Awaken Your Space®

The Love Dare - Love is Impossible Love is Jesus Christ

2010-02-13T14:03:00Z

Day 19 Dare: Look back over the dares from previous days. Were there some that seemed impossible to you? Have you realized your need for God to change your heart and to give you the ability to love? Ask God to show you where you stand with him while asking for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.
Day 20 Dare: Dare to take God as his word. Dare to trust Jesus Christ for salvation. Dare to pray, "Lord Jesus, I'm a sinner but you have shown your love for me by dying to forgive my sins, and you have proven your power to save me from death by your resurrection. Lord, change my heart, and save me by your grace.

There is a secret each of us is holding but most are unaware of. Day 19 speaks of this secret, the secret of unconditional love out of our own heart. The book tells us that it's impossible to give unconditional love because it's beyond our capabilities. We may extend acts of kindness and unselfishness towards others but to love unselfishly and unconditionally is another matter. Unconditional love is something only God can do and he does so through us. When you think about the times that your love has failed through lying, lust, overreacting, or thinking evil thoughts you can then understand that you cannot give unconditional love on your own.

Failure is what exposes mankind's sinful condition. We ALL fall short of God's commands because we all demonstrate selfishness, hatred, and pride. Unless you come to love God then you cannot love another. You can't give what you don't have when you don't call upon the higher reserves and resources. When you stop resisting the love of God then his love will pour through your heart unto others.

Failures can be forgiven when you put your life into the hands of the One that gave it to you. Today is the day of salvation and reconnecting to your spiritual roots. Maybe you've known Christ and have walked in fellowship with him. This is the day to be reminded of what he's done for you. We are all born into this world as sinners, unclean and with filthy garments. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, as a humbled servant so that he may bore our sins in his body on the cross. "When you have received this new life and love as your own, you are free to love in ways you've never been capable before."

"The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (I John 4:8) God loves you through your flaws and imperfections. As the result of Jesus Christ's life, God's love made the greatest sacrifice to meet our greatest need. This graces us to walk in the fullness and blessings of his love, now and forever. Look at your spouse with this same unconditional love, see past the flaws and imperfections and choose to love. You may not be able to meet their needs as God but you can become an instrument of God's to meet the needs of your partner. After you receive the love of God through Jesus Christ, then you are ready to live the dare of love.

Today's lessons remind me of a previous day's lesson where we are to let go and let God. Wash our hands free of nagging or stating out loud about what our spouses should or shouldn't do and instead pray about what we would like to happen in their lives. But also what is happening in our own life. We are not Gods and should not act as such. We are instruments of God serving a higher purpose for all. It feels so much better to lift the lid of your life instead of letting it boil over with anger, resentment, greed, or ego. When you come to know that there is a higher divine guiding you along to serve your purpose in life you can truly love others along the journey. The next time you listen to your partner, look at them as if God's eyes are looking upon them. Listen to them as God would listen to them. Love them as God would love them. Ask to be an instrument of God, to support your partner in whatever is needed for your love to be strong.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love Promotes Intimacy Love Seeks to Understand

2010-02-12T12:55:00Z

Day 17 Dare: Determine to guard your mate's secrets (unless they are dangerous to them or to you) and pray for them. Talk with your partner and resolve to demonstrate love in spite of these issues. Really listen to them when they share personal thoughts and struggles with you. Make them feel safe.
Day 18 Dare: Prepare a special dinner at home, just for the two of you. Get to know your partner during your time together while giving determination to having an enjoyable dinner with your partner.

Of all relationships throughout your life, the relationship with your partner is the most intimate. All that you hide from others is made noticeable to your spouse or significant other. We are born unto this world with a deep desire to love, be loved, and accepted by others. When the most intimate depths of our soul is uncovered by our partners it is welcomed with great love or pushed away with shame. A home with a partner should feel safe, secure and sacred for both of you. If you do not feel safe, you are then tempted to seek it somewhere else. This could be through flirtations towards another, comfort of work, outside hobbies, or surrounding yourself with people that respect and accept you. But you should not feel pressured into changing yourself in order to seek approval from your mate. You should not live in fear or feel like your home has territorial boundaries.

Don't lecture your partner if they have secrets, instead act as a healing agent in offering loving support by listening. Maybe some of the secrets have to be accepted because this is their history or upbringing. You cannot change where they have been but you can support them in where they want to go. "Loving them well should be your life's work." God knows our secrets and accepts who we are without turning us away. Reach out to your partner with grace, understanding, and accepting them for who they are. But not in a way that barges into their lives, rather by standing at the door and knocking, only to be there with love when they want to open the door. "If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20)

Do you remember the days of learning about your partner? If your partner had a favorite past time you would read or learn about this so you could have a meaningful conversation with them. Maybe your partner loves football, loves to cook, or is health conscious. You would look for ways to be a part of what they are passionate about. Ask yourself, how much do I know about my partner?

Maybe you've been together for years but find that you haven't taken much notice to what your partner enjoys any longer. Or that your perfect prince or princess has flaws. Consider this, "If the amount of time you studied your spouse before marriage were equal to a high school diploma, then you should continue to learn about your mate until you gain a college, master's, and ultimately a doctorate degree."

Questions from page 87 of The Love Dare:

Do you know his or her greatest hopes and dreams?
Do you fully understand how they prefer to give and receive love?
Do you know what your spouse's greatest fears are and why they struggle with them?

You may not understand everything that is molded as one within your partner but it's worth the time to invest in studying every aspect of who they are.

Take time to work through the questions and get to know your partner all over again. We had fun with this! David and I are enjoying the lessons each day. Sometimes we let days run together to absorb them more, plus on some days our schedules are different. We have been doing things for one another without asking which is wonderful.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love is Honorable Love Intercedes

2010-02-12T01:40:00Z

Day 15 Dare: Choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine. It may be holding the door for her, putting his clothes away for him, or the way you listen and speak in your communication. Show your mate that he or she is highly esteemed in your eyes.
Day 16 Dare: Begin praying today for your spouse's heart. Pray for three specific areas where you desire for God to work in your partner's life and in your marriage.

