 In the initial stages of embodiment we are called to become more attuned to the love, wisdom, and strength of the soul, so we can more fully live and express these qualities through our whole being. As embodiment progresses, your mind gradually clears and quiets. Self defeating thought patterns shift and emotional healing occurs. The subtle connections between heart, mind, soul, brain, and body are gradually rewired so that authentic, healthy, and appropriate responses and interactions spontaneously emerge in the moment. Outer circumstances have less influence on your sense of well being. You feel a deep grounded presence. The ups and downs of life gradually take on less significance. Authentic and clear communication arises naturally through your conversations. You shine brighter. Clear intuitive knowing is a regular occurrence. You feel gloriously hijacked by spontaneous waves of love coming to and through you. There is a loss of interest in drama—yours and theirs. Your magnetism increases and you feel truly beautiful. Laughter and lightheartedness arise unexpectedly. You look at the world through soft empathetic eyes. Spontaneous miracles and unexplainable life enhancing “coincidences” occur regularly. There is an apparent reversal of the aging process. Expanded opportunities to share your unique gifts unexpectedly enter your sphere. Creative surges take you into wild territory you’ve never known before. You discover super powers you never knew you had. Through embodiment, you find a new stability as you begin to feel solidly anchored in this fresh clear state. Even though you may still feel pushed around by circumstances from time to time, there is a newfound strength that is strong and consistent. You now have a deeper understanding of what is means to feel really centered. In this stage, you are more fully yourself then ever before. You appreciate yourself for who you are, rather than dwelling on who you would like to be. The fantasy projections that you can never quite live up to begin to lose power and influence in your life. The “not enough” illusion you have danced with for so long begins to fade away. The constant effort to improve yourself gloriously dies down and is replaced by feelings of equanimity. You still want to explore and evolve, but these impulses come from a completely different place than they used to. They come from a genuine desire to learn and grow, rather than a sense of not being just fine the way you are. This deepening self acceptance sparks strong feelings of self love, which is a powerful sign that this part of the embodiment process is unfolding in healthy ways. This growing self love isn’t narcissistic or egotistical. It’s more pure and clear, emerging out of a deeper recognition of who you are in your fullness. This is a time to celebrate yourself and all you have done to get to this shiny new place. It has not been easy. Yet it has been totally worth the struggles and egoic tug of wars; the tortured moments when you resisted surrendering to a higher way; and all the time and energy it took to stay true to your path. Especially when others scoffed at you or doubted you, and thought you were a little bit crazy. Or maybe even a whole lot crazy. Delightfully, you come through this period with something totally unexpected. It isn’t quite the happiness you expected to feel, but something much richer and more nourishing. You feel content. It is a soft sure comforting feeling that all is well, and it ALWAYS has been. Even when you were rocking and rolling in trauma and drama. You find yourself in a more solid state, even as life presents you with a fresh load of challenges. Some that are bigger than ever. In the midst of it all, your mantra becomes, “I got this”. And you do. It isn’t always easy… but you know you will figure out how to deal with whatever comes your way. This is a very different state than, “Everything is going to be all right”. You KNOW, deep down and through and through: “Everything IS all right. Right here. Right now”. Even when life is hard and there are dark arrows coming your way. You breathe easier because you are living and breathing as the Soul. This is your most authentic self, and all else is costuming and roll playing. And you totally know it. As you live and breathe as the soul, you know the real you is safe and timeless and immortal. And all the other parts are coming and going, living and changing in order to awaken their inherent soulfulness. There are still challenges. And really hard day when you want to give up and eat way too much ice cream and lay on the beach all day. Yep, the challenges are definitely still there. But somehow you know you will eventually make it through all of them, triumphant and grateful for the whole process. Your wounds become scars that remind you of deep truths and life changing lessons. All love, Ariana  Happy Summer to you, wherever you are!
