Your Year of Miracles

Month: May 2022

  • Miracles We Receive Through Giving

    Miracles We Receive Through Giving

    Today’s Miracle Moment Is About the Miracles We Receive Through Giving.

    Great miracles can come into our lives through the power of giving.

    Many spiritual traditions have shared the power of giving in order to free ourselves from suffering and to experience greater happiness.

    In Sanskrit, there’s a tradition of selfless service called “seva,” which means giving as an act of devotion to the Divine. You can give seva through “Karma Yoga,” which is giving through acts of service, like cooking for others or cleaning a common space. Another way that you can give selfless service is through your attention — you can listen to someone else’s needs or offer them your support.

    The Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Han, has told a story about a vegetable in Vietnam called “he” (pronounced “hey”). It looks like a scallion and it is part of the onion family. In order for these vegetables to grow, you need to cut them at the base of the stalk. The more you cut them, the bigger they grow — and the less you cut them, the less they grow. Thich Nhat Han says that it’s the same for the practice of giving:

    The more you give, the more you grow, and the richer you become in happiness and well-being.

    It’s also been scientifically proven that giving creates more happiness. Researchers with the Science of Generosity Initiative did a study on a group of US adults to find out what changes they experienced in life after giving.

    The study showed that acts of generosity resulted in more happiness, good health, a sense of purpose and personal growth.

    And it’s not just about the act of giving — it’s about our intention and energy, too. If we give with an expectation of receiving, or with any resentment, it’s dropping the vibrational frequency of our gift. When we do this, we won’t experience the joy and abundance that comes with true giving from the heart.

    When we give from a place of love and generosity, that’s what comes back to us.

    It shifts us out of feeling scarcity into connecting with the abundance of the Universe and infinite possibilities — all of which we’re meant to be experiencing in this life.

    This week, we invite you to find ways to give to those around you. Maybe it’s giving your presence to someone and listening to them in a deep way. Maybe it’s giving a compliment or encouragement. Maybe it’s giving to your community. All that matters is that your giving comes from your heart.

    Miracles We Receive Through Giving

    Please leave a comment below and let us know how you’ll give to others this week.

  • Miraculous Power of Do-Overs

    Miraculous Power of Do-Overs

    Today’s Miracle Moment is About the Miraculous Power of Do-Overs…

    We’ve all had those days where maybe we didn’t get enough sleep, work is stressful, or we’re exhausted from trying to get a huge to-do list done. We might feel crabby and aggravated at everything (and everyone) and find ourselves snapping at a partner, roommate or close family member.

    In those moments, wouldn’t it be great if you could just have a “do-over”?

    The great news is that you can!

    This is something that Marci and her husband Sergio have practiced many times over the years and they credit with saving them from getting into pointless squabbles or arguments. If they find themselves being crabby with each other, they’ll stop mid-conversation and say, “Let’s have a do-over.” They’ll rewind and start the conversation over, choosing a different way to respond. It’s a practical and yet powerful way to pattern interrupt and get back on the right foot.

    Here’s a recent example: Sergio and Marci are working with contractors on remodeling their house. One day, Sergio asked Marci to send the contractors photographs of some electrical wires that needed to be fixed. This day happened to be one of those stressful, exhausting days, and when Sergio asked Marci later if she’d sent the photographs yet, she snapped and got defensive. In that moment, Marci realized she needed a do-over. So, she asked Sergio for a do-over and then literally stepped out of the room and walked back in. Sergio asked her the question again and this time, she replied, “I’m so sorry — I haven’t sent them yet. Here, let me do that right now.” The situation was resolved and no squabble was needed.

    This present moment is always an opportunity for a do-over and to begin again.

    Every day and in every moment we all have the opportunity for do-overs — whether that’s in relationships or in our own daily life.

    We’re often carrying emotions, thoughts, and feelings from the past into the present moment. Sometimes we’re even carrying baggage around from previous days, weeks, or months. We can end up making assumptions or getting upset, and then we give responses to circumstances that aren’t really appropriate.

    If you find yourself playing out a pattern that isn’t serving you, you can always pause, reset, and choose to have a do-over.

    There’s always a creative solution available and all you have to do is open up to it.

    This week, we invite you to practice doing some do-overs in your life. You might want to do over a way of being, a habit that’s not serving you, or a conversation with a loved one that starts to go in an unnecessary direction.

    This practice can help you bring more awareness into your daily life, knowing you always have the option to choose something even better.

    Do Overs

    Let us know in the comments how it goes practicing the miraculous power of do-overs.