Honor is the word of focus for day 15 in the book, The Love Dare. By giving respect and high esteem to your mate you honor them with great worth. We listen intently to our partners with great respect for what they have to say. The words that are spoken towards us by our spouse or partner are taken seriously. When we say something that is hurtful or in a condescending tone it not only affects your partner but also your own honor. The next time you speak to your partner, look them in the eye and acknowledge them as a valuable person in your life. Honor them as a divine being from God with gifts to share with you and the world.

The Love Dare moves into the word "holy" and how we should look at our mates as holy beings. Not that they are perfect but rather to look at them as a unique special person with a higher purpose. A person that is sacred, honored, praised, and defended by you. In the book you read about how brides treat their wedding dresses as a sacred holy item that is protected. Marriage is considered "holy matrimony", a union of commitment and relationship unknown to another. You share everything as a union, as one.

Maybe you no longer feel this way about your partner. Instead you feel disrespect, embarrassment, disgust, or your attitude towards this person is nothing but negative. "Love honors even when it's rejected." When you give honor to your partner, even if it's not reciprocated, you are honoring yourself. Your biggest sacrifice is to give and send love to your partner.

You cannot change your partner! That is one very known factor, however you can reach into their heart with all the love that you give and send unto them. If you try to change your partner you will end up frustrated and quite literally may think you are going insane. Quoted from the book on page 76:
"A farmer cannot make a seed grow into a fruitful crop. He cannot argue, manipulate, or demand it to bear fruit. But he can plant the seed into fertile soil, give it water and nutrients, protect it from weeds, and then turn it over to God."

The author tells us that he cannot guarantee that The Love Dare will change your partner but that's not what the book is really about. "It's about daring you to love." If you work through the dares on your own it's highly likely that your partner and others around you will be affected and take notice of the beautiful flower that blooms from within yourself. It could take weeks, months, or years but by working within your own fertile soil you will be able to pull the weeds out the partnerships with others. In order to do this you need something more powerful than yourself or your partner, you need prayer.

Prayer is a spiritual phenomenon and gives amazing results by an unlimited powerful God.

Jesus said to pray instead of quitting. (Luke 18:1)
Prayer can bring peace to your storms. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Prayer can make the difference. (Acts 12:1-17)

God is not a genie in the bottle but he does love and desire to have a relationship with you. Prayer is the key to this relationship from a humble heart. God does not give you insight to your partner's faults by mistake, it's for kneeling in prayer for your partner. Nagging and complaining isn't getting you anywhere but through prayer you can wipe your hands clean as you watch God work his wondrous gifts in the relationship. Pray for your spouse to be loving, helpful, uplifting, happy, and fulfilled. Then pray for yourself. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you". (Matthew 7:7)

After working through the days lessons, I'm queenly reminded that there are various spiritual traditions on how or when to pray. Some use prayer in the form of dance, chanting, singing, affirmations, intentions, over meals, by physical gestures, keeping silent, in group settings, through meditation, or by using physical objects such as burning candles or making the sign of the cross. I believe each of you should look within and follow what you feel serves the highest good of others and yourself. We are all here on this earth experiencing different religions and could not possibly be raised or live through each experience. I honor each and every person reading this blog no matter your religion or color of skin. I truly feel within my soul that we are all beautiful beings from the higher divine experiencing a different set of views to learn from one another. In the following days of The Love Dare I ask that you fill in whatever higher being serves you.

David and I are always doing things for one another. After living with a person for so many years, you learn when they need help with something, if they are not feeling well, when they are in a loving mood, or in a bad mood. We look around the home for things that we can do to help each one another. David isn't a big cook and would eat a TV dinner every night if it was up to him however I like to eat healthy foods. Over the last few years he started helping me with the salad making and kitchen cleanup plus he has tried a few recipes on his own out of a book. I love to cook but don't always have time. With my husband's help it's more fun. We turn on music, talk about our day, and chop up ingredients for a salad, which we eat just about every night, and sometimes we have a glass of wine while we're cooking.

Each day I meditate and visualize and send intentions out into the universe. I always give prayer to others as I know the power of giving. It's through these efforts that our love has grown strong and other wonderful things have come into our lives. But I have given my power to the higher divine. I use to get so frustrated with others but through the power of prayer and intention it feels nourishing for my soul to let go of these frustrations and know without a doubt that there is a purpose for all that is. And all that will be.

Love and Infinite Light,
Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love Fights Fair Love Takes Action

2010-02-11T01:49:00Z

Day 13 Dare: Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement. If your mate is not ready for this, then write out your own personal rules to "fight" by. Resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.
Day 14 Dare: Purposely neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse. Do something he or she would love to do or a project they'd really like to work on. Just be together.

The book, The Love Dare, tells us that conflict is inevitable between a couple regardless if we enjoy it. Each person comes into a relationship with unpleasant baggage that isn't unpacked over night. Rather, the contents of this baggage is discovered over a period of time as we pull out different pieces day by day. When a couple unveils the sinful and selfish contents of this baggage the prize that we once were in their eyes seems to diminish. Welcome to humanity 101!

Arguments begin to spark over work, health, in-laws, financial needs, taking care of children, or the upkeep of the home. Piece by piece these arguments break down the strong connection you once had as a unified couple. We all go through it, however not all couples can weather through the bumpy roads that the baggage unveils. Words are thrown at us like vicious venom which leads a person to put up the barrier of pride. We become judgmental towards the other person that leads to more vicious venom until it's like a tornado stirring around with no means to an end. Love is what helps us to calm down the stirring within and in turn become more trusting towards the other person. In the book we are guided to write out a set of boundaries for dealing with conflict. "We" boundaries and "Me" boundaries.
There are examples listed on page 62 and 63 of The Love Dare.

The Love Dare tells us that our journey through the Love Dare is to learn not to follow our heart. Rather we should lead it and put our feelings and emotions in the back seat. Couples will not always feel like being loving. "Love that chooses to love is just as powerful as love that feels like loving." When we are set in our singular unit of being we stand in the power of disapprovement towards another. We give power to the bickering and petty things in life instead of leading our heart to the delightment of our partner. Give desire to your partner by listening to their conversation, seeking their companionship, and remembering why you fell in love with that person's personality.

