BELIEFS
1st DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Have you ever wondered what your beliefs were?
Have you ever wondered if your beliefs limit or empower you?
The whole way of thinking, perceiving the world, perceiving our potential, resides in the convictions transmitted throughout our lives, either by the way we were educated, by all the experiences we have lived, or by everything we have been told. All this is the sum of our beliefs.
I'll tell you a little tale:
Maybe you don't know but training a flea is something very simple, just close it in a jar. Naturally the flea will jump to get out of there, it will do it repetitively, over and over again but as it is closed it will not be able to. After a while, she will stop doing it and at that point you can take the lid off that she will never try to get out.
Have you ever thought why this happens? Because she believes she won't be able to get out, the flea has created a belief.
We too, in our life, have many behaviors similar to the flea, we resign ourselves because we think we won't be able to achieve something, we keep quiet and don't even try. Often, the beliefs that limit you were placed on you from an early age: "you can't", "you can't", "it's impossible", "don't do it", you're not good enough" and little by little, you will forgetting your full potential. Beliefs are actually our brain's command center that can support or sabotage us.
Write in your diary:
- What are the beliefs that limit you?
- How do they limit you?
Pilgrim (a) I have good news, beliefs have little to do with your reality. In fact, they are a code of interpretation of reality! That is, they are not absolute truths, nor your truth, they are creations of your mind. Therefore, what you believe will spread seeds of doubt and uncertainty that prevent you from walking towards the expansion and realization of your dreams. When you think: I'm not good enough/good enough; there is something wrong with me; I will never make it (…) you are feeding your beliefs and blocking your dreams.
But your beliefs are not your reality. Reality is impartial, it is neutral, it is your interpretation, in the light of what you believe and think, that will determine your life and your actions. In other words, the facts are neutral, it is your interpretations of them that determine your position.
Beliefs are a mental program that you can change as long as you want to!
In the next few days I ask you to become aware of yourself. Observe yourself in all your realities, work, family, friends, relationships, and notice how your habits, attitudes, words and actions are related to your beliefs. How do you talk about a subject? How do you react to news? How do you call and talk to your friends? How do you receive a new proposal? Watch out!
Remember that nothing happens by chance! Everything that happens to you was created from some deep belief that led you to action/reaction.
BE AWARE – this is the lever for your growth
“My past varies every minute, depending on the meaning I give it now, in this moment” – CzeslavMilosz
THE THOUGHTS
2nd DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Yesterday we talked about beliefs, I believe that today, throughout the day, you became aware of some of yours. Today we are going to talk about something equally important and that determines the person you are, your actions and your life: your thoughts.
Have you ever realized how many thoughts you have a day? Have you ever noticed the immense noise your mind makes? According to recent studies, your mind produces more than 6,000 thoughts a day, if you divide it by the number of hours a day, you'll see that what you do most is think! So we can say that the quality of your thoughts will influence your day and consequently, your life!
Today I invite you to reflect on the quality of your thoughts! What kind of thoughts do you have? Do you realize the number of criticisms you make mentally? Of the immense inner dialogues? From the inexhaustible chain of disapprovals?
Pilgrim, thoughts determine your actions. Your actions determine your habits. Your habits determine your character. Your character determines your life.
The good news is that you can educate your thoughts!
In a very summarized way, our mind is formed by the conscious and the unconscious. The Conscious occupies only 10% of this large block, the unconscious occupies the remaining 90%. The conscious is the realistic part, it's what keeps you here and now, in your reality, what you can control and perceive. The unconscious, on the other hand, is the subtle, hidden part, where your beliefs and laws that automatically manage your life live and without you realizing it. A kind of black box of airplanes, where memories, thoughts, beliefs, fears, repressed desires and sublimated forces are. The unconscious mind does not distinguish reality from fiction, truth from lies, and tends to recreate and give us what we demand, that is, if you are thinking that you are a failure, your unconscious mind will provide for your failure.
But despite being large in size, the unconscious is very sensitive to the conscious. So what you consciously desire, what you verbalize through language, your unconscious mind will listen and create as the your reality. Your words assume a creative character of your reality! In short: think positively, communicate positively, and your life will turn out positively! The affirmations you make daily are programming for your unconscious. Neurolinguistic programming determines that when you pronounce your affirmations, you are acting on the unconscious and creating new effects and results in your life. In fact, you are reprogramming the deep script of your life.
Pilgrim, you are and live what you think and consequently what you say. So pay close attention to the content of your thoughts and words. Thoughts and words shape our emotions and determine the map of our future reality.
Language is the means to create your reality
- Do you often make negative affirmations throughout your day? Like: I won't make it, nothing goes well, I'm a failure...?
Write down the negative affirmations you make most often and reflect on them, changing them into a positive affirmation.
- What kind of words do you use most in your day? Negative or positive?
- How many times a day do you think and say you are a victim of something or a situation? Write down these situations
- How often do you complain? Is that?
- What comments do you make most often? Reprovers or Approvers?
At this point I think you are already more attentive to the content of your thoughts, right? And you've also realized how their quality can determine the quality of your life, so: Educate your thoughts with love and care.
Try to see the positive, even in the most difficult situations: see the positive in the negative and get your brain used to looking at events in this way.
Educate your thoughts and words to elevate your energy:
- life is a unique opportunity to experience fullness and joy;
- life is a gift from the universe to have the opportunity to be happy.
“Think good and good will come. Think evil and evil will come. Você é o que pensa ao longo do dia” – Joseph Murphy _cc781905 -5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_
"THE ELEPHANT"
3rd DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Today I bring you a short story “The Elephant” – Tales of Millennial Wisdom
In a distant land, not far to the north or south, there was a city that had a particularity, all its inhabitants were blind. They had little contact with sighted people, so they had gotten used to their blind condition, leading their lives normally.
In the traditions of that city, there was talk of the existence of a mysterious animal that no one could define or describe, and that researchers pursued with the intention of discovering it. It was only known that his name was “Elefante” and that one day they would meet him.
In a windy autumn, a King from a distant land, accompanied by his important procession, arrived mounted on an elephant and camped near the city. The rumor spread throughout the land of the blind, who finally realized that their opportunity had come to satisfy their historical curiosity: to meet an elephant.
Thus, the most adventurous and curious members of the city of the blind took the opportunity to get to know and went to investigate and verify the truth that worried them.
After a long journey, as each one approached his imposing presence, they groped and touched with detail what they could perceive of his body. In this way, and after receiving their corresponding information, they reached extraordinary conclusions. Each one thought at the end that they knew the mystery, that they knew about what they had been looking for so much, because the day had finally come when they could touch it with their own hands.
Little by little, each of the adventurers returned to the city of the blind, where their fellow citizens were waiting for them, crowded and restless, forming impatient groups. Everyone was eagerly searching for the truth.
The time had come to publicly expose the shape and appearance of the elephant, so that all the people could hear what the scholars were going to talk about.
One of them said: “It takes a big, rough, wide and thick shape like a living doormat…”
There was a general buzz among people listening
When it was the turn of the one who had felt the trunk, he said to those present: “I know the real facts. I can swear on my family's honor that it's like a straight, hollow, horrible, destructive tube.”
A new buzz of comments and exclamations broke out among those present.