These early days of summer at Sweet Water Retreat have been filled with so many joyful times already. Slowing down and catching up have been front and center in my life recently. I have had cherished friends and family come to visit from far and wide. We have been basking in the long warm days and cool nights that are common in the Sierra foothills of Northern California, throughly enjoying sweet summertime activities. Sharing relaxed meals on the deck, hiking in nature, dangling feet in the cool creek, and enjoying live music in this charming small town have been deeply satisfying. Life simply doesn't get any better. Our most joyful experiences often occur when we feel deeply connected with others in nourishing ways. Yet, we sometimes unconsciously stop ourselves from deeply connecting because the pain of disconnection can be intense and hard to move through gracefully. We have all felt the sting of disconnection, in large and small ways. At some time or another, you reached out to someone and they turned away. A once cherished relationship ended or radically changed. Someone you believed in betrayed your trust. Maybe your child grew up and moved away. Or your beloved partner, parent or friend died. And there you were feeling the pain of disconnection, longing for the warm glow of healthy intimate connection. Instead you felt empty, alone, and sore to the bone. The unresolved pain of feeling disconnected robs us of joy and sometimes keep us from creating new connections. Yet, disconnection isn’t inherently painful or sad. Sometimes holding on to the ideas about how life should be unfolding is more painful than the actual experience of disconnection and separation. One of the reasons disconnection can feel so bad is that we often believe in the myth of 'happily ever after'. The myth goes something like this... Anything good should last forever, right? And if it doesn’t, something went horribly wrong. But, what if the myth of 'happily ever after' isn’t even remotely true? What if the temporal nature of experience is one of the elements that makes life so good? What if the experiences of connection and disconnection are essential parts of the natural cycles of life? Connection and disconnection are like night and day. They are complimentary polarities, each with unique gifts to give. What if it is perfectly natural for one cycle of connection to end and another to gracefully begin? We don't cry when the sun goes down, because we have faith that it will rise again. And in the meantime we get to enjoy the cool dark of night. Can we learn to face the pain of disconnection with calm abiding, confident that we will again experience the warmth of intimate connection? As hard as it can be, disconnection also opens the door to creating rich and nourishing new connections. Maybe the biggest myth of all is that disconnection even truly exists. When we really get that we are always connected to everyone and everything as parts of this one magnificent life, that's when the real 'happily ever after' begins. In loving connection, Ariana This week I’m honoring the bountiful life of my beloved, Douglas, who passed away suddenly five years ago. We had a deep soul connection that is rare and precious. On his birthday I scrolled through photos of our rich time together. I smiled all the way down to my toes as I remembered the nourishing and crazy beautiful times we shared. And then the waves of tears came. They were tears of remembrance for all that was, and tears of deep longing for all that might have been. They flowed even move intensely when I thought of all the life experiences he is now missing. As I was remembering and loving him, I suddenly felt his strong presence all around me. An intense quickening moved through my whole being that brought goose bumps and overwhelming gratitude.  I felt his presence, his love and support, and his deep acceptance of the turn his life had taken. It felt like his strong hand was on my back, holding me and reassuring me of the power of the connection we share, then and now. In that moment I was humbled by the strength of his soul and his ever-present commitment to loving. It was a moment to cherish forever. Feeling his presence since he passed out of his body is very different from being hugged by Douglas while he was alive in his tall strong body. Yet, the essence of the connection is clearly the same. The outer connections from body to body may be severed, yet the true connection, soul to soul, never dies. This is true whether someone has crossed over or not. So why not take a moment right now, and send a wave of love to someone you are connected with, soul to soul. You might just make their day. In loving connection, Ariana Change has definitely been the keynote of the Summer of 2016.  Whether the changes have been sudden and jarring or long expected, transitions have been the name of the game over the last few months. Areas of life that seemed so solid, secure, and predictable a short time ago are now radically different. Whether the changes are related to your relationships, professional life, health, or living situation, day-to-day life is different than it was a few months ago. This may be happening in your life, or the lives of those in your inner circle. Probably both.
