What Shines: the inspirational newsletter of LiveYourLight.com

February 2010, Issue #101

"Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."

~ Kahlil Gibran

The Tao of Now: Heart Knocks

In an article about longevity I discovered the term ikigai, a Japanese word that means, "something important to live for, that gives life meaning." The Okinawan elders described in the story embody Gibran's wisdom about waking with a winged heart.

Too often in our culture we apply the heart brake, instead of allowing our love to flow - which creates a fuel shortage. Because love is the one energy source that is never depleted through use, but replenished. The more love we expend to power our world, the deeper our wells. There's no need to drill for love, either: it's clean energy that gushes readily to the surface of an open heart, to be freely shared by all: the ultimate renewable resource.

Jeff Brown, author of Soulshaping, a magical inner travelogue chronicling his journey from defended trial lawyer to surrendered spiritual advocate, talks about how the School of Heart Knocks (life) helped him find his authentic face - and voice.

What's knocking on your heart? How will you choose to respond?

The heart bridges the lower three "physical" chakras with our upper three "spiritual" ones. In this sense, the heart is a shaman, mediating between the worlds. As we engender greater love and compassion, we merge Earth with the Heavens.

David Kam, the visionary behind the Earthship Summit (see Shine On, below) says, "Love is the only water that can quench the heart's thirst."

This year, the Chinese New Year falls on February 14th, St. Valentine's Day, ushering in the Year of the Tiger. One Chinese astrology website characterizes Tiger energy as, "one of the most dynamic signs in the Chinese zodiac. What makes them magnetic and commanding figures is the absolute loyalty and affection they show for those they love."

Clearly, love is in the air, everywhere, in 2010. I especially enjoy the way Caitriona Reed, a new Twitter connection, describes love: the unconditional celebration of another. "We become conscious of that other (person ... or thing) as a unique expression of life, of the universe - rare, one of a kind, marvelous, miraculous in ways it would be hard to fully comprehend."

Yet, she hastens to add, we often pollute this purity of focus with judgment - self-judgment. "So love is also forgiveness. Love in the Buddhist conception of it - metta or maitri - understood to be both boundless and innate. In other words there is no end to the degree to which we can experience or express our love, and the boundlessness of it is something we are already born with, a capacity that extends our reach to the stars."

As we radiate ever more of our starlight essence, I invite you to allow yourself to fully embrace the Love that you are. While this may be one of the "heartest" things you've done, it will also transform you into a Heartist: an artist of the heart.

Shine On

Say "AH": The 8th annual World Sound Healing Day takes place February 14, 2010 at a throat chakra near you. To participate, simply sound a love-filled "AH" for five minutes at noon your local time. "AH" is a universal, non-denominational heart sound that, when projected with focused intent, has the ability to heal and transform. It's our sonic valentine for global harmony.

Could your pineal gland use a dimensional tune-up? Reminiscent of the Loom of Maya, a sonic translation of the Mayan Tzolkin (sacred calendar), it's our DNA concert choir! Both are ethereal, transcendent.

The Spiritual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe: Travel Tips for the Spiritually Perplexed. Anyone who loved Doug Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will embrace Paul Rademacher's true-life version. Executive Director of The Monroe Institute, a non-profit dedicated to the exploration of human consciousness, Paul's awakening began in a classic way: he fell off the roof of a house he was repairing, and into a dark night of the soul. Listen to his interview on Science for Life.

Earthship Summit is an open source charity happening organized by artist David Kam. A global undertaking in sustainability that will include a 3-day "Imagine" Earthship Concert, the Summit and concert are slated to coincide with the G8 world leaders' conference in Montreal this coming June. Kam writes, "One ship. 6 billion people. We are all in the same boat!"

Did you know 4.0: An update to the original Shift Happens video.

Read My Mind

In between issues of What Shines, please visit my Practical Spirituality page, where I add new content regularly - and welcome your comments! You can also subscribe.

Some popular recent articles:

Becoming REAL
Soulquake: The Deeper Meaning of the Haiti Disaster
Spirit in Disguise, or, Blessed by the Dress!

I also encourage you to connect with me on Twitter, Architects of A New Dawn, SelfGrowth, and my Health, Wealth and Wisdom blog. Thanks for reading my mind!

Invite Amara to Your Town!

At long last, I'm the happy steward of the Live Your Light Mobile: a camper van that enables me to adventure as a New Nomad with my own shell, here on Turtle Island.

If you'd like to host a Live Your Light event in your area (talk, playshop, wisdom circle, etc.), please get in touch.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Begin Again in 2010:

Light Coaching: Shining as radiantly as you deserve? Let's illumine your path!

Business Alchemy: Need a winning website, brilliant brochure, noteworthy newsletter? I'll help springboard your success!

E-courses: The Inanna Initiations accelerates your evolution seven-fold. Loving Our Lunacy amplifies the feminine frequency.

Talks and Wisdom Gatherings: Could your business, organization or school benefit from discovering how to integrate spirit into daily life?

eBooks: What Shines: Practical Wisdom for Unleashing Your Inner Brilliance/Volumes 1, 2 & 3, are an alchemical nexus for conscious evolution, adapted from the best of this monthly newsletter.

CDs: "What You Need to Know Now - A Road Map for Personal Transformation" guides you on the journey home to yourself.

Wear and Share Your Light: Sweatshirts to shoulder totes, journals to jerseys, baseball caps to bumper stickers. Find all your essentials, emblazoned with the inspirational Live Your Light logo.

Vivify the Vision!

Please help sustain and expand this work. Your tithe, multiplied by that of other dearhearts, supports this monthly newsletter, the Health, Wealth and Wisdom blog, numerous informative articles in online and print publications, the Live Your Light website, wisdom gatherings, the development of new resources, and one-to-one guidance for those without financial resources.

In gratitude for your generosity, you'll receive a detailed report, From Harmful to Harmony: Simple Steps You Can Take Today to Improve Your Health, packed with tips to help you make more informed lifestyle and product choices.

You may make ongoing or occasional contributions online via PayPal's secure server. Simply click on the button below and follow the easy instructions:

Snail-mail preferred? Please send a check or money order (in US dollars) payable to Live Your Light:

Live Your Light
321 South Main Street, Ste. 24
Sebastopol, CA 95472
USA

Thanks for your heartfelt contribution to our collective evolution!

What Shines is written and produced by Amara Rose for LiveYourLight.com.

To ensure that you receive our monthly newsletter alerts, please add amara@liveyourlight.com to your address book or approved-sender list.

To Subscribe, please go to the What Shines Subscribe page.

To Unsubscribe, please visit the What Shines Unsubscribe page.

If you change your e-mail address, send a message with "Change of E-mail Address" in the subject line, and please include both your old and new e-mail addresses.

Contact information:

Amara Rose
Live Your Light
321 South Main Street, Ste. 24
Sebastopol, CA 95472
USA
amara@liveyourlight.com
1-800-862-0157

Many blessings! Live Your Light!