Take time today to laugh, flirt, kiss, or hug your partner. Give them deep abiding love without any restrictions or judgment. You are the only one that can take responsibility in relearning to love your partner for better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health.

The "we" boundaries in our relationship:

We will never go to bed without saying "I Love You".
We will not go to bed angry.
We will not bring up old things from the past.
We will leave the room before a conflict escalates.
We will do whatever it takes to resolve an issue in our relationship.

The "me" boundaries in our relationship:

I will listen to what the other person has to say without jumping to conclusions.
I will respect the other person if they feel they need to leave the room.
I will give the other person space and time for reflection.
I will support the other person if they are having a bad day. If we are both having a bad day, we resolve to give each other a foot massage.

Love and Light,
Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love Cherishes Love Lets the Other Win

2010-02-10T01:01:00Z

Day 11 Dare: What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Can you run an errand? Give a back rub or foot massage? Is there housework you could help with? Choose a gesture that says, "I Cherish You" and do it with a smile.
Day 12 Dare: Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse. Tell them you are putting their preference first.

The book, The Love Dare, starts off by telling us a story about a man having trouble with his car. After finding out that the cost for repair is too expensive for the age of the car, he gets rid of the car to spend his funds on a new model. Another man crushes his hand while working with equipment. The hospital finds through x-rays that all of his bones are broken. Although, he has to use up all of his savings, he willingly pays to reconstruct his hand back to normal. Both stories are reasonable however our culture treats marriage like the first man with the trade off for a new model. When you truly understand the deep bond that you have with your partner you realize that it's like the second man that uses his life savings to repair what is broken.

As we enter marriage with a partner we begin meshing all of our worldly goods together, even taking on the same last name. Our identities are no longer as one individual but rather a unity joined as one. As time passes, the unity seems to spread apart and leaves us feeling disappointed in the other partner. "Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it." Ephesian 5:28-29

In the book, the author talks about the flip side to this verse. "When you mistreat your mate, you are also mistreating yourself. Your spouse cannot experience joy or pain, blessing or cursing, without it also affecting you." This statement is very true and I know I've felt this, have you? This reminds me of The Shadow Effect by Debbie Ford. We project ourselves onto others without realizing it. It's when you can take a step back to view your own story or actions and how it affects everyone else around you. If you want to live in a happy marriage, then be happy with your partner, it will eventually reflect back to you.

Make a list of things that you and your partner disagree on. You may even make a long list within a few minutes. While you could continue to live in the moment of acting out your disagreements every day, this would not resolve any of your issues. Someone has to give in at some point in order to see any changes in a relationship. Lift the barriers of stubbornness to find willingness knocking at your door. A willingness to pull up the parking break brings cooperation into your conversations. The book gives this example, "It's like a palm tree by the ocean that endures the greatest winds because it knows how to gracefully bend."

Pride and discomfort will be your two new best friends and if you want to have a loving, lasting relationship with your partner, you will love your new best friends. You may think that by giving in others will view you as foolish, loosing a fight, or loosing control of your partner but the fact that the argument is more important than your marriage is foolishness. This doesn't mean your partner is always right but when you give them the consideration of their views then you are giving them value. "Instead of treating your partner like an enemy or someone to be guarded against, start by treating them as your closest, most honored friend."

David and I have learned how to keep pride and discomfort in our back pocket. We visit them just about every week and sometimes on a daily basis. It's not easy giving in to something when you honestly feel you are right but when you step into the other persons reflection you see things in a different perspective. This was hard for me in the beginning days of our relationship. I had come out of a bitter divorce, raising two children, and trying to create a life on my own. Now here was another person I had to let into my life and give space too. It wasn't until I saw how David was always there to support me in whatever decision was made that I realized that he was giving in more than I was. I truly appreciate Pride and Discomfort for teaching me how to listen to his view point. We are usually saying the same thing but in a misunderstanding way. It's when you step into your partners light and take on what they are seeing that you truly appreciate their story.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love Makes Good Impressions Love is Unconditional

2010-02-09T03:19:00Z

Day 9 Dare: Greet your spouse with a smile and enthusiasm. Reflect your love for them in a greeting. How do you greet your partner each day?
Day 10 Dare: Do something out of the ordinary that proves that your love is based on your choice. Wash the car, clean the kitchen, buy/make dessert, or fold laundry. Demonstrate your love out of sheer joy and being their partner.

Learning to demonstrate patience, kindness, and encouragement is not always an easy task when we are bombarded with outside influences. Upon entering the door from a long day we may want to just let out everything out that has built up through out the day. Our partners are typically the ones that get the brunt of all the energy that has built up throughout the day.

The book, The Love Dare, tells us that you can tell a lot about the state of a couple by the way they greet each other, how they speak to each other, and the physical contact between them. In the Bible, apostle Paul took time to encourage his readers to greet one another. He also asked the Romans to greet seventy-seven of his friends and loved ones while also listing them by name. Jesus noted how the Pagans greeted others kindly and being godly includes being humble enough to acknowledge your enemies with kindness. How do you greet others that you know? How do you greet others in public?

Your energy speaks clearly through your voice, body language, and actions. When someone greets you in a kindly manner you feel valued and important. How your greet society sets the tone for the next actions. Are they positive and healthy? Or are they negative and unhealthy? Love sets the sails into the wind. What kind of love energy are you sending into the world? Choose love and your choices will be clear and concise unto the world.

Why do you love your wife or husband? What would you say if someone asked you this question? Can you remember what you would have said years ago? How has your response changed over the years? If the reason you love your partner is because of their qualities that have diminished over the years then your basis for love is over. The only way you can love your partner is through unconditional love. "Love can only be determined by the one choosing to love."