The interesting thing about these transitions is that they often have an unexpected twist or turn of events that you didn't see coming, and certainly didn't plan for. I have been watching myself, my clients, family, friends, and the global community navigate these sometimes jarring events. If you are reeling from recent changes in your life, be sure to read on for some perspectives to bring you back to a more solid center of joyful acceptance and gracious adaptability. What's Not Working... Resisting the events that have been thrust upon you never really works. It is easy to go into the tight jaw, white knuckle mode of meeting change when it isn't showing up according to the neatly scripted life plan in your head. When the scenario isn't unfolding quite like you imagined it would, the first response is often resistance. This very unhappy voice of resistance goes something like this: "I sure don't like this." "How could this be happening?" "I didn't ask for this." "Something went wrong." "What did I do wrong?" Shake Up Your Thinking... If you're having these kind of grumpy and less than embracing thoughts about recent changes in any area of your life, it's time to reframe. These changes are not the result of bad karma, or part of some dark scheme to make you miserable! The catalyst for these changes is the sacred force of evolution that is guiding us all to move on from life circumstances that no longer serve or support us. Amidst the chaos, instability, and messiness, can you dare to trust that these changes are leading in a positive direction, even when you can't see it? Change is often a catalyst for a more fulfilling and juicy way of living. Life on this planet is not about finding stable and solid ground to stand on. We live on a spinning planet! Success comes from learning to navigate the inevitable instability of life and turn it all into an exquisite, though sometimes clumsy dance. Ask yourself a few of these kind of questions to shake up your thinking a bit: "What if this change has no negative impact on my well being or happiness?" "What if this truly is a positive change?" "What if I could totally accept this new situation?" "What if I could experience a happy, joyful, fulfilling, and creative life in spite of this situation?" And then accept, embrace, praise the Lord, thank the Mother, do a happy dance, or whatever it is you do to show gratitude. In that place of gratitude, we see the light shining through the shaken up, unstable world we always live in. That light beaconing us forward into new territory. The Opportunity... There is a vast creative power moving through everything. When we see the beauty of that awesome force and dare to trust it, and maybe even wildly dance with it some days, so many delicious co-creative opportunities open up. When the changes come, you may cry and grieve and lament a while, but ultimately, surrendering to what is emerging is the catalyst for developing the strength, love, and wisdom to wisely navigate any new scenario. With Love, Ariana  Our hesitation to really know and be known by another is the greatest hindrance to full blooded, exuberant love. Yet knowing and being known by another comes with the territory. Revealing yourself, especially your tender parts, is inherent in love, and it is rarely easy. We have tender hearts that can be broken. We have egos that can be bruised. We have long standing wounds that do not want to be disturbed, much less be poked at. So we hide. We hide our tender parts. And rightly so sometimes. There are times when self protection is a healthy practice. When you are in a hostile environment, self protection may be the best approach. Yet, an open heart knows that which is real can never really be hurt. Feelings come and go, thoughts come and go, and life circumstances come and go. The internal stories we tell come and go. Yet the essence of who you are is resilient and enduring, and strong beyond measure. Realizing there is something within and through every part of you that cannot be wounded can bring about an openness that invites deeper love and connection. This knowing can give you the courage to love boldly, even in the face of an unpredictable response. Even in the face of possible rejection, hurt, or abandonment. If you want to love more (and who doesn't?), a great place to start is by letting yourself be known more fully. And to honor the inner longing to know life more fully, even when it comes in a crazy array of expressions; some dark and some pretty, some barren and some lush. The answer is always... just love. What does this mean to just love? It means being willing to open and unite with all that is within you and outside of you (as if there really is an “outside”). It means loving every sensation, every person, every sound, every sight. With nothing resisted and nothing blocked out. Nothing. Can you embrace every experience, trusting all has come into your sphere of awareness with a reason and a purpose; as a gift and an opportunity for awakening? To your beloved’s messiness… say YES! Merge with it until it doesn’t matter. To your longing for peace.... say YES! Embrace it in the midst of chaos. To your children’s whining... say YES! Unite with it and really hear it for the first time. To your anger... say YES! Allow it the space it needs to teach you. And most of all, to your pain…. say YES! Embrace it and allow it to make you more humble, real, and tender than ever before. Just love. Ariana  The invention and wide spread use of PCs was definitely a game changer. The world wide web was another game changer that most people couldn't have imagined not that many years ago. The iPhone was another game changing technology that has radically changed the way we live, connect, and create.
