy, white clouds form intriguing shapes. Smell the fresh scent of daffodils popping their yellow and white heads out of the ground. It is a beautiful Spring, allow yourself to enjoy and appreciate it.

- Remember to laugh. Laughter is a great immune booster, physically and energetically. Humor lifts us at a time when it is badly needed. So, for your chuckling pleasure here’s…
“QUARANTINE DIARY: Day 1 – I have stocked up on enough non-perishable food and supplies to last me for months, maybe years, so that I can remain in isolation for as long as it takes to see out this pandemic."
"Day 1, 45 minutes later – I am in the supermarket because I wanted a Twix bar.”
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I'm not sure what's so funny about this one, it looks like every day to me. Maybe you can figure it out. 😉
​We can serve the world at this time. Together let’s keep the light shining, my dear friends.  
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
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Love in Action is Service

11/29/2019

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“Prayer in action is love. Love in action is service.”
-Mother Teresa
 
Service is about being a channel for the energy of love into our world. Compassion, beauty, patience, support, generosity, faith, trust, all these and more are expressions of love.

Creating a home that welcomes and evokes love is service.

A mother, enthusiastically admiring a six year old's umpteenth building blocks rendition of something with wings, is service.

A friend’s wondrous gardens, filled with love, are service.

My sister-in-law's paintings, each created with love, are service.

My husband’s giving of support to others for no reason other than that he is able, is service.

My soul sister clearing out all the old fears so that her authentic self may stride forward is service.

Giving someone your full attention when you speak to them, rather than listening with, ‘half an ear,’ is service.

A ministry filled with love for God and congregation is service.

A smile and a “thank you” of real appreciation for the clerk at the store is service.

Any thought, word or action carried on the energy of love is service.

Service is the act of living each day with love. In so doing, love is channeled through you into our world.

It can be a single thought or a mighty deed. It is all service.
Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash
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"We will never know how much good just a simple smile can do."
-Mother Teresa

Your Spiritual Toolbox

As much as possible today, be of service by doing whatever you do with love.

Understand that it is your attitude which makes the difference.

Approach what you do asking yourself, “How may I serve our world in what I do today?"

Here are some ideas:

Slow down.

Fully focus your attention on what you are doing in each moment.  Stay present.

Feel appreciation for any aspects of what you are doing that you can. Focus your thoughts upon those positive aspects to the exclusion of anything that you find less attractive.

Pay attention to those people with whom you interact. Really listen to them. Focus on those aspects about them that you appreciate. Express gratitude out loud when you can, or when you can't, express gratitude  in your thoughts.

Even with those people about whom you feel more negative than positive, it is possible to be of service by mentally offering that person a blessing.

​This works wonders for maintaining your own equilibrium with that snippy waitress, or the cranky person behind you in line. For example, thinking, “May you be blessed with peace,” or "wisdom" or "compassion," whatever feels appropriate at the moment. It’s OK to give yourself a blessing too!

Slow down. Breathe. Be fully present. Feel appreciation. Express gratitude. Be a blessing to others and to yourself. These are the tools of love in action.
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Go on a Treasure Hunt

6/4/2019

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Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.
 
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
 
Daily life may be lived as a treasure hunt, finding one gem after another. It is not a matter of what you are doing, it is the attitude with which you approach what you do each day and the focus of attention that you apply to each task.

Yesterday, instead of doing what I previously assigned myself on my to-do list, I chose to do the jobs that were foremost in my mind, the ones that had been niggling at me to get done. My intention was to be fully involved in each thing that I did, whatever that was.

I encouraged myself to focus fully upon what I was doing at the moment. When I wanted a break, I took a break. I tended to alternate physical activity with mental activity.  I pulled my mind away from thinking about the next job, or from thinking about how much else I wanted to get done. 

When I finished one job I moved to the next job that attracted me. By the end of the day I got more work done than I would have otherwise and felt emotionally energized by the process. I was following the energy, allowing myself to be carried by the stream.