The book, The Love Dare, goes into more detail about how the Bible refers to love by using the Greek word, agape. There are two types of love; phileo (friendship), and eros (sexual love). Both are important in a marriage but if one is built and rests on the foundation of one type of love then the relationship is unstable. "If a man says to his wife, I have fallen out of love with you, he is actually saying, I never loved you unconditionally to begin with." When you allow God to grow his love within you then love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. (I Corinthians 13:7) Say I love you period instead of saying I love you because.......

David and I had a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant on day 7 and 8. He wanted to take me to a sports bar but I asked if we could go to another place that was more romantic. We had a great time even if we had to run through the torrential rain. We spent most of our weekend getting the files organized for both of our business's. I realized how different we are in our way of thinking. During a session of teaching him how to do some things in Quickbooks, he got frustrated with me because he didn't understand how I was explaining a task to him while I was getting frustrated because I was repeating myself about how to accomplish what he was trying to do. In the end we had a great laugh as I acted out how he needed each thing departmentalized and broken down into little boxes, which explains his high metal energy. I can visualize something, look at the end result, and build upon the departments as I go along, which explains my high fire and wood energy aspects. David needs hard facts about something while I jump in head first and worry about the facts later. You can see where we have differences of opinions on occasions however we always mesh well together through it all. We are each others yin and yang.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love Believes the Best Love is Not Jealous

2010-02-05T01:30:00Z

Day 7 Dare: Get two sheets of paper. Write positive things about your partner on sheet one and negative things on sheet two. Point out one positive attribute from the positive list and thank your partner for having this characteristic. Put the sheets away.
Day 8 Dare: Determine to be your partners biggest fan and reject any thoughts of jealousy. Take Day 7's list of negative things and burn it. Tell your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.

Being a visual person, I love Day 7's depiction of two different rooms that we store in our heart. In the Appreciation Room we store feelings that are positive and encouraging about our partner. We visit this room periodically, however at the beginning stages of a relationship you visited this room all the time. Within this room, the walls are filled with kind words and phrases describing all the good things about your partner. This could be words such as; honest, intelligent, diligent worker, wonderful cook, beautiful eyes, etc. These words are discoveries that you found and picked up along the way during your time together. Possibly, you have lost touch with this room but it IS there! Sit quietly away from everyone else, close your eyes, and dig deep into the depths of your heart. Think about all the wonderful positive attributes your partner possesses. With practice, you will be able to see the light in the Appreciation room. If this room seems like it's down a long dark corridor that's because you have been visiting another room far too long!

In the Depreciation Room, the walls might be filled with words that are negative, hurtful, unpleasant, and downright ugly. Things that are irritating or bothersome to you are stored in this room. This is the room that you visit when you look for the weaknesses, failures, bad habits, or hurtful words. You store your ammunition here for the next big argument. Statements are rehearsed and put away in this room as a way to build up your plot to win that next big argument. If you've been thinking about divorce, this is where you've stored the steps to make it happen. If your at this point, then this room is getting LOTS of attention from you. This room is filled with light while the Appreciation Room is looking a little dim. And you may say that the things you have stored here are true but so are the things stored in the Appreciation Room.

Take time today to write, "COVERED IN LOVE" on the walls of the Depreciation Room. When you start visiting the Appreciation Room the light will shine bright here once again. Have fun and sit a while in the Appreciation Room. Even if you think they don't deserve it, only you can make the decision to take up residence in this room. Make it a beautiful room once again, it was in the past, why not now?

Jealousy is one of the strongest feelings we have all felt. It's like a virus burning through your veins. "Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4
According to the book, The Love Dare, there are two forms of jealousy; legitimate and illegitimate. One is based upon love while the other is based upon envy. When you see your partner with another you spark legitimate jealousy because you are longing to have back what you no longer have. In the book, The Love Dare, it discusses how the Bible describes God as being righteously jealous for humans. Not that he wants what we have but he longs for us, he desires for us to keep him as our first love. "The lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24

Selfishness is rooted in illegitimate jealousy when we are moved by envy. Are you jealous of your neighbors, co-workers, a family member, or maybe your partner? This causes time spent on hatred towards this person and bitterness that blocks you from your own success. It's human nature to want others to succeed but only if their success is not more than your own. This can be painful if you are a very selfish person. "Instead of congratulating them, you fume in anger and think ill of them." Jealousy can consume every living cell within your body if you don't learn how diffuse the anger and in turn learn how to love others. When you radiate from love you are appreciative and thankful for all that surrounds you, even if another seems to have more than you. But having more does not make them better than you because anything good that surrounds you is a catalyst for more to enter into your life. Love is not selfish and refuses to let jealousy in through the door. A partner that is more successful should be celebrated and applauded for working hard and giving so much to the world through their efforts. Remember, behind every successful person is another successful person, they did not become successful without those around them!!

Our Love Dare:
David's list of the Appreciation Room:
Kandi is my soul mate. She is beautiful, smart, funny, patient, and compassionate.
She is a loving wife, mother, daughter, and sister.
She has great passion and dedication.
*I love her holistic approach to life.* The number one positive attribute.
I enjoy waking up and find myself lucky to spend a new day with her.

Kandi's list of the Appreciation Room:
David is loving, smart, funny, positive, adorable, patient, and gentle.
He is friendly, a team motivator, conscientious, detail oriented, and focused.
*He cares deeply about humanity and the future of others.* The number one positive attribute.
He is passionate, happy, inspiring, and I'm impressed by all that he does.
He is verbally astute, and a great engineer.
I feel truly blessed to have him in my life each day!

Our Depreciation list for each other only had two items. We did not share them with each other because we are going to burn them tomorrow night after our HOT date! Yes, he asked me out on a date. I'm so excited and will let it be a surprise. So there will not be a blog tomorrow night. I will be busy with my soul mate!

When David and I read our lists to each other we are finding consistencies in what we love about one another. We also know what we need to work on and understand that it does not happen over night. Fortunately, we have been making changes over the last few years by really listening to one another. This all came about after an event with family members that happened about four years ago. Blame cannot be placed on one person because we all had lessons to learn. It's funny because one of my friends posted this on Facebook today: Sometimes in life its better not to get involved in others affairs... In the end....Remember you end up being the bad one. This had a lot to do with the event that almost broke up our marriage but in the end David and I are stronger. I humbly thank those that plotted against us because it made our marriage grow!