Then the one who had felt his belly spoke up: “Trust me. I really know what it's like. It is a huge, voluminous mass that cannot be encompassed. It remains calm and seems to move very slowly.
However, it was the turn of the last one who had touched the paws and said: “It is powerful, straight and firm as a pillar. I swear to you.”
The people had taken positions and everyone was arguing about the testimonies of the experts gathered there. Each point of view was unleashing not just a school, but an entire ideological and cultural current, relating to that ancient mystery.
Suddenly, in the midst of the great controversy, the music of someone in the distance was heard approaching. His melody and his voice resounded so strangely that the voices of those present were muted, while the singing of a choir said:
“Knowledge of the real is not the companion of the blind, only with other eyes will you know unsuspected skies”
- Does it often happen that the belief or point of view contrary to yours seems totally wrong and unacceptable to you?
- When you defend a point of view, are you aware of the value of opposing points of view?
- Have you ever participated in discussions with others because of different points of view? How did you feel about that?
- Do you think there are absolute truths?
Keep an eye on your attitudes towards opinions contrary to yours, notice if your mind feels any kind of threat
THE DREAMS
4th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
“We are what we are because we first imagine”
The place you occupy in life at all levels is the result of your desires, your dreams and the feeling of worthiness you have about yourself.
As we have seen in previous days, our brain is structured according to our beliefs, thoughts and words, and thus we form the map of our future reality. We represent and live what we think.
Well, today's practice aims to rescue your dreams, as well as your imagination. When you were a child, I bet there were no impossibles, you dreamed, idealized and fulfilled. Over time, you've been blocking and limiting yourself to what you think is possible. You don't even dare to think about what you think you won't achieve, right? Well, today allows you to unlock your limiting beliefs and open yourself to the infinity of possibilities that the universe has for you! Connect to your dreams and allow you to recreate many forgotten aspirations. It is possible that you have abandoned your dreams and the habit of dreaming and imagining, so as not to get frustrated, but today is the day to dream without limits.
In the proposals I make to you, speak from your heart, with the voice of love and not fear. Speak with your truth, what you want and not what others expect of you. Speak with inspiration, of what you truly love and inspire. The questions I am asking you are to give you some guidance, if you prefer, you can write all your dreams in each area without following the questions.
Take care of these 4 major areas of your life:
Personal Development – What do you want to achieve from yourself? What skills and virtues do you desire? What emotional, spiritual and mental characteristics do you wish to embody? What achievements do you want to make to feel fuller internally? What spiritual goals animate your being?
Career – What job are you passionate about? How would you like your work to be? Who would you like to work with? How much would you like to earn monthly for your contribution to the world? In which social areas would you feel most fulfilled?
Relationships – How would you like your relationships to be? What kind of partner do you want to have by your side? What place do you want to occupy in your relationships? What are the most important relationships in your life? What are the relationships that lift you up?
Health – How do you think you should take care of your mind and body? What relationship do you want to have with your body? What do you think you should do daily for your health? How do you want to feed yourself physically and spiritually?
Now start shaping your dreams! Begin to materialize what you aspire to. Remember that done is better than perfect and start walking towards fulfillment. Set goals, start with small steps and walk towards your dream.
- Make a list of what you need to make your dreams come true, whether material, behavioral or emotional.
- Make a list of people (known or not) who have achieved what you want. You are not different from them.
- Make a schedule of dates/goals to give you guidance and organization.
It's time to daydream!
“There is nothing like dreaming to create the future, as what is utopia today will be flesh and blood tomorrow” Jules Verne
THE IMPERMANENCE
5th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Today I leave you a tale for you to reflect on, it is called “The Ring”
On the hill of a very distant kingdom, there was a castle with golden domes, where the king carried out his work and administered his region. He had a reputation for being just, and he was recognized as both generosity and greatness. However, everyone knew that he had a secret: the king suffered from a deep sadness because he could not reach the key to perfect and full peace.
His kingdom, over the years, either suffered from severe droughts or enjoyed bountiful harvests. And even if the king knew this back-and-forth cycle, he could not avoid the bitterness of droughts or the exaltation of riches. Because of this, the king kept at the bottom of his heart an obstinate quest: the quest for perfect stability.
One sunny day, while merchants were offering silks brought from faraway lands, the sound of royal trumpets blew and everyone fell silent. The king was ready to pronounce the most important declaration of his life:
“His majesty the king invites all his people to build a ring for the royal finger. However, this very special ring should have something that reminds its wearer of moderation in times of power and greatness, as well as confidence and hope in times of scarcity and dense fog. In this way, his majesty will achieve such a balance that he is willing to give up the entirety of his kingdom in exchange.”
After this proclamation, the trumpets sounded and the people gathered there thought they were dreaming…all their kingdom?! How valuable.
All, magicians and artists were willing to seek the magic key that would remind his majesty of the law of supreme balance.
Time passed and different goldsmiths presented their magic rings, hoping that the king would prove their reach in relation to the balance between abundance and scarcity. But none of them managed to charm the king.
One day a walker with a warrior's bearing, the soul of a priest and the words of a wizard appeared at court, bringing a ring to present to the king. The palace doors opened for this walker to enter
“Your Majesty,” said the newcomer, “I have built the ring that you can look at in moments of maximum intensity, both of pity and of glory, and that will undoubtedly help you remember what you desire,” he said, handing over the ring.
The king took the small object wrapped in purple velvet and looked at it with curiosity but also some suspicion. As she looked at him, her face lit up and she smiled with satisfaction. Suddenly, he found himself enveloped in a blissful radiance and calmly exclaimed before all those present:
“The King found the key he was looking for. The king understood the secret of eternal changes. The king gives up his kingdom because he is prepared to set out on the path without feeling affected by its ups and downs.”
Everyone was intrigued by the magic ring that had bewitched the king. What will that odd ring have that can remind his majesty what he needed so much to overcome the pains and joys of his kingdom?
The king, finally showing it to those present, said: “As you see, it is a ring apparently equal to all; however, inside there is a hidden inscription that makes it unique and magical”
"Which is?" they asked all out of curiosity
“Very simple,” said the king, “The ring is engraved with three words so charged with meaning that I can never forget when good news or bad comes. These three words are: THIS TOO SHALL PASS
How does this tale touch your heart? How do you accept this impermanence in your life? Knowing that the bad times will pass as well as the good ones, does it make it easier for you to accept and trust that everything is going the right way?
Nothing in life is permanent. Everything in the universe is a dynamic and permanent flow of transformation, the so-called law of impermanence.
Remain aware of the transience of your emotional states and those around you
RELATIONS
6th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
We human beings are relational beings par excellence. We need, for our own survival, to be with others, to establish connections with other beings. Each of our relationships serves a divine purpose and is an opportunity for our soul to evolve, to expand and reach our best version.
We attract into our lives exactly who we need, when we need it. Different people will appear and disappear from your life at certain times and each of them will have something to teach you. Each one will be a gift for your growth and for what you have to accomplish in this life, even the most difficult relationships. So remember that, no matter how long the relationship lasts, it allows you to evolve and grow with the people who are by your side. That's really the biggest goal.
One of the things that characterizes relationships with others is exchanges, the attitude of giving and receiving, and it is undoubtedly a seed of magical dimensions, which helps to elevate you and to expand you . Learning to contribute and making a habit of this attitude is to create a cooperative and expansive Eu , far from selfishness, loneliness and distrust.