This takes a lot less energy than swimming against the current. When you assign yourself jobs that must be done and force yourself to do them, you are swimming upstream, pushing yourself against the energy. This depletes your energy.   

A day spent following the energy from activity to activity becomes a day of discovery, a treasure hunt discovering the gems of flow in each activity that you choose to do.

Flow is attained when you are wholly involved in what you are doing. Mind, body and emotions are flowing together to create what you are doing.  It is a state of Love. You become a channel of loving energy, both giving and receiving. You feel energized. Whatever you are doing becomes imbued with that loving energy.

As a channel of creative energy you serve others as you serve yourself, literally bringing more love into the world. Go on today's treasure hunt. 
Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

Your Spiritual Toolbox

Today, find the flow by focusing fully upon the jobs that you want to get done, one at a time.

What is the first job that comes to mind? It is probably the one that has been bothering you. It might be that report you’ve been putting off, or the packed closet that’s been driving you crazy, it might be the cookies you promised to bake for the school fair.

Whatever it is, do that job until it is finished. While you are working stay as focused on the job as possible. If the job is worth doing, it is worth giving it your full attention.

Allow yourself to relax into the energy and flow with the work.

When you are finished with that job, take several deep breaths and thank yourself for your good work, feel appreciation for your effort, and the completion of the job.

How do you feel now? Do you need a break? Take it. You are following the energy of your body as well as that of your attention.

​Does another job come to mind? That’s the job to focus on next.

Treasure is to be found as you give your full attention to what you are doing. That is where you will experience flow and be a channel of love into the world. 
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Sharing Our Stories

4/23/2019

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I asked my husband, Peter, what he thought my blog posts needed. He gave me the most useful advice. He said that my best posts are those that give examples from my own life, telling my story.

I’ve written posts using stories from my life. They are the hardest for me to publish. They feel risky, exposing my soft underbelly. I feel vulnerable as I send them out into the ethers. What will people think of me with all my flaws hanging out there? What’s more, how can my personal story be important or interesting or even good enough to share?

“Find the courage to put your words out there because that invokes the ritual of surrender.”
-Red Feather 

What is it I am surrendering? Ah, of course, I am surrendering my attachment to all those fears lurking in the back of my mind. I am surrendering my attachment to all those hopes smiling at me from my vision board. I am surrendering my attachment to any outcome at all from these sharings of my heart.

Is that all? I can do that… I think.

I’ll just take my courage in hand, like taking the collar of a reluctant puppy. That puppy may have her tail tucked between her legs and be frantically pushing backwards. So what? I’ll continue to share my journey anyway, in the hope that it may support others.
​
We are each of us more alike, more connected than we know, and therein lies the value of sharing one’s story. Let's share our stories together.

First though, ahem…. I’ll start with someone else’s story. It’s so very good and beautifully written, by a woman who knows how scary it can be. I don’t want you to miss it.

