In the last two days, I sat with my sister on the shore looking at the vast ocean and the horizon beyond. I saw a little girl listening to a live music performance and dancing across the room with her arms wide as if flying in the sky. I spoke with a warm, generous and strong woman about a very important question to ask oneself at all times. And all of these were moments were I witnessed and experienced presence, one of the truest gifts from the heart.

Yesterday, at an art museum there was a live music performance where I got to see beauty pour out through self-expression. A little girl of about 6 years also named Sophia, danced like a free bird floating in the sky. With here arms spread across like the wings of a bird, she would swoop around the room in full speed and in beat with the music. In this movement, she was dynamic and she was free. With her enjoying the music and dancing to it from her heart, she showed all of us there how it is to give of what you have, freely and with joy in the heart.

Today, sitting on the beach with my sister was simple and beautiful. She is an amazing young woman of gentle cheerfulness and kindness in her eyes. She makes conversation easy and flowing. She allows me to be who I am. Speaking of how the Universe conspired for her day to become completely free on the last minute, she invited me to spend time together with her. In a similar way, the Universe conspired for me too to have an extra free day as well at the last minute and so going to the beach is what we did. We giggled about sea gulls walking sideways and running quickly from an approaching wave. We pondered what it is like to live right across from the beach. We shared ideas about what makes one a yogi. And we sat observing the ocean in silence. It was just silence. And it was beautiful. We were each having our own communication with the ocean separately, together. And a sea gull joined in this conversation. It first looked at us. It was pretty close to where we were sitting. It stood there; feet firmly planted in the sand. After a few moments of two of us looking at it and it looking at us, it sat down on the sand and now all three of us were looking at the ocean. All three of us; communicating with the ocean. Separately yet together. I found a new meaning and a new depth of communication with no words. The three of us were communicating to the ocean, to each other and to ourselves that all is well in this moment, and we are just being here now. And in this way we shared a gift from the heart - a gift of presence.

What we most need always comes to us exactly when we need it. I had a conversation today with a phenomenal woman who has shared her kindness and generosity with me my entire life. Today, she gave me one of my biggest kernels of truth. She reminded me about giving up anger. She said that getting angry at a situation or a person means hurting ourselves exponentially. She said, if we are angry at someone, we hurt ourselves first and then it hurts the other. Then it reflects off of them and comes back to us. And like this it hurts us twice. I shared with her how I often go for a walk if something is upsetting me or when I am under distress. Immediately she replied that walking away means running away. We need to be present with what happens not run away. We must be with it and ask ourselves, “Do I want to be the king (queen) of my mind or the slave?” We want to be king/queen. So we must be cautious and on alert constantly about what thoughts or seeds we water in our mind. Are these thoughts of love and compassion and patience? Or are these thoughts of anger, irritation, annoyance, frustration or complaints? Her talk reminded me of what I recently read in the book, The Unthethered Soul: “Everything is fine, as soon as I decide it is”. This way of thinking completely shifts the focus from what we think is wrong in the world or our life to focussing on the thought that everything is fine because I choose it to be so. This is shapeshifting of the highest order. We transform the world around us by the predetermined thoughts about the world we carry within us. I am filled with so much joy, possibilities and empowerment everytime I come across this kind of thinking in people I meet or in the books I read. This outstanding woman is my aunty who shared her wisdom with me and in doing so she truly shared from her heart. She gave me today a life-changing gift of her understanding of the principles of life and successful living that is a real turning point in my life.

There are so many ways we are given gifts from the heart. It is a continuous flow of blessings. I am grateful for experiencing them and for being able to receive them fully and for the opportunity to share them with you. Thank you for reading this blog today.

From the heart,

Sophia
 

Introspection:

What gifts from the heart have you received in the last few days or even years. Take a moment to reflect on that.