Would you like to try The Love Dare? We are not an affiliate with this book but you can get it here.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love is Not Rude or Irritable

2010-02-03T23:05:00Z

Day 5 Dare: Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him/her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them or justifying your behavior. This is from their perspective only.
Day 6 Dare: Choose today to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list of the areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life.

Many couples are rude to one another by making sly remarks or act in a way that is embarrassing or irritating. The person acting in a way that is embarrassing or giving rude comments may think that it's insignificant however the person on the receiving end feels uncomfortable or belittled. When we are driven by love for another we intentionally act or talk in ways that are pleasant for our partner. We avoid the things that are irritating or frustrating to the other person.

While at home, partners typically act different than they would in front of strangers. Why do you think reality shows are such a big hit? Because most people can relate to the real life of these shows. In the book, The Love Dare, an example is given of a person who is barking or pouting around the house, but when the door bell chimes, they open the door smiling, upbeat, and act as if nothing is going on. The Love Dare tells us that if you dare to love then you will always give your best to others. Love motivates us to make changes in our behavior or otherwise suffer through a relationship. Why? Because we are not truly striving to be the best we can for another but also for ourselves. When we walk in the path of love, we are truly inspired and open to all that is.

The Love Dare gives two main reasons why people are rude; ignorance and selfishness. We are born ignorant of how to eat and need help and training on learning how do things. We may know that we are being ignorant or selfish as adults, but we tend to be blind and break all the rules at others expense.

Questions to ask yourself from The Love Dare page 22:

How does your spouse feel about the way you speak and act around them?
How does your behavior affect your partners sense of worth and self-esteem?
Would your partner say you're a blessing, or that you're condescending and embarrassing?

Three guiding principles when it comes to practicing etiquette with your partner page 23:

"Treat your mate the same way you want to be treated." Luke 6:31
Be as considerate to your spouse as you are to strangers and coworkers.
Consider what your partner already asked you to do or not do. If in doubt, then ask.

Some couples look for the opportunity to get upset with their partner. They will be quick to take full advantage of expressing how hurt or frustrated they are. This is the opposite of love. (HUH? I thought we were to speak our truth? But I love my husband.) Then I read this in the book, "To be irritable means, to be near the point of a knife." Ok, I get that this is not a comfortable feeling but if we don't speak our truth aren't we just bottling everything up inside. Then I read about pressure.......

Love doesn't turn sour under pressure and yield a major reaction from a minor problem. (This make sense.) "Love doesn't get angry or hurt unless there is a legitimate and just reason in the sight of God." quoted from the book. This quote kinda bothers me. When does God point out or exclude something that is legitimate or within reason? To me, God has no judgment and looks at us all with divine eyes of wisdom as a whole unit. So if someone is hurt because they are robbed, is this within reason of God for the person that is robbed to be angry or hurt? Then I realize that I'm reading between the lines as most women do. Let's move on.....

There are 2 key reasons that cause someone to be irritable; stress and selfishness. Stress weighs your down like a brick, with nowhere to go. You feel weakened and cranky so you take it out on others. Selfishness can either bring on a sour response or a sweet response, when the pressure is on. When we are easily angered this indicates that there is a hidden area of selfishness or insecurity where love is supposed to rule. The Love Dare tells us that selfishness has other masks such as; lust, bitterness, greed, and pride. However, through love you can forgive instead of holding a grudge. (The person that was robbed would then not hold a grudge through love?) Love calms the heart and appreciates what you have and be content rather than rushing into the next filler that serves you only for small amount of time.

Our Love Dare:
David's 3 things about Kandi that are uncomfortable or irritating for day 5:
Scolding or feeling like a child about something he should have done.
Mixed signals or expected to read Kandi's mind.
Balancing time and letting go of what is currently on your plate even if you don't have the ability.

David's list of areas to add margin to schedule:
Take time to prioritize schedule
Listen and understand Kandi
Take time to have fun with Kandi
Show more affection

Kandi's 3 things about David that are uncomfortable or irritating for day 5:
Watching TV or a movie while I'm doing laundry, cooking, or other family responsibilities.
Not dealing with issues at hand, instead acting as if it will go away.
Balancing time for personal responsibilities that would help me so we can have more fun time.

Kandi's list of areas to add margin to schedule:
Scheduling my time more proficiently and letting others help.
Letting things go that are no longer serving me in my business or personal life.
Being more affectionate with David.

David was first to tell me the three things that were uncomfortable or irritating. At first I felt on edge but I truly listened with an open heart, we both did. It was really great to listen and talk without letting it build up to the boiling point of a volcano erupting without notice. During these lessons, I realize that things flow smoother for us because of the work that we've been doing over the years. Plus David is an open minded person with a beautiful heart. At first, I was reluctant to post about such personal testimonies but you know we are all learning and experiencing issues through life. It's when we can be humble to "what is" that we are open to the great expanse of life and love.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love is Not Selfish Love is Thoughtful

2010-02-03T01:15:00Z

Day 3 Dare: Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your significant other something that says, "I was thinking of you today."
Day 4 Dare: Contact your significant other sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.

Our appearances, feelings, and personal desires have been taught by our culture to be the top priority in our lives, a world enamored with "self". However, when bringing another into our lives through a committed relationship can be dangerous when living by the desires of our culture. Selfish actions are seen in children and adults by the way others are mistreated. When you point this out to another you are really pointing it out in yourself. Without pointing that finger around to self you are only being hypocritical about your partners selfish acts. We accept the low standards of ourselves but expect high expectations of another. We are all selfish!

When we put our own interests, desires, and priorities in front of our partners then we are being selfish. Even when we do something nice that in the end gives you bragging rights or manipulates your partner, this is being selfish. "The bottom line is that you either make decisions out of love for others or love for yourself." When you say no to what you want and yes to your partner you act from love. You can still experience happiness through the happiness of your partner because love leads to inner joy. A partner will truly know when you are acting from love instead of selfishness. You will then loose yourself to the greater purpose of the partnership. But if it is hard for you to sacrifice your own desires then there is a deeper problem with selfishness that only you can admit.