A Fable by Jennifer Louden
https://jenniferlouden.com/a-fable-for-2018/  

Once upon a time, a girl made something from nothing.
She made fairy castles from mud and twigs, painted her dreams in every color and spun worlds from words.
Oh, how she loved the Making.
The bubbling luminescent Love of it gilded everything with possibility.
And then one day, someone intruded. A neighbor boy jeered at her fairy castle, a beloved teacher praised her best friend’s painting but not hers and a parent told her to stop wasting her time making up stories and go learn her sums.
Or, the natural Gap opened between what she could make and what she wanted to make. But there was no one to take her by the hand and teach her how to build her own bridge across the Gap. And the worry was planted: what if she wasn’t good enough?
Whatever the source, her faith in the Making was endangered.
A cage of razor-edged thorns tried to grow between the creating and her, pricking her with, “But if it isn’t perfect, what’s the point?” and “Look at what she made, it’s so much better,” and the thorns pointed at the Gap, made it appear as a yawning abyss and not a natural, inevitable part of the adventure.
Sometimes, the thorns used grades and grants denied and rejection letters to fuel their venom. Strangely, those rarely hurt her as much as the thorns of her own making.
Yet she persisted. Scratched, defiant eyes narrowed in concentration, she made something from nothing.
Sometimes exhausted, she retreated, rested, tried a new way of making.
But she always returned.
She always defied the thorns.
Until one day, after many years, for no reason or a thousand, the thorn’s power grew too great and pinned her to the earth.
Merciless in their insistence, pricking and tearing, chanting, “Give up the writing. Give up the painting. Give up the teaching. Why do you keep trying so hard?”
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. She lay with her cheek pressed into the earth, panting.
It will be so much easier if you give it up.
Well, it would be, she thought. They have a point. What has all this making and creating and trying gotten me anyway?
With that, a blanket of gloom rolled toward her, made from everything that is the opposite of creating. A lightless blanket of sameness.
She grew sleepy. Just give it up. Why try so hard?
It rolled toward her with its endless flickering Netflix and Facebook and Instagram and books and paintings and beauty, all made by someone else.
And then, as the blanket of sameness was almost upon her and the thorns grew together over her head, through the gloom and the ugly lattice work of her self-made prison, the woman spotted a glimmer.
A shimmer.
A girl-shaped flame.
She struggled to raise her head.
It was her, as a child. And she was made completely of color and stories and imagination and devotion. Oh so much pure devotion.
She was flame forged from the pure love of making.
Not for accolades or approval or coins.
The girl’s heart cared less for any of that. She cared only for the challenge, the worlds she would shape and cradle, the butterflies of what if? Fluttering, fluttering in her belly.
She cared only for the making.
And the girl stretched out her hand with a giggle and the woman didn’t hesitate to reach out and take it.
May you always remember this woman and how you cheered for her to never give up,
And then may you cheer for you yourself
As loud and as proud.
And may you always remember your voice matters.
             
Photo by Katy Belcher on Unsplash
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Service with a Smile

4/2/2019

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Cooking can be more than a necessity. It can be more than a hobby or an avocation. Cooking with love can be part of a spiritual practice, because cooking is one way to bring more love into the world.

There is something special about donning an apron, putting on flowing music, clearing the sink and counters, gathering ingredients from pantry and refrigerator, and setting the scene. It starts to bring you into focus.

Then the food preparation and cooking presents a banquet for the senses, all the colors and shapes, the smells and textures. A crisp bite of juicy red pepper, the fresh, green smell of garden kale that wafts upward as you slice it for salad, the deep flavors and aromas of chocolate, vanilla and almond, all vying for attention demanding that you focus upon them. It is a sensual experience that can narrow your scattered thoughts, pulling your attention away from worries over past or future and bringing you to a place of serenity and flow.

And it doesn't have to be cooking. I believe anything done with love is a spiritual practice. Just imagine spending an entire day flowing from one activity to another, each one a spiritual practice of gentle focus and attention, channeling more and more love into the world. It is my aspiration.

​For today, however, I think I’ll start in the kitchen. Those juicy, red raspberries are calling me.


Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash 

Your Spiritual Toolbox

Is there something that you do frequently that is naturally meditative? Something you enjoy that asks for your full attention?

A favorite hobby is a perfect place to start.
​
Today, set the scene.

First, clear the area you will be in. A clean, uncluttered workspace is inspiring.

Next, put on some inspiring, instrumental music. Pick something you love, and that will encourage you to internalize.

Gather any materials you need and lay them out enticingly.

Now focus your attention fully upon what you are doing.

Go for the flow.

​As you do so you are channeling more love into our world.
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    "Love is service."

    - Mother Teresa

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​All materials provided on www.hollyhildreth.com are provided for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only and are not intended to be, or serve as a substitute for, professional medical/psychological advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
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© Holly Hildreth
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Savor the Sweetness
  • Be of Service
  • Know Thyself
  • Follow Your Bliss
  • Play
  • Be Content
  • Trust God
  • Faster Emotional Freedom Technique-V