It is hard to imagine what communication was like before these game changing technologies became as commonplace as telephones, paper, and pens. Most of us are plugged in most of the time now. Maybe you love your devices and all they do for you, or maybe you simply tolerate their necessary presence in our cyber drenched, fast-paced culture. Either way, there is no denying their usefulness in our day-to-day lives. In recent years, these kind of rapid advancements in technology has been happening in many other areas as well. In medicine (think X-ray to MRI), in transportation (the gas guzzling 1960s station wagon to the new Tesla), and also in the area of psychospiritual growth and transformation. In this field, which I so dearly love, powerful game changing technologies have emerged that can radically changing the way we live and grow. There are innovative new techniques available to reduce stress, rewire your brain, and heal unhealthy relationships patterns so you can experience greater health, well being, and happiness. These innovative techniques can help you choose more positive and life enhancing responses to day-to-day challenges. These powerful tools are key elements in the emerging field of Energy Psychology, which is being hailed as a powerful new force in individual and collective transformation. One of the keynotes of Energy Psychology is that it can actually change your physiological responses to stress, leaving you calmer and more capable of finding healthy, life enhancing solutions when challenges inevitably arise on a day-to-day basis. In 50 peer reviewed scientific studies of numerous techniques of Energy Psychology, there were positive outcomes in 48 of those studies! These are overwhelmingly positive results, suggesting Energy Psychology is a power force for healing and growth. I have found Energy Psychology techniques to be powerful tools for creating rapid positive changes in my life and in the lives of my clients. Energy Psychology has helped clear long standing, debilitating issues for my clients, sometimes in as little as one or two sessions. These techniques are easy to learn and practice with a trained guide. Once you have been taught the techniques, you can use them on your own to accelerate your growth, healing, and awakening. Contact me if you would like to explore this leading edge psychospiritual technology. With love, Ariana As a young woman, my ideas about love were throughly conditioned by the romantic notions of Western culture. In my young mind, love was all about "happily ever after." The height of love was an idealized version of romantic love with my perfect partner.
As I went through life’s inevitable challenges, I began to have a wider, richer understanding of love. As fulfilling as romantic love can be, a bigger and bolder version of love began to bubble up in my awareness. As my internal vision of love expanded, I looked for ways to bring fuller expressions of love to each moment and situation, rather than perpetually looking for love to show up in the ways I expected and projected. As I began to look at life through more loving eyes, situations that used to seem hopeless and disappointing became powerful opportunities to share love. How I defined love kept getting bigger and bigger until one day I realized love encompassed every interaction, every thought, and every feeling I ever had. Period. Love truly is everywhere, in everyone. Even the painful disconnected moments that don’t feel very loving are part of love's ever present dance. Every heartache has love at its core. And every person is the embodiment of love’s ever expanding grace. The moment we realize love really IS everywhere, wanting more love shifts to realizing you already have it. When we really get this, the ultimate love challenge shifts from finding love, to igniting a fuller, richer expressions of love in every situation. Searching for the perfect lover is transformed into exploring ways to activate the sometimes hidden and elusive love within and all around you. Wanting love is transformed into being love, and shining its warm radiance in every direction. Love is the very substance of our world. It is the essence of earth and air, fire and water. Love is the essence of every human heart, mind, and body, however ailing and pain ridden they may be. Love is the essential force that unites all and make us whole. Love's mighty force is activated simply by recognizing it. In a world that seems to be turned upside down with perpetual suffering, recognizing love can seem like a small and insignificant act. Yet, the simple act of recognizing love unleashes its miraculous healing force and activates the creative power we’ve all been searching for, whether we know it or not. This simple act can have profoundly positive consequences in our collective evolutionary journey. The simple recognition of love has the power to heal, to awaken, and to transform lives. On this Valentine's Day I recognize you and me, and all the chaos and suffering in the world as love in the process of bursting through into greater expression. In the light of Love, Ariana
In celebration of Valentine's Day, I'm sharing a video that is near and dear to my heart. Several months ago, my daughter and her sweetheart were married.