Questions to ask yourself on page 13 from the book, The Love Dare:

Do I truly want what's best for my partner?
Do I want them to feel loved by me?
Do they believe I have their best interests in mind?
Do they see me as looking out for myself first?

The book tells us that we have a reputation in the eyes of others but especially our partner. Is this a loving reputation?
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" Philippians 2:3

Loving thoughts become actions like the emotional waves that run through us when thinking of our partner. Remember when you first met your partner and fell in love, all the thoughts and well planned out visuals that ran through your thoughts. You rehearsed what to say, what you would wear, how you would speak, where you would go, or how you wanted to spend the rest of your life with that person. You found yourself telling this person that you could not stop thinking about them.

But this typically changes after winning the man or woman. At this point, we feel that we have done what is needed and can carry on with our lives as we had before entering into partnership with this person. We can have the same wants, desires, and priorities in life. However, you have added another person into the mix of your future and when you start ignoring the wants, desires, and priorities of this other person your universe begins to change. You find yourself not only remembering things for yourself but also for another such as, anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and events that include both of you. When you begin leaving this person out of the mix things start to stir the pot, so to speak. When you bring thoughtfulness into the picture of your partnership you are presented with great opportunities of demonstrating your love for the other person, an extension of yourself.

Men struggle with thoughtfulness while women struggle with reading between the lines with hints. A man can give full attention to one thing and forget about the rest of the world while a woman is multi-conscious giving attention to many different things at one time. Women think about how something will affect everyone else in the picture as a whole while the man is point blank on one thing. This is not to say that men are selfish, it's just how they are wired to focus attention on one thing and be good at it. "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him" Genesis 2:18

Men think in terms of, "this is how it is" while women can read into something and make more out of the story. Women hint about what they want while men just say what they want. This is what leads into misunderstandings in relationships. And when a couple doesn't understand this about each other things can really get out of hand and spark into flames. A man get's frustrated about all the riddles while the woman wonders why a man is so inconsiderate.

Love requires thoughtfulness from both sides to build a bridge of patience, kindness, and selflessness. With love you learn how to meet in the middle with respect and appreciation for the others unique thoughts. "A husband should listen to his wife and learn to be considerate of her unspoken messages. A wife should learn to communicate truthfully and not say one thing while meaning another." Engage your mind before engaging your lips.

Questions from the book page 18, The Love Dare:

When was the last time you spent a few minutes thinking about how you could better understand and demonstrate love to your spouse?
What immediate need can you meet?
What's the next event you could be preparing for? Anniversary, birthday, holiday?

David had to leave early this morning so I had to read the book and leave him a message about what the love dares were for the day. I left late morning and did not arrive back until after 6:00pm however upon leaving a clients office I saw two voice mails from him. He told me how much he loved me and that he had a surprise for me. I called him back since I had a 45 minute drive to say that I loved him and asked if there was anything I could bring home or get for him. Deep down I felt a little upset with him because the night before he had promised to help me with something the next morning so I could leave earlier for a clients office. Well, needless to say, this morning upon waking he said he forgot that he had to leave early and left me to take care of what I was hoping he would help me with. I was an hour late getting to a clients office and all the while in the morning I was really trying to stay positive about it but felt he had been selfish by not being honest with me the night before.

On my way home I picked up a truck and car magazine because I knew how much he enjoyed reading them. This was my way of saying I was thinking of him. He was very happy with his gift and looked through one of them over dinner. David's gift to me was a DVD rental from the library, Beginners Latin Dancing. I knew he had been listening to me as I've been talking about learning couple's Latin Dancing. (Hint, hint, read between the lines.) Later this evening we did discuss the morning plan changes and how I felt he should have been upfront instead of making a promise he knew he couldn't keep. This also presented an opportunity for me to understand that he truly did not understand how he could help me because I was not clear on my intentions and wanted him to read between the lines. At first he did not want to discuss what had happened that morning, which is a typical thing he tends to go on with things as if nothing has happened, all is well and good. This is the linear side of a man kicking in, it's done it's over with let's move on, when in a woman's mind, we want to talk about it and then we can move on.

Well enough personal stuff for now, David's not too keen on me being open about our love dares through the blog but everyone goes through it. It's when you can meet in the middle and move forward in live with your love. And we do this, everyday!

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

The Love Dare - Love is Patient and Kind

2010-02-02T00:35:00Z

Today my husband and I are starting, The Love Dare, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough. This book is based off the move, Fireproof. The back cover reads:
"Unconditional Love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn't have to stay that way. The Love Dare is a 40 day challenge for husbands and wifes to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. It's time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage. Take the Dare!"

The first page reads:
"Receive this as a warning. This forty day journey cannot be taken lightly. It is a challenging and often difficult process, but an incredibly fulfilling one. To take this dare requires a resolute mind and a steadfast determination. It is not meant to be sampled or briefly tested, and those who quit early will forfeit the greatest benefits. If you will commit to a day at a time for forty days, the results could change your life and your marriage. Consider it a dare, from others who have done it before you."

Ok so now I'm a little on edge about trying this. What will happen? Will we make it through the dares? Will we quit early? Well I'm willing to give it a shot. Hey I got married in the first place, oh yeah, I've been married before so this should really be interesting. When you think about it, you marry someone and sign a contract that you really don't give much thought to at the time. However, three years into the marriage and some might question why they did it in the first place. Take me for instance, my first marriage began at the age of 15 and pregnant. I had NO CLUE what I was getting myself into and I signed up for it without questioning my intentions so why would this be any different? We never really know where the road in life will lead us but if we give up when we question it then we are really missing out on growing in life. So, here goes............