The ancient Vedic scriptures of India speak of 4 levels of relationships with others:
- When we relate to obtain
- When we relate to give and receive
- When we relate to give and we rejoice in it
- When we relate to giving, in a natural and neutral way, as sunlight does to all things
What level do you identify with?
We now leave you with some suggestions to put into practice over the next few weeks:
- Dedicate quality time to the people you love - Look people in the eye; Don't let your cell phone or other distractions come between you; Is attentive and available to that person(s); Verbalize the love you feel for them; Call someone you miss; Remind that person(s) that they are important to you
- Balance between listening and speaking – listening is as important as speaking, but be aware that we do not always know how to do a conscious and attentive listening. Listen with all availability, not thinking about the answer you will give but just listening, without judgments or interpretations. Remember we have two ears and one mouth.
- Give what you want to receive – we often expect others to read our thoughts and guess what we want. Verbalize your needs, say with love what you need and what makes you happy, others cannot guess your thoughts/desires. Also be honest in your delivery, offer the other(s) what you like to receive.
- Learn to forgive – we often let small grudges influence our relationships, and we live trapped in that feeling, which consumes us and makes us unhappy. When you don't forgive, the only person harmed is yourself. Forgiveness is actually the release of our soul. Forgive those who make you suffer and allow yourself to start knowing that we are all doing the best we know how at all times.
- Take care of those you love – to love is to take care, and to take care is to be attentive and available for the other. Give your hand to the one next to you, rejoice in his/her victories, help him/her to rise and grow
In the coming days, we suggest that you pay attention to your relationships with others so that you can understand and improve your connection.
– what do you commit to doing this week to create more conscious and true relationships?
When you ask yourself to what extent you are contributing to the environment around you, you are becoming more aware and you are also increasing collective consciousness, so you are improving energy and increasing relational vibration.
toxic relationships
It is impossible to talk about relationships and not talk about relationships that take energy from us and lower the energy vibration that we deserve to live. Sometimes, despite all efforts, there are relationships that wear us out and influence us in a negative way.
I have some suggestions for you:
- try to understand the purpose of this relationship? What lesson is it teaching you?
- try to understand if your well being is compromised, does someone treat you badly or disrespect you?
- do you feel taken advantage of, belittled, unloved in this relationship?
- can you say no to what is imposed on you and what hurts you?
When a relationship no longer serves you in a positive way, it's because you may have to let go of it. Sometimes saying no to someone is saying yes to you. Ending a relationship, at whatever level, is not selfish, it is often self-love and well-being. If it's hard? Yes it is! But if you do it with love, tranquility and respect, you will see that it is possible. In addition, when you free yourself from what is no longer good for you, you make room for the new and for all the magic of the universe.
- Do you identify any toxic relationship that you need to release? If it doesn't seem possible to free yourself, how do you feel that you can improve?
All of our relationships serve a divine purpose and are an opportunity for our soul's evolution.
LOVE
7th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
The love that unites two souls
“Cooperative love implies two independent, complete and attuned individuals who choose to travel through life together and overcome their differences” Jane G. Goldberg
The ability to love is a reflection of a path of depth and soul learning . It implies maturity, compassion, empathy, availability and self-love. Self-love because the more you know yourself and the better you relate to yourself, the better you will relate to the person you love. When you get to know yourself, you open paths of awareness and breadth that allow you to look at the other with a look of greater compassion.
- How do you feel your relationship with your partner is? Do you identify needs on both sides? Do you identify incompatibilities?
Love has its own languages! Love has specific circuits and principles according to which you can build more harmonious and true relationships. Here are some of these principles:
Acceptance - We often mix love with feelings of contempt, embracing what we love and neglecting what we don't like. When the other doesn't satisfy our most hidden needs, does things we don't like, or behaves in ways we don't approve of, we forget the warm ways of love and turn our backs. Our partner is a total being, with its light and shadow, when we choose this being, we are receiving it in its entirety, as a whole being and perfect in its imperfection.
Reflect: How do you experience acceptance in your relationship? Do you accept your partner or do you try to condition/modify everything you like less? And how do they accept you?
- Freedom – when we make our loved ones depend on us, what we are doing is encouraging a their dependence and lack of autonomy. This is not love, this is personal need. The subtle way we create for others to orbit around us says a lot about our need and insecurity. To love is to allow others to gain wings and fly. And that can only be achieved when we trust ourselves.
Reflect: Can you allow your partner to gain wings and fly or do you like to have him/her dependent on you? How do you feel about it?
- Communication – this is a magic cure for any relationship. Sincere and true communication not only heals wounds, but also consolidates and strengthens the couple. In this communication it is important not to forget that it is necessary to speak but also to listen. Knowing how to speak the truth with love and knowing how to listen with total availability. The tone of voice you communicate with, the type of language you use, the intent you put into your words, all of this is communication. The way you decide to listen, the availability and openness with which you listen, conditions what you hear. If you're listening and thinking about your response, or you're judging, for sure you're not listening to the exact content of the message.
Reflect: How do you speak your truth? Is your communication loving? And how do you listen? Is your listening active? Do you hear or listen?
Support and uplift – If you don't support the person you love, who will you support? In fact, you don't have to agree with everything your partner wants, but you should support him/her in achieving his/her dreams. We are here to hold hands with others, support achievements, sustain defeats, celebrate victories and hold on to defeats. Our nest, in its real or figurative sense, has to be our biggest springboard to launch ourselves into the world. Here you should find all the support you need and give all the support your partner needs.
Reflect: How do you support your partner? And how does he/she support you? Are they the trampoline or the tether of each other?
The difference between love and infatuation is simple. Passion seeks happiness in the other, while love seeks happiness in the other.” Anonymous
"THE RIVER"
8th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Today I leave you a story so you can reflect, it is called “O Rio”
An elderly Zen master and his two disciples were walking silently along a path along a vast plain. They quickly come to a stream. Sitting on the bank of that stream is a girl who watches the three walkers approach.
It was necessary to be blind not to recognize the attraction that the two disciples felt for the girl, as well as her expression of joy.
“Which of the two young men would take me to help me cross the river?” she asked with all her freshness and a certain provocation
The two disciples look at each other and then address a questioning gesture to the master.
He looks deeply at each of them and reveals no words or gestures.
After a long and tense minute of contradiction and doubt, one of the disciples advances and carrying the girl in his arms, crosses the river between caresses and small laughs. Upon reaching the other shore, she gives him a warm kiss and says goodbye passionately. At that moment, the smiling young man returns to the master and the other disciple.
The face of the other disciple, the one who remained next to the master, is disturbed, not stopping to project questioning glances at the old man, who with equanimity, is silent and just observes.
Hours pass while the group advances silently through mountains and valleys, but the mind and heart of the disciple who has not crossed the river remains trapped and obsessed with the past event. Apparently, he doesn't feel able to free himself from desire and memory. At dusk, his behavior does not seem usual, he burns himself in the fire he lights, spills tea from his cup, trips over the root of a tree. After each mistake and inattention, he always finds the look of the wise old man who observes him without judgment or words.