Although I have married many couples over the years as a licensed non-denominational wedding officiant, it was a profound honor to marry my daughter, and to share deeply in this heartwarming and really fun celebration. This joyous day was incredibly inspiring, and one of the high points of my life. I share this with you with the hope that it will inspire you to awaken and cultivate greater love in all of your relationships. Enjoy! I like to write. When I write I feel calm, clear, tuned in, and vibrantly alive. A few friends and clients have mentioned that some of my blog posts are too long for this fast-paced, plugged in era. So I will be writing periodic posts that get right to the heart of the matter. Short and sweet. I love digging deep and getting to what is essential. So here goes! Cheers, Ariana   On the first day of the new year I played at the beach. I walked upon the sand on a bright and sunny Southern California day, pondering how I would navigate the year ahead.
Contemplating a multitude of attractive options, I felt like the man on the beach waving a metal detector, patiently waiting to hear the sounds that would hopefully lead him to gold. As I walked, I keenly listened with heart and soul to discover where the rich veins might lie in this new year. Few concrete goals or intentions called out to me this year. Instead, I felt drawn towards more fully and completely leaning in to my life, just as it is. In 2016, I will lean into the vastness of life. Not just the pleasant, happy, or consciously chosen experiences, but all of it. So many times I turn away from what is right here, right now. There are moments when I turn from fear, and also pain. I even turn from love sometimes because it can be all consuming and jarring to my sense of safety. The shift away is often slight and subtle, yet this turning is clearly a way of saying "no" to what the vast intelligence of life is constantly offering. Turning away is softly saying “no” to the fullness of the sacred journey I said “Yes!” to long ago. Turning away comes from a lack of trust. Trust in myself and in life itself. When I am harnessed by a lack of trust, I miss so many incredible gifts and opportunities that are sweetly being offered in every moment. Each time we turn away from what is right in front of us, our lives shrink. Our hearts get a bit smaller, our choices more limited, and our sight narrows. Each time we lean in as fully as possible (especially when some part of us doesn’t want to), we find unknown strength, fresh wisdom, and wide eyed expansion. Always. In 2016 I vow to lean into confusion and not knowing, as well as clarity and vast knowing. I will lean into tedious tasks and mundane moments, which I often try to avoid. I vow to lean into bill paying and wild ecstatic dancing with equal enthusiasm. I will lean into kale with as much passion as I give my favorite salted caramel dark chocolate bar. I will lean into my reckless yearning for love and my pettiness; my trembling guarded heart and my bountiful giving heart. But most of all, I vow to lean into trusting that whatever is right here, right now, has a place in this wild sacred ride. What are you willing to lean into in this new year? With love, Ariana  Winter Solstice is a deeply sacred time of the year when humanity's quest to live in greater light converges with the cycles of nature to create an opportunity for great insight, inspiration, and spiritual renewal.
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Western hemisphere. It represents the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. As the sunlight lessens each day, there is a natural impulse to turn inward and go deep within to connect with and strengthen our inner light - that pure radiant spark within. That inner spark was here long before we were born into these bodies, and will be here long after we die. It always has been and always will be. It is the true point of cause in our lives and the catalyst for all loving acts and creative labors. This inner spark is essentially the ever present light of love. This light is celebrated by cultures around the world through many different Winter festivals and rich seasonal traditions. During the window of opportunity that opens during this period, we can more naturally and easily connect with the inner light than at other times of the years. How do we prepare for and make the most of this powerful cyclic opportunity? During the season of light it is easy to get caught up in the busyness and hectic nature of the season and miss the insights and revelations that are there for us in the stillness and dark of the this time. Here are a few tried and true practices to savor and help you experience the fullness of this powerful time:
Pain is the inner darkness we often run from, afraid it will overcome us and steal our aliveness and the precarious sense that all is well. Yet in every experience of pain and darkness is the potential for liberation and the revelation of greater light. The ongoing cyclic process of contraction into darkness and expansion into light is a powerful catalyst for grow and evolution. Rather than avoiding the painful situations or feelings in your life, simply allow them to be, with full and loving acceptance. Loving acceptance often dissolves the pain and contraction, and creates the optimum conditions for the next cycle of growth and expansion into greater light.