This morning David and I talked about the dares for day one and two. We are doubling up on the days because we want to renew our marriage vows in Feb instead of in March. Well, this is the plan so far and if you know me well, this plan could change without notice.
Day one dare: "Resolve to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It's better to hold your tongue than to say something you'll regret."
Day two dare: "Do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness."
After reading this to David he says, "Oh this should be real easy for you" in a sarcastic tone. I said, "Hmm, well now I have one up on you buddy." And we laughed.
One thing that we tend to do is let our frustrations out on each other when things happen throughout the day. We tend to use each other as therapists, I guess you could say. However, it's always tough to hear what the other has to say when deep down we know it's the truth.

Day one talks about being patient and how love is built on pillars of patience and kindness. All other characteristics of love are extensions of these two attributes. Patience is the attribute that helps us to be positive in a negative situation. We resolve to slow down the quick response of anger instead of being restless and demanding. When there is a storm whirling around we look within for the internal calm instead of the external storm. Anger never makes anything better, in fact it makes things worse and amplifies other storms within a marriage. Resentment, disappointment, or grief is usually the culprit for anger building up from selfishness, foolishness, or evil motives. Patience always prevails over anger and is the wiser. Patience gives you the ability to hold during tough times rather than bailing out under pressure.
"Few of us do patience well, and none of us do it naturally."

Day two talks about kindness as an action. Patience is how love reacts but kindness is how love acts. Patience avoids problems while kindness creates blessing. In the book there is a paragraph regarding each of these words: Gentleness, Helpfulness, Willingness, and Initiative. Each paragraph talks about the needs for each person much like a see saw affect giving and receiving unto each other but on a balanced scale.

Here are a couple of questions that are presented to the reader:
How would your husband or wife describe you on the kindness meter? How harsh are you? How gentle and helpful? Do you wait to be asked, or do you take the initiative to help?

"It is difficult to demonstrate love when you feel little to no motivation. But love in it's truest sense is not based on feelings. Rather, love determines to show thoughtful actions even when there seems to be no reward. You will never learn to love until you learn to demonstrate kindness."

Tonight I came home to David cooking dinner. He does not like to cook but these past few months he has taken the initiative to try recipes out of a book. This was his act of kindness and mine will be giving him a massage with aromatherapy oils. We are going to watch the move, Fireproof, tonight to see how it relates to the book. Below you can find the trailer for the movie.
Keep us in your prayers and intentions.

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day 21 of 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Possibility

2010-01-28T23:54:00Z

Day 21 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse and we're in the light of possibility. Yippee! It's on this day that the divine is inspired by our courage and strength to integrate and carry on the seeds of hope, health, happiness, and prosperity. We are like a fertile seed enveloped with rich soul food that provides us with healing balm to sprout into the world with a loving heart. By pushing through the process of cleansing we let go, open up, and take in what is rightfully ours. The divine has provided this rich soul food to plant the seeds of our greatest desires into the world. Moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, we are presented with the change of "possibility".

It's on this day that we step back into the world but only allowing what nourishes our soul and nurtures our consciousness. Debbie Ford suggests that we not rush or feel that we must stay in the holy process but to pay attention to the inner divine resource available at any given time. Our internal flame is our highest priority and it's now that we learn to say, "No, thank you" to others when our inner compass points to our highest good. Each moment we have an option to fuel our inner flame or diminish it by not paying attention to the divine compass within. One of Debbie Ford's favorite spiritual teachers, Alice Bandy, had this to say, "Every time you say yes when you mean no, you are training yourself to deny your soul's truth and to ignore your inner knowing." When living a life of yes to everyone and everything that is presented to you while really wanting to say no, you shut off your inner guide, the beacon of light.

Debbie Ford relates instincts and intuition to a GPS system. The GPS tells you when you have made a wrong turn and will keep directing you until you make it to your destination. However, with a GPS system we can input our final destination and we follow it because we know without a doubt that we will get there. When we take our own route without listening to the inner GPS (God's Positioning System) we take wrong turns and, while we will eventually end up on the correct route, it takes much longer to get there. You know when the GPS is telling you to go left when you've gone right, by the tightening in the stomach or you feel unhappy about the turn you made. We have all taken wrong turns but it's with possibility that we can make a "u turn" to get back on track.

Opening our life up to possibility also presents change. You may find yourself moving to a different city, downsizing, moving back home with parents, going back to school, getting a divorce, telling someone sorry, or cutting back on spending. Possibility gives you the power to say no or yes to each new opportunity that crosses your GPS pathway. This is where SHIFT HAPPENS! When reconnecting to your inner GPS you can travel through the SHIFT with a sense of possibility. You feel nurtured and inspired by the road that your traveling because you know deep within the depths of your soul that the divine is guiding you. You can now bask in the sunlight with an infinite source of love, joy, and hope for humanity. Your a beautiful flower budding up towards the sunlight, just remember to keep your beautiful flower watered and cared for to grow into the future of possibility.

The representation of the flower is dear to my heart. The flower within the logo of Awaken Your Space is from a seed that my GPS was receiving. I have an accounting background and left this field to enter into the new age, holistic, self help, and sustainable fields. Although, I feel blessed and know without a doubt that I was meant to walk my path through the accounting field, some did not understand why I made such a big career change in my life. Although, still today I use my accounting background to help clients with their own organizing systems. There were friends and family that slowly melted away from my life but this was because they did not understand. I didn't let this hinder or hold me back from the beacon that was lighting my journey through life. I have met amazing people along my journey and the friends and family that melted away eventually came back into my life. I guess they realized that I was driving along on this journey with or without them.

I will say that this change did not happen overnight but rather over a period of years. In the 90's I was reading and taking courses (unknown to others) in the new age, holistic, and self help arena. I wanted to learn about other religions, how others lived, and what motivated others to live their passion. I guess what I'm trying to share with you is to take a step towards the stirring within your soul. If you feel a need to change something in your life then use each day as a stepping stone to walk towards your passion. You will gather information along your journey but also feel comfortable in saying, "No, thank you" to something that does not serve you. Throughout my time of learning different programs, I walk away with little pieces that feeds my soul for the highest good. Each day I thank the divine for all that I have in my life and to guide me along a path that's for the highest good. I always know when I've steered the wheel along another road because stuff comes up in my life.