Quickly the tension grows and becomes tormenting, then breaking the silence of weeks, the young man challenges the master saying furiously:
“Why didn't you rebuke my brother who, breaking the rules of sacred sobriety, excited the fire of his sensuality with the girl from the river? Because? Why didn't you say anything to him? Don't tell me that the answer is inside me, because I don't even hear or see anything clearly anymore. I need to understand! Give me an answer”, he pleads irascibly.
The old man, looking at him with a strange mixture of rigor and benevolence, responds with serenity and forcefulness:
“Your brother took the woman on one bank and left her on the other. While you took the woman on the bank and yet you did not leave her.
- How does this story touch your heart? How do you cling to situations that bother you and that you don't agree with? Do you tend to get attached to resentment and pain or, on the contrary, do you release and forgive?
- see if your way of acting is reactive, that is, it depends on external circumstances (you act from the outside in) or if it is proactive, based on your own criteria and decision (you act from the inside out)
PARDON
9th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
To forgive is to release an emotion from the past, to dissolve a deep or subtle anger that torments and consumes. People often attribute a religious connotation to forgiveness, however, forgiving is precisely the most powerful process of personal liberation. When you forgive, you are not pleasing the creator, you are simply releasing yourself from the pain that destroys you. So forgiving is not a good you do for the other, but for yourself.
- In a conflict situation, while you are installed in the grudge, who do you think is suffering more, yourself or the hated person?
Forgiving does not imply that you understand or identify with the other person's behavior or that you give them reason. Forgiving doesn't mean you have to smile or walk hand in hand with the person you think hurt you. Forgiving just means that you've decided to look at the issue in a different way, from another level of understanding and awareness, and release the pain that clings to the event. And that's so freeing!
If you could understand the history of each one of the people, you would find enough reasons to understand that each one acts according to their experiences and that each one acts in the light of their degree of conscience. This is not excusing but understanding that the other operates according to their emotional program, which most of the time is not the same as yours.
- Is there something in your life that you still haven't forgiven? Do you feel that it is easy for you to forgive? What resistances arise when you think about forgiving?
Judgment binds, forgiveness frees. In this process of forgiveness, you will have to choose between being right or having peace. By forgiving you are releasing your offended, vengeful and fearful self, opening yourself to peace and love.
Amazingly, human beings have an accumulation of resentments, especially with those close to them:
- the parents, for the unfulfilled expectations, for the unsatisfied demands
- with the partner for forgotten desires, for the words said in the heat of an argument
- our children, sometimes because they are too similar to us
- our bosses and co-workers, for the frictions and disagreements that arise on a daily basis
- with god, because we think he was unfair to us, he didn't give us what we deserved
But there is a forgiveness among these all that is the most important and also the most powerful, forgiveness for yourself! For this lack of forgiveness, we submit ourselves to mistreatment and lack of love. Everything you may have done is worthy of forgiveness. Forgiving yourself is killing guilt, shame, self-criticism, embracing and loving yourself. And you are worthy of your forgiveness, always! As we progress on our journey, we gain skills to integrate our shadow, that is, our darkest side and which we are not proud of (and we spend much of our lives pretending it doesn't exist). By being recognized integrated e , it allows us to be more tolerant of ourselves.
- observe yourself in the next few days in this relationship with the forgiveness of yourself and the other.
The best way to forgive is through gratitude, prayer, or meditation. You can also write a short text or maybe a letter, where you ask for forgiveness, either to yourself or to others. If you feel, you can send that letter to someone you want to forgive or to whom you feel you owe forgiveness.
Forgiving implies finding another way of looking at our relationship with humanity.
10th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
WARNING
Where you put your attention, you put your energy.
You can choose to live your life automatically, without much awareness, or you can choose to live your life consciously, mindfully and presently. The first will lead you to a “sleepwalking”, automatic, superficial existence and the second, to a deeper, intentional and conscious existence. automatism, activate your consciousness, expanding and amplifying it.
We have already talked here about the challenges of our thoughts, the immense amount and the way they invade our mind and condition our emotions. It is impossible to control the flow of thoughts, but it is possible to control their quality. In fact, we live in a kind of chaos. We are constantly bombarding our mind with incessant stimuli, such as social networks, where information comes to the second, audio visual media, which are constantly “pointing out” the misfortunes and tragedies of the world, notifications from our WhatsApp, etc. We live with constant interruptions and distractions and this exhausts and fragments us because it prevents us from being fully within ourselves, in the present moment. On the other hand, all these stimuli, potentiate even more thoughts, even more chaos and internal disorganization.
“Life is something that happens while we are busy making other plans.” John Lennon
How do you live these distractions in your life? Do you feel dependent on social media? What do you think you find there that fills you? How do you think this is important to you? Whenever you hear a notification on your phone, do you feel an urge to look or do you choose a time of day to do so?
It is worth paying attention to your contents and mental stimuli, because what you plant in your mental garden will be the food of your life. Be attentive, and I speak of a conscious attention, either to what you think, or to the stimuli to which you expose yourself.
Choose to live in the present. As the name itself says, the moment you live now is your greatest gift, it is the only one that can effectively be lived. When you live in the past, you are living in remembrance and longing, and when you live in the future, you are living in hypotheses and yearning. The present is the only real moment, it is the only possible moment to be lived, the rest, either have passed or have not yet happened.DeepackChopra says, “The present is the only eternal moment”, the happiness of living in the here and now , no one can take you away.
How do you live your present moment? Are you here and now? Or do you live more in projection (future) and remembrance (past)?
Notice another thing, when you live in the present moment, you don't live in anxiety or fear! The experience of now brings you lightness, happiness, calm and security. Of course, no one can live only in the present moment (due to the speed with which our thoughts arise and the “pre-occupations” of our mind) but exercising this ability is a powerful instrument to conquer happiness and well being.
And how to cultivate this practice of living in the present? One way is through mindful attention, another is through meditation. Remaining in attention supposes to be aware of the emotional and mental contents that appear in the thinking mind. Thought works in a chain of association, and conscious attention is able to break that chain and make you focus on the now. Meditation is a deeper practice of conscious attention, a journey into our interior. When we meditate, we connect to our deepest consciousness, expanding it, and of course, bringing immense benefits to our health and our lives. Many times when we talk about meditating, the image immediately comes to us of sitting in the lotus position and staying there, enchanted thoughts are invading your mind. But you can meditate more actively: walking, looking at a candle, listening to sounds, dancing, chanting mantras, etc. The important thing is to take time to be with yourself, without distractions, just watching your mind. I assure you, what we propose to you now, conscious attention and meditation, are powerful tools that will transform you.
Myths about meditation:
- Not having time - the practice of meditation takes as long as you decide, so it can be just 5 or 10 minutes, challenge yourself to start for a short time;
- I can't stop having thoughts – to meditate is not to stop having thoughts, because as long as we live we will always have thoughts in our mind! It is recognizing the thoughts that arise and letting them go, without getting attached;
- I like movement, meditation is not for me – meditation is for everyone, young, old, active or super active. If you have a life that is always on the move, if you never stop, then meditation is especially for you. If you don't like to meditate sitting, walk in silence and in deep connection with your steps;
- I don't know how to meditate – meditating doesn't imply knowing anything! Follow your heart, follow your inner voice. Sit wherever you want as long as it's a quiet place, close your eyes, take a few conscious breaths and let yourself be there, attentive to you. Recognize the thoughts that arise and let them go, if you feel any discomfort in the body, settle down. When you feel it arrive, take a deep breath, and open your eyes. Don't complicate, simplify. Better done than perfect. Challenge yourself to try it if you've never done it.
