I just returned from Egypt. It was an incredible experience. Myself and a group of forty adventurous souls had a series of extraordinary experiences in numerous sacred sights. It is amazing how much can be packed into a few weeks. The fish in the red sea were amazingly beautiful as were the pyramids, the temples and the people. I had many opportunities to deepen my connection with my spirit and to fully embrace the love that is the building blocks of the universe. I have often said only the love is real, all else is an illusion. I had many reminders in the last few weeks that I can see the world through the eyes of love or the eyes of fear. My choice certainly creates two very different worlds.

Perspective really is an amazing thing. I was in awe of the power, magic and wonder of these ancient sights while to many of the people living there they were just old stones and a good place to make money. I wandered around NYC the other day with the same intent of finding sacred places and saw an entirely different city than the one I grew up in. I was a block away from St. Patrick’s cathedral when the bells sounded for mass. I allowed the sound of the bells to wash through me and the feeling was amazing. I have heard church bells many, many times in my life, but never like that. The bells were the same, I was different.

In that moment I realized how different life really is when we live it with the intent of finding sacred spaces and having spiritual experiences. Life is after all a constant invitation to deepen our connection with our spirit and the ensuing feeling of connectedness or our filter system and the profound feeling of separation. Of course I knew that at an intellectual level, but feeling it was an incredible gift. In the middle of the city I grew up in I had a profound spiritual awakening. I stood in the cathedral and wept. It was wonderful.

As I sit on the plane I find myself musing about how different life can be. Love is always only a thought away and with our thoughts we can embrace it or push it away. When the Buddha achieved enlightenment it is said he thought that finding God could not be taught because so few people are really willing to see God. When we are willing to, we can see the magnificence of that unconditional love and acceptance everywhere and anywhere. We can see it in the chaos of our judgmental thoughts and in the curiosity and wonder of a baby’s eyes. It all depends on what we want to see.

So in this moment and in the next and in the next I get to ask myself, “How can I see this through the eyes of love?” If I see only permutations of fear and I can love even that or ask myself how long I am going to stay addicted to suffering? Love or fear? My choice is fully evident in my next conscious thought.

With love and aloha and in the midst of a spiritual experience called life,
Susan