Cleansing Ritual
Debbie tells us that this is the time to let go of old relationships, old patterns, and things from the past that are hanging around like piles of dirty laundry. Get rid of it now! She tells us to commit ten minutes each morning, afternoon, and evening going inside and checking in with our personal GPS. Make notes each day of what comes up, how you have steered off the road, and what you can do to get back on track. Don't beat yourself up if you've taken a wrong turn, commit to taking the next u turn back to the life that will bring you happiness. You will know when your not on track but your beacon of light will grow stronger each day as you commit time with inner nourishing soul work.

My intention: To live a life with purpose by inspiring others and making a difference for humanity. My writings touch others in acknowledging that they can "be' what they want through intention, nature, and all the knowledge that surrounds us. My travels help me see through the eyes of the divine and feel compassion through the vibrating heart of one. I'm learning to take care of self and treat my body as a vessel of the divine. I attract all of the ideas, resources, people, and finances that are needed to create the life of my dreams. The divine works through me as a vessel to touch other souls.

Love Potion for Day 21
1 cup of rice milk
1 cup of cantaloupe
1 teaspoon of agave

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Twenty 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Compassion

2010-01-27T20:30:00Z

Day 20 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse brings us into the light of compassion. I really had to know compassion on day 20 to deal with it! I initially made my notes during the call and wrote the blog however my computer did some funky thing and just like dust flying away in the air, I lost everything. If something like this happened in the past, I would have been really upset and took it out on myself and those around me. You know those times that you just hate the world when your faced with something that is irritating. Through the years I have learned to be more compassionate with others but more importantly with myself. In order to "be" or feel anything you have to look within yourself and then, I mean only then, can you truly "be" or feel this way with others. I'm not going to replay the recorded call and take notes because I feel the divine is working through me to just "be". Be myself through my own inner guidance while reading the book and writing about what I perceive from the book. We all walk in the light of the divine with our own message that may be a little different from another. It's with compassion that we can look through our own eyes with the guidance of God that we can experience what others see or feel.

Debbie Ford tells us in her book, 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse, that we open our hearts to God when we are grounded in love, care, and kindness through the commitment of living a devotional life. When we walk with God's heart we walk with an inner compass, while no longer seeing our own hurts or judgments that determine how we feel. We are influenced by the divine and know deep within that we are here to learn, grow, and evolve. You can relate this to a metal detector which tells us when it's in line with something metal. When we walk alone, without the divine running through us as this conduit, we lack authenticity, honesty, and being real with self. When we walk in the light of the divine we also walk in the light of the collective of all people, all hearts.

Debbie gives an example of how we can only see what is around us, here and now. We cannot see how others live around the world because we cannot be everywhere at one time. We may not understand or practice every religion because we have not grown up around this religion. It is impossible for us to truly see or feel everything because we cannot experience it as a unit. We are a collective of all experiencing different feelings, religions, upbringing, and so on. Can we be a man, woman, infant, teen, or adult all at one time? No, because we are here to learn through each of these experiences through compassion of another. We are here to lift ourselves up and view self or another through divine eyes without the ego. One thing that Debbie Ford points out that really hits the point, at the age of three we don't say, I want to be a wife beater, a killer, a cynical person, or however you perceive yourself right now. We only see and feel things through our own wants, needs, likes, or dislikes that have been presented to us through history and how we were raised. That's it! We are limited in this human form but through the eyes of the divine we become compassionate to another.

"Compassion doesn't ask, "What can the world do for me?" but rather, "How can I serve the world?" quoted from the book, 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse. Do you think the divine is fearful when it views our life? No it is compassionate to each being, each soul, in each situation without judgment. In our humanly form, it's judgment that limits our perception due to protecting the self. When we step back from this perception of "poor little me" or "how can that person do that to me", instead viewing the entirety of the situation through divine eyes we activate a change in our awareness. We then rise up and come to understand compassion instead of taking it personally. God, or whatever higher divine serves you, has a bigger plan which we cannot see because we are limited.

This day reminds me of my lessons through "The Goal Acheiver", a complete system for setting and achieving any goal you choose, with Bob Proctor. Through these lessons you learn about the stick person concept. Bob Proctor opened my mind to the concept of the conscious and sub-conscious mind through the stick person. I will not go into great detail about this program however I wanted to share how each of our experiences throughout life build upon deeper meaning that molds us into who we become. I have found that experiences outside of my being build up the ego for protection, while inner soul experiences build my connection to the divine. The 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse has brought further insight to my inner core of how to look through divine eyes with compassion on every soul and learn different experiences through it all, as a collective. This feels so much more comforting than staying in the singular mind of protective ego.

Cleansing Rituals
Debbie Ford suggests writing down three pivotal events in your lifetime. What happened, when, and who was involved?
Take this event and break down the what happened, when and who through three sets of eyes. Your own, the eyes of others, and divine eyes.
This is when you realize that by looking through the eyes of the event through the eyes of the divine you become compassionate while judgment falls away. You experience liberation within your soul.

My intention: The divine lifts my soul into a higher realm of collective energy. It's through this collective energy that the divine helps me see with compassion.

Love Potion for Day 21
1 cup of water
1 tsp of chia seeds
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 banana

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Nineteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Purpose

2010-01-26T01:09:00Z

On day 19 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse our divine soul is ready to present our unique talent into the world. You have worked on the past, pondered on the present, now you have the opportunity to discover and deliver your unique contribution to the world. Each of us has a contribution to the world that will make a difference in others life's. Purpose is the next agent of change that we incorporate today by reconnecting to the Divine to bring forth our soul's purpose into the present moment.

Debbie Ford recommends that we not look into the past because we have been influenced by what we've done, what we've been told, and what our present circumstances dictate. Instead, she recommends that we look beyond our years here on earth, that we step into our soul's legacy in the future tense, while reading it in the present. A life can be lived without leaving something behind to contribute to the world. To think that our family or friends memory of us would diminish in a matter of years puts this concept into a different perspective. This really makes you think about the legacy that you leave behind and once you do think about this, who really cares about