I suggest that in the next few days you take a few moments to meditate, as long as you feel it is possible for you. I also propose that you be attentive, that conscious attention, so that you live more in the present than in the past or the future.
MIND MASSAGE
11th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
As we have already talked about here, where you put your thought, you put your energy . That is, where you direct your thought, you place your intention and all your power.
This massage that I present to you today is considered a powerful practice because it helps to raise your vibration and energy.
Today, then, we are going to practice a technique of focusing thought, aimed at the different organs of your body, working on their self-regeneration and revitalization.
Do you feel able to completely stop your activity and feel the big toe of your right foot?
Well, that's what we're going to train today! Not just with your finger but with your whole body. Do you know that it is perfectly accepted by the scientific community that cancer patients able to visualize and illuminate their cancer cells, delay the destructive effects of the disease and in many cases, experience improvements and definitive remissions?
The mind massage proposes to mentally illuminate the organ and feel it vibrant, enlightened and healthy. As you do this, your thought activates the chosen zone, raises the vibrations of the psycho-body, and activates cellular harmonisation. Simple but very profound!
Let's try? To visualize the light in each organ you just have to imagine, that is, think about the area and mentally illuminate it.
Shall we go to practice?
Sit comfortably, or if you prefer, lie down and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths through your nose and release the air slowly and smoothly. Then, when you feel relaxed, start “illuminating from within” the following areas of your body, dedicating an average of 30 seconds to each one:
- Right foot, then left foot
- ankles
- knees
- glutes
- coccyx
- Spine
- back of neck
- Head
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Hands
- fingers
And organs:
- intestines
- Kidneys
- stomach
- Liver
- pancreas
- Lungs
- Heart
- Brain
- Skin
And glands:
- Adrenal glands (above the kidneys)
- Thyroid glands (in the neck)
- Pituitary glands (in the center of the eyebrows)
- Pineal glands (in the center of the dome of the skull)
You have passed your entire body through an energy scan, it is normal to feel charged with energy, enlightened and vital. You can remain like this, in that state of contemplation for a few more minutes, integrating this expansion of light.
Whenever you wish, you can have this practice, whenever you can, you should do it! You can also do it only to an organ that is sick or to a part of the body that you feel is not well. You can even do this practice on another person, enveloping them in that light, or on a house, nation or planet! “Thought is Energy”
The more you practice, the easier it will be and you will see how you can connect with your body in perfect harmony. You will quickly understand the relationship of consciousness that you will establish with this “internal life”, which incessantly works for your well-being and health.
“THE NEEDLE”
12TH DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Today I leave you a short story so that you can reflect, it is called “The Needle”
This tale is used in many spiritual traditions because it is particularly significant.
It was night. A passerby, passing close to a lamppost, saw, astonished, a woman busily looking for something on the floor. He was walking around a lamppost, staring insistently at the ground. The passerby ventures to ask him:
- Forgive me, good lady, what have you missed? What are you looking for? May I help you?
Her voice choked with sobs, the woman replied:
- I'm looking for a needle. I've been looking for hours and I can't find it.
The passerby, worried about the woman's distress, questions her, almost certain of the answer:
- It fell here, didn't it?
"No," the woman lamented.
The astonished passerby looked at the woman without understanding the situation very well and she said to him:
- I lost her at home but as we don't have electricity there, I came to look for her near this light pole.
How does this tale touch your heart?
How often do you look outside of yourself for what you can only find inside of you?
Do you recognize in yourself the need to to look in the material for ways to compensate for your emotional needs?
Companion, everything you need to be happy already exists within you. Look at yourself, discover yourself, allow yourself and trust. You have everything you need inside you.
Make a list of things that you already have inside you and that you are looking for outside.
Pay attention to what you are looking for on the outside and see if it no longer exists in you. Be aware of what you are looking for abroad to compensate for your emotional shortcomings
BALANCE
13th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
“The effect of a poison depends only on the measure. A grass heals, grass and a half kills.” paracelsus
I believe that everything in life has a right measure , has a point of balance. Everything that is good, if it is too much, can be negative and if it is insufficient, it can cause deficiency. Therefore, it is in the balance that the perfection of everything resides. Look at our planet: tend towards perfect harmony, if it weren't for the human hand, everything would be in permanent balance!
See this example, a mother who expresses love for her child, through care and protection, is playing an excellent role, and she is performing her role in a positive way. However, if this protection becomes excessive, namely obsessive and suffocating, preventing the child from living his life, from making his choices, he is falling into the extreme of excess. If, on the other hand, this protection is missing, with the mother completely absent and turned off, is falling to the extreme of the fault. In both situations, we can observe that the same sentiment, used in different measures, can have different disastrous results.
Recall some events in your life in which you experienced “exaggeration”, either by excess or lack of
By observing situations and ourselves, we can understand that in the extreme, nothing is positive, and that it only hurts us.
It is in the balance that you find much of your health, otherwise let's see: on a physical level, if you commit excesses, you get sick; on a mental level if you take yourself to extremes, you can create serious psychic problems; on an emotional level, if you go too far, creating situations of too much attachment or extremes of love or hate, you create deep emotional imbalances and decompensations. At the limit, extremely unbalanced, transform their lives (and those of others) into authentic “destructive cyclones.”
Do you recognize anyone around you who is out of balance? Do you think it affects you in any way?
To promote a life based on balance, it is essential that:
- develop the practice of observation, only when you identify the issue, you can solve it;
- recognize and become aware if you are acting in extremes (what is the imbalance of the situation);
- understand what you can do differently and what balance you want to achieve;
- accepts that we are in permanent evolution, that life is a learning process and that finding balance is part of it;
- do not judge or criticize yourself;
Life is an eternal point of balance, as if it were a bicycle. Grab the steering wheel, pedal and walk keeping center and harmony.
In those situations where you experience any exaggerated feeling, whether of fascination or aversion, that you connect with your more extreme attitudes and that you recognize your imbalance, allow yourself to observe and identify, because you are connecting with a part of you that needs to be cared for and loved. Your imbalance brings you messages from yourself
Pay attention to your balance and imbalance behaviors. Reflect on the reasons that lead you to act out of balance
FREE YOURSELF FROM EXPECTATIONS
14th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Frustration is one of the main causes of helplessness and demotivation in human beings.
This emotional condition, which arises from the non-fulfillment of a desire or objective, causes in human beings behaviors of discouragement and disappointment, triggering countless times, the desire to give up.
But now think, what is the source of frustration? And the answer is, the deceptive world of expectations!
Look, you feel frustrated with a situation because you created an idea about something that is not real, that you can't achieve, or that you can't fulfill. In fact, we need to distinguish, on the one hand, the world of possibilities that arise when we create objectives and goals, from the anxiety we create when we allow unwanted expectations to arise. The greater the expectation about something, the greater the frustration, disappointment if you can't accomplish it. And even when we succeed, we often feel frustrated because it's not quite how we had imagined or expected.