A powerful question to ask around the time of the Solstice is: "What can I shed in order to more fully nourish life within and around me?" Maybe you are ready and willing to release a negative habitual way of thinking or an addictive tendency. Maybe it is time to release a friendship that is no longer enriching in order to create space for a more nourishing friendship to grace your life. Simply being willing to let go is a powerful first step.
Now imagine traveling through the same tunnel. This time you are holding the hand of someone you love. Your companion is not there to save you or show you the way out, but is simply there to share the experience. The darkness may still be oppressive, the ground still uneven, and the dripping water still startling, yet somehow it doesn't seem as scary or difficult. That is the power of connection. Who needs you to take their hand right now? Love and connection may be exactly what is needed to rekindle their light... and yours.
The call in phone number is: 1(302)202-1104 (your usual long distance charges apply). The conference code is: 910612. Be sure to add this to your calendar! Until then, may these practices be a powerful catalyst for many great moments of inspiration and heartfelt connection with others. With love and holiday cheer, Ariana  Over the past week an intense mix of feelings and insights has been stirring within. The warm precious days leading up to Easter are always deeply transformative for me. This time of the year is often filled with moments of deep inner silence and sweeping insight.
This year has been no different. The usual intensity even increased as we approached the full moon and lunar eclipse during the Easter weekend. I had precious moments of silence and insight, yet this year the highs and lows of extreme oppositional forces engaged in a vigorous battle within like never before… The impulse to step out and connect was pushing up against the desire to retreat and feel deeply safe in my aloneness. The inspiration to create was juxtaposed with the knowing that something big inside of me is calling to die and be liberated. The heartfelt desire to open to new love dissonantly lived right beside a new wave of grief for the man I love who is no longer by my side. Part of me wanted to take strong action to make things happen, while another part knew I simply needed to be still and accept whatever comes my way. Connection and aloneness, creation and destruction, birthing and grieving, intention and acceptance have all been moving through me, vigorously crashing against each other. I watched these parts rear their heads. At times one or another were vying for dominance. I observed. I loved them all. I did my integration practices, knowing these battles would indeed pass. I have learned to embrace all of this, and even to celebrate these times for I know these tumultuous interludes can catalyze deep integration and expanded awareness. Oh, yippee! Another spiritual crisis! Some say these kind of dissonant times are a sign of progress and deepening into being more authentically present and alive. Oh, yippee, again I say. The inner battle continued until the profound light of the full moon worked its powerful magic on the dark of my deepest shadows. The seemingly oppositional forces momentarily snuggled up to find wholeness, peace and comfort. The fiery competitors within decided it was more interesting to form true partnership, and to move and dance together. The clashing about did its powerful work of revealing and breaking up the concretized patterns of thought and feeling that were no longer viable. It was time to make way for weaving and connecting new patterns of wholeness and unity. The destroyer gave way to the creator this morning. And, of course, I am both. On this clear Spring day I celebrate both destruction and creation. I allow both to have their way with me, knowing that in surrendering to both of these co-conspirators my greatest aliveness and joy is unleashed. Surrender ended the inner battle. In that scary place of surrendering to the seemingly contradictory forces within, we step forward blindly, never knowing what these forces of destruction and creation may do with us. In the uncertain moments of surrender, we are blind to the future. The goal is unclear. We do not know how everything will turn out. Will we even survive the wild interplay? Yet the moment we let go of the need to see what the future will bring, we are suddenly more present to what is right here, right now. When I courageously embraced these seemingly oppositional forces, they suddenly became unified as two necessary sides of the same coin. When I gave up trying to control these forces and simply allowed them to move through me, an invigorating fullness emerged that was deeply comforting. This fullness carried a powerful reminder of the preciousness of the moment…. The sunlight on the cherry blossoms outside my window… exquisite. The sounds of my dog’s breath as he sleeps at my feet… comforting. The feel of the pen in my hand… invigorating. The love pulsing through my heart… expansive. I am surrendered. I am blind to the future, yet fully present, right here, right now. On this fine Spring day, I pray for the courage and strength to continue to surrender, and to allow these ever present seemingly oppositional forces find their Oneness within me. Shining big love, Ariana  Winter Solstice is my favorite day of the year.
It is the shortest day of the year, often filled with dark, crisp wonder. It is the turning point when the light of the Sun begins its return to fullness. At the Solstice I often gather with friends, light candles, do simple rituals and sing out in the stillness. There is a depth to this time of the year that seems to give every word, image, and action deep meaning and significance. At the Solstice, we complete one cycle and are given an opportunity to consciously begin anew. During the Winter Solstice, as well as the days before and after, inner silence often comes more easily than at other times of the year. Some years I bask in the silence. Other years inner silence remains elusive, more like a faint whisper than true silence. This year the deep silence of Solstice came early and decided to stay a while. Two weeks ago, I heard a snow storm would soon arrive in my hometown in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This is my first winter in this quaint town among the evergreens. Being born and raised in Southern California, I have lived most of my life close to the Pacific Ocean. A full blown snow storm would be a totally new experience. As soon as I heard about the storm, I drove around town, bought chains for my tires, stocked up on groceries and water, and even bought an oil lantern in case the power went out. I asked a friend to wrap my pipes and I pulled out my warmest clothes. By the end of the day I felt like I was ready for anything. Bring on the snow! Around dusk the next afternoon, white flakes began to fall silently from the sky. As I watched the powdery snow cover my yard, I felt absolutely giddy. I sat mesmerized for hours, basking in delight as my deck and the garden beyond were completely cover in white. Late in the night I finally turned out the lights and went to bed feeling more peaceful than I had in months. The magic continued the next morning as more snow fell until everything was covered with sparkly white snow. That afternoon when the snow stopped falling, I ventured out for a walk with my dog, Bosco. As we walked across the meadow and down towards the creek that flows through my back yard, I was immediately enveloped in awe and wonder at the utter silence. I had never before experienced such profound and extended inner and outer silence. The euphoria induced by this white powder was like none other. Paradoxically, in this profound silence, it felt like every part of my being, and every other being in my sphere, was humming this peaceful message in unison, "all is well". In the midst of this powdery white stillness I touched something so deep and pure it could not be denied, discounted, or lightly skipped over. I touched upon the deep silence of my essence. Touching this deep presence is always possible, yet in my experience it is more likely to happen during the days around the Winter Solstice. In the doorway between seasons, between light and dark, past and present, the old and the new; fresh possibilities to experience that which transcends all duality quite naturally emerge. Unfortunately, in the busyness of the holiday season we sometimes miss the silence and the accompanying "all is well" choir sweetly humming within and around us. Yet these experiences of "silent humming" strengthen us for what lies ahead. Those moments of silence in the snow left me knowing anything is possible. Literally. Over the next few days, I invite you to be on the look out for those moments of "silent humming", and to bask in them. These experiences of deep presence often sneak up on us when we least expect them. May these precious moments be a delightful reminder that even though the Sun waxes and wanes, there is a deep radiant within you that ALWAYS SHINES. Shining Big Love, Ariana To read about how to make the most of this time of year, click here.  Hello friends,
As promised, I am sending you messages of love this holiday season. The first one I sent, 360 Degrees of Love, struck a cord with so many people. Today, I offer you an opportunity to be steeped in a vast love that transcends time and space and the sometimes narrow confines of how we often conceive of love. This video is short, intense and amazing. It left me speechless and unsettled in a way that only deep truth can do. It shouts of 360 degree love; of a love shared by two that is so big it blesses the entire universe. If you have ever loved... watch it. If you have ever lost someone you love... watch it. If you have ever yearned to define or touch Spirit... watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcoMiGiDRjg With bright starry love, Ariana |
Ariana GarrettAn energy therapist, relationship and spiritual life coach, Ariana is a lover of love in all of its many delicious forms; self love, couples love, family love, community love and ultimately, the universal love that pervades all.
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