Do you remember any experience of frustration that occurred in your life and also remember what level of expectation you had about it?
The real learning to manage the feeling of frustration is in, after creating the objective/goal, freeing yourself from the constant mental creation of expectation. Trust in the process of life, trust that there is a higher intelligence that guides us and free ourselves from the constant creation of idealizations/expectations. In fact, the high level of expectations only has the effect of causing you more anguish and anxiety. The constant bombardment of expectations in your mind will always defraud reality. In fact, we know that reality never corresponds to idealization. And it is based on idealization that expectations take shape. When you have the ability to free yourself from your expectations, you open yourself to the divine process of life and trust this abundant flow of enriching experiences, free from the conditioning of your idealizations/expectations.
How do you manage your frustration? What are your frustration management strategies?
To learn to navigate the murky waters of frustration, we must learn to integrate and welcome the blows of life. After the phase of tension and pain caused by the frustration of the unfulfilled desire, the wisdom behind this event is always revealed to us. The multiple falls that we suffer along the way, arrive loaded with teachings, and help us to gain another perception about what happened.
When we put a lot of energy into an unconquered situation, we tend to get discouraged and give up. But it is precisely at this moment that we must know how to see with wider eyes the supreme design of life, which, through many denials, brings us closer to success. Let's say that this is the great evolutionary learning. After tolerating frustration, we see that what seemed like a failure is actually the supreme design to bring us to our commitment.
“Everything you are looking for is already looking for you” – Rumi
Do you remember if you have ever had situations in your life that initially caused you frustration and then you came to realize that it was the best that could have happened to you?
When we stop persisting and insist on controlling everything, we open the door to acceptance and break the spiral of suffering. When we accept this impermanence of life, you become happier.
I challenge you to practice the ability to accept. Not everything in life will happen as you wanted, but everything will happen in order to fulfill a greater purpose
HEAVEN AND HELL
15th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
Today I leave you a short story for you to reflect on, it is called “Heaven and Hell”
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there were two friends whose main desire was to know about good and evil . To try to find out more about this matter, they went to the hut of the wise Lang, to interrogate him.
Once there, the sage was asked: “ Tell us, old man, what difference is there between hell and heaven? Between good and evil? ”
The sage replied:
“I see a mountain of freshly cooked rice, steaming and tasty. All around are many hungry men and women, full of desire and hunger. In their hands they have huge, long spoons and therefore, when they try to take the rice spoon to their mouth to satisfy their hunger, they cannot because of the size of the cutlery, and thus find themselves unable to eat”
The two friends looked at each other and confirmed that it was in fact impossible for that group of people to feed themselves with such a long spoon, they would all die of hunger.
Then the sage continued:
“I see another mountain of rice just as freshly cooked, steaming and tasty. There are many men and women around but they are cheerful, satisfied, happy and healthy. Also in their hands they have huge, long spoons, they would hardly be able to feed themselves like the previous group, however, they decided to feed each other, feeding each other and keeping themselves strong and healthy.
The two friends looked at each other and confirmed that mutual aid is the salvation of humanity.
How does this tale touch your heart ?
How do you feel about the statement: “I am worth two, you are worth two, but together we are not worth four, but eight”
How do you feel in a cooperative environment? Do you prefer to work in a group or alone?
How do you feel the help in your life?
PROPOSAL FOR THE WEEK:
Observe the moments when you are available for the needs of those around you. Observe when you need help and how you feel when you ask for help.
SELF LOVE
16th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
This feeling of belonging, of being part of something bigger, is a primary and innate desire of all human beings. In fact, all we want is to be loved and accepted by others. As biological, cognitive and spiritual beings, we are formatted to be loved, to love and belong to a group: family, community, society, etc.
Recall and describe a situation where you felt rejected. Can you see if this situation affected your self-esteem?
The wound of rejection , that is, of not being accepted, is something that most of us bring back from our childhood, not because we were effectively rejected but because at some point in our childhood we didn't feel belonging, we do not feel loved as we would like. Let's say that this wound is in our unconscious without most of us realizing it, and it conditions our entire adult life. The fear of rejection is perhaps one of the deepest emotional wounds. In the eyes of the “reject”, of deep need and pain, everything that happens is seen through this filter of rejection: nobody likes me, I don't represent anything, I have no value, I'm always last, I'm not worthy, the world rejects me, I'm not enough.
Have you ever heard this voice inside you? If yes, how do you feel about it?
Since the desire to be accepted is so primary and important to us, we try to achieve it at all costs, and for that we play a game of approval and acceptance with others. Often, we change our way of being, we accept things we don't agree with, we do things we don't identify with, we lose our identity, just in order to please others and be accepted. In this way, we fulfill our desire for acceptance and kill the wound of rejection. However, true belonging and acceptance happens when we present ourselves to the world in an authentic, true and imperfect way (only the gods are perfect!) and we accept ourselves like this, with these weaknesses and imperfections: we are talking about self love.
Practicing self-love means learning to trust ourselves, treating ourselves well, allowing others to treat us well (nothing less than what we deserve), being kind and affectionate to ourselves.
Loving and accepting ourselves are true acts of courage, especially in a society that advocates “put yourself last”.
Self-love is not selfishness, self-love is honoring and respecting our being in its entirety.
So I leave you some steps so you can develop your self-love. Practice them daily and fall in love with ti
- take care of yourself - take care of your body, your mind, your spirit and your emotions
- free yourself from the limitations of your ego - free yourself from the negative voice that leads you to live in fear, doubt, uncertainty
- talk to you as if you were talking to a friend (friends we always give the best advice)
- don't compare yourself to anyone - comparing yourself is the opposite of loving yourself
- learn to say no to what hurts you
- pamper yourself every day , with a long bath, with a sweetie, with nice words
- don't speak ill of yourself , it even goes for the expression "I'm a fool"
- fall in love with your imperfections – nobody is perfect, imperfections make us human and unique
- Be yourself - don't put on a mask to please others, only you need to accept yourself
Create an affirmation of self-love and write it down daily. If you can, put that sentence in several places so you can see it during your day, spread it around the house and all the places where you usually are
Some example sentences: I love myself and accept myself unconditionally; I am perfect just as I am; I am unique in the world; I am my priority and I choose to love myself every day; my light is unique
17th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
DESTINY AND YOURS
UNSUSPECTED PATHS
Today I leave you a beautiful tale for you to reflect on, it is called “Destiny and its unsuspected paths”
In a faraway kingdom in the West, there lived a beautiful young woman named Viviana, who grew up beautiful and happy in a family of spinners, the art of making ropes. Viviana, as she became a woman, learned perfection in the handling of her hands, so she reached the dexterity of the best masters.
One spring day, her father, approaching her, said: “My daughter, as you are already a woman, I have decided that you will come with me on the next sea crossing. I have transactions to do in the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and I think that perhaps you will find an honorable young man of good disposition who would like to make you his wife.”
So they set out on their way and after several weeks of travel they reached their first destination. Once there, and while Father was doing his business, Viviana dreamed of the husband who would arrive.
But one day, when he was on the high seas, on his way to Crete, a storm arose with such terrible waves that the boat ended up sinking. Between winds and big waves, Viviana fell overboard and after a few hours of anguish, she was carried by the tide to a nearby beach. Her father had died and she felt totally helpless.
After a few hours, Viviana was wandering along the sand thinking about her luck and her big broken dreams, when she was found by a family of weavers who lived nearby, despite being poor, they welcomed her into their home as if she were a daughter. . Viviana devoted herself to the work of that family and, little by little, became an expert in the making of e fabrics. In this way, Viviana began a second life, where she became fully happy, fully reconciled with her luck and destiny.
But there came a day, when, sitting on the beach smiling at the horizon, a series of slave traders landed who, suddenly surprising her, took her prisoner along with another group of captives.
Despite bitterly regretting her fate, she found no compassion on the part of any of her captors, who took her to Istanbul and finally sold her into slavery. For the second time, his world had fallen apart. Once again, she wept saddened by her fate…
However, something happened that would change the course of his life again. On that day, incidentally, there were few buyers in the market. But among them was a wealthy merchant looking for slaves for his thriving mast-making business. When he saw the girl's sadness, he felt compassion and decided to buy her, thinking that this way, he could offer her a more dignified life.
Later, taking Viviana to his home with the intention of making her a helper for his wife, he learned that a fire had ruined their shipments and ended their livelihoods... , he decided to stay only with Viviana, who, with him and his wife, would carry out the task of manufacturing poles with true art.
Viviana, grateful to the merchant for having saved her, worked so hard and with such dedication, that in a few years she managed to become an authentic expert in the manufacture of all types of posts and masts, however difficult they were. In a short time, his master, in gratitude for his good services, granted him his freedom, going to work for him as a trusted assistant. This is how he managed to be fully prosperous in his new profession. It was some time before he said to her: “Viviana, I'm getting old now, and I want you to go to Java on this occasion to carry some valuable poles. Be sure, in my name, to sell them profitably.”
She set out on her way, all happy and happy to travel towards the much dreamed east…but, oh, destiny! When the boat was off the coast of China, a typhoon wrecked it, and once again, Viviana found herself stranded on the beach in a completely unknown country. "Again? My life stumbles again before fate. What shall I now learn and overcome?” Viviana felt that whenever she managed to fully master a craft and put down the roots of her life, something unexpected happened that made her change direction.
Once composed, she got up from the sand and started walking towards a village that she saw in the distance. As the presence of white travelers was not frequent, it was received with great respect. In that country there was a prophetic legend that said that one day a white woman would arrive, a foreigner capable of making alone, without anyone's help, a temple for the Emperor, of difficult and precise construction.
Perceiving the presence of that woman in his country, the Emperor sent for her and said to her: “Lady, would you be able to build a temple for the Empire that has these characteristics, but without the help of any other hand?” I told him showing him a papyrus. She, after stopping to observe him, immediately felt enlightened. He knew he was capable of doing it, since from what he deduced, he would need to use all the teachings he had done during his life, along with all those with whom he had lived.
Viviana worked very hard for nine months and finally presented her work to the Emperor, who, after observing with astonishment the perfection and detail of her creation, rewarded Viviana with the generosity of great rewards with a taste of destiny.
PROSPERITY, LOVE AND WISDOM had arrived fully and abundantly in Viviana's life, who embodied the fullness and grandeur of life.
They say that all those who came to know her left her presence enlightened by her great confidence and wisdom, a characteristic only common among great souls. He lived a fruitful and intense life and died in peace and harmony at the age of 99. Since then, it is said that his spirit whispers in the ears of those who feel abandoned by their fate, that they do not fear...
How does this tale touch your heart?
Do you recognize unexpected “turns” in your life that later turned out to be advantageous?
What was the most difficult news for you to accept and yet, over time, it came to benefit you?
Opening your baggage of experiences, what would be your greatest personal quality to live in a scenario of sudden and unexpected change?
What can you teach those who have just been shipwrecked in the midst of their broken dreams?
18th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
NEW PERSON
"Man's mind extended to a new idea, no longer returns to its original dimensions."
OliverWendellHolmes
When we started this pilgrimage, we had in our hearts the desire to expand a renewed SELF. We all dream of this growth and evolution because in fact, it is the most important thing in life's journey. When we embark on this pilgrimage,_cc781905-5cde-3194- bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ we choose to invest in ourselves, in our being. And we are to be congratulated for that! All we take from this life is our expansion as a human being. Choose you, always!
All that we have been doing during these days is cultivating thoughts, ideas and feelings, activating and expanding our consciousness , thus becoming better human beings, more aware of our personal, emotional and spiritual. I take this opportunity to tell you that I wish from the bottom of my heart that it has been a wonderful trip for you, as it has been for me!
Along this path, we have already realized that we have immense power, I say that it even resembles a gift, which consists of the ability to co-create our reality through the conscious intervention of our attention, our thought and action.
So today I come to propose you a wonderful and transforming exercise, the description of your new person, of the being that is being born, because each new learning, makes us expand, so you are no longer the same person you were 18 days ago. And how good it is, your level of consciousness has expanded!
Now it's just about using your imagination and creative sensitivity to design your new self. Look, this new me is the creation of the person you want to be, you with all your potential, with all the qualities and characteristics that you want and admire. Do not put resistance and doubts about your idealized personality, allow yourself to feel, visualize, imagine and create without limits.
Dedicate some time to this work of art that you are about to start. Create this new being by attending to the aspects of earth and sky, body and spirit. You will be planting a seed and one day you will perceive the aroma of its flowers and the goodness of its fruits.
Now describe your new person, I leave you some ideas to reflect on but don't limit yourself, be creative, if you wish you can draw/paint your new being!
How do you see yourself physically? What interests do you have? What do you do for yourself? What friends surround you? What relationships do you cultivate? What inspires you? What motivates you?
What energy emanates from your face? How do you look at yourself and at others? How do you feel your heart? How do the people around you feel? What do others say about you and your energy?
What spiritual traits do you express? What is your life mission? How do you contribute to improving the world? How is your daily life? What meaning does your life have?
When you are done creating your new self, wrap your story in a golden bubble of energy, and mentally launch it out into the universe. One day you will feel that what you sent will be returned to you through realization.
I SOW THE FUTURE IN THE PRESENT
19th DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
THE SUSPECTED
Today I leave you a story so that you can reflect, it is called “The Suspicion”
In the rich city of Babylon, there lived a rich merchant, Afrasiab was his name, who was very skilled in the art of transactions, getting the best out of every negotiation and every moment.
But Afrasiab had two major concerns in his life:
- The first was about your business. He had grave suspicions that those who worked for him were not to be trusted. He felt that goods were being stolen from him, but he could not prove it.
- The second was about your wife. He thought that, although she was a good wife, she deceived him, so he did not trust his faithfulness.
Afrasiab lived between these two worlds and spent his life controlling and watching. When he watched his employees, he saw in their faces all the unmistakable and typical signs of the thief: their furtive glances that surely indicated something to hide; the tone of your conversations; the nervousness of your answers. He recognized that all this was not a figment of his head, as the details fit and clearly confirmed his suspicions. On the other hand, when he watched his wife's steps, everything seemed to indicate that his behavior was obviously suspicious: there was no doubt that he was hiding something: the way he lowered his voice when referring to his departures, his silences and melancholy glances at the horizon, and many other attitudes that she, unintentionally, made all assumptions fit perfectly in Afrasiab's mind.
The day came when he decided to put an end to this bitterness, which is why he decided to order a secret investigation of his business accounts, so that the suspected anomalies could be discovered. And on the other hand, he commissioned a servant he trusted to follow in his wife's footsteps, with the aim of confirming what seemed obvious to him.
After three weeks of waiting, surprise! His employees were absolutely innocent of his suspicions and his wife had the most exemplary and correct behavior he could ever imagine.
The next day, when he returned to work, he observed the same gestures as his employees, but on this occasion, they no longer seemed to be hiding attitudes and they no longer seemed suspicious to him. And later, when he got home, he saw that his wife, despite maintaining the same attitudes and gestures, no longer seemed to keep secrets.
Everything had changed, yet everyone continued to do the same.
In this moment of meditative silence, a voice was heard whispering to him:
HE WHO HAS A HAMMER IN FRONT SEES NO MORE THAN NAILS.
How does this tale touch your heart?
Where do you think our suspicions about the behavior of others come from?
Do you think that, in a way, we end up living what our mind projects?
Do you recognize if ever, your attitude of distrust managed to make your mind perfectly fit all the pieces of your suspicions?
How do you feel when you're obsessed with distrust?
When you live in distrust and control, who do you think suffers the most? You or the people you distrust?
Do you think our life is conditioned by what we choose to think or feel?
In the next few days I propose that transform your distrust into trust and insecurity into security. Observe how you feel about it.
20TH DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
HAPPINESS
“May happiness not depend on time, nor on the landscape, nor on luck, nor on money. May it come in all simplicity, from the inside out, from each one of us.”
Carlos Drummond deAndrade
Dear pilgrim, little by little we have been advancing, progressively, on this path that we have decided to take. In each day, we train the observation of our internal movements and the expansion of our consciousness, which in fact, is all we need to create our moments of happiness.
When we look at life and contemplate the diversity of experiences it offers us, we realize that living is an unusual adventure and, of course, a divine blessing. During the journey of life, we realize that the universe offers us so many experiences, so many discoveries, so many teachings, as if it were a giant canvas on which we are brushing stains of paint, of many colors, thus composing a unique and beautiful creation, LIFE.
Life is a master, it always brings us what is necessary for the evolution of our soul. There is always a moment in our lives when we witness our awakening, that is, the moment when we unfasten the blindfolds that cover our eyes and look at a new world, a new reality, more conscious and broader. This moment separates the darkness from the dawn of a new life. I tell you that I've experienced this in my life and I'm so grateful that you allowed me to start removing the veils that covered my eyes. Layer after layer, we discover so much in ourselves. It is a process for life and it is the most important process in life.
How do you feel living your moment of “awakening”? When did that moment in your life take place?
“He who knows others is wise. What knows itself is enlightened.”
Lao Tzu
The lucidity you gain when you wake up, allows you to live more fully, allowing you to observe your multiple reflexes, however contradictory they may be. It also allows you a more present and conscious experience where the most important thing is not what happens to you but the meaning of that event. For some, what happens will be a reason for anguish, for others, it will be a teaching for the soul. Your perspective on life changes. When we allow ourselves to dive into this personal discovery, we are also allowing ourselves to be enveloped by the beauty of life, by the fluidity, by the divine plan.
Do you know the metaphor of “Standing Water”? Everything that does not move, crystallizes in stagnation and decomposition. That's how we are, if we stop, we don't potentiate all our gifts, we don't fulfill ourselves and we go “dying in life”. Existence asks us for a permanent path of discovery and overcoming. A permanent expansion of all our knowledge, of our whole being, the pulsation of a vital force, and this is the path to happiness. And now, I ask you?
You're happy? What is happiness for you?
We have a hard time saying: “I am happy” or “I want to be happy”. Most often we say: “I would like to be happy but…”, all on parole and with many reticences. Sometimes it seems that happiness is, taboo, it's a secret. We cannot affirm it with all our lungs, with all our being. What's wrong with being happy and saying that to the world?
Most of us live on the go, making happiness seem like an illusion. Sometimes happiness seems like a dream (future), sometimes like a lost paradise (past).
But we all deserve happiness, we came programmed to live it. However, we often imagine that happiness has to be a permanent state and it's not! Permanent happiness does not exist! Happiness is not definitive, a kind of trophy that is conquered for life!
Happiness is not for life , it's moments! These are moments that you build, with your hands, with your thoughts, with your dreams, with your delivery!
Happiness is not anesthetizing pain, it's opening your arms and welcoming it.
Happiness is not a state of euphoria, it is also inner recollection, introspection and calm.
Happiness is not outside of you. Only within you can you truly find it.
“Happiness is a place where one also arrives with tears” –Eduardo Sá
It demands truth, commitment, availability and that is in your hands, in the sense that you build it, or on your feet, in the sense that you seek it, when you become a pilgrim of yourself.
Pay attention to the little moments of happiness in your day. Think what other simple moments you can create in your life that bring you happiness.
Is it walking in nature? Will it be seeing a sunset or a sunrise? Will it create something? Is it to taste something you really like? Is it hugging someone you love? Is it diving in a sea of clean waters? Will you perceive all the good/good in your life? Will reading something make you wake up? Will it allow you to take a break or stop for as long as you need to? Is it “emptying” the weights you carry that don't belong to you?
21st DAY OF PILGRIMAGE
ARRIVAL
“Rivers reach the sea, rays light up the sky.
Babies come, elders come back,
And the spirals of life go round and round endlessly, through the rhythms of a song, which sounds beyond atoms, planets and galaxies.”
Jose Maria Doria
Welcome Pilgrim!
You have reached the end of this journey, but you have also reached the beginning of a path that has no end: discovery of your essence. I invite you to continue your awakening, embracing each new discovery, so that you get closer to yourself. Do not stop. To stop is to crystallize. Crystallize and desensitize. Keep looking for you. Each new awakening is a light that is turned on in the world, it is a contribution to the spiritual evolution of humanity.
This path that we proposed to you, and which you decided to embrace (not by chance!) had a single ambition: to wake you up and allow you to move towards another state of consciousness. Everything that may have happened to you over these 21 days is what had to happen. If you couldn't make the pilgrimage as you wanted, trust me, it's because it had to be, and if you didn't do it at all, it's because you didn't need to or because it wasn't the right time. trust. Everything is alright.
If you made the pilgrimage, let's see what might have happened to you:
- greater awareness of your emotions
- a mind better trained to understand the meaning of the events in your life
- greater reflective ability
- more attention to what happens to you and around you
- greater connection with you
- another way of looking and perceiving the world
You planted seeds, reprogrammed dreams, connected with new ideas and feelings, thus expanding your world. You allowed yourself to bring out the deepest inspiration of your being. The expanding mind never returns to its initial size, and your awakened consciousness will never want to fall asleep again. Go ahead and do not fail to cultivate the first duty of love: the construction of a happy mind. And don't forget that the path is only made by walking.
I wish you to receive all the divine inspiration to reach the SER that you decided to be. And always remember: “You are not a human creature on a spiritual adventure but a spirit creature on a human adventure”
With love I say goodbye
Portal das Artes – a space where we value your Being, a door to your awakening
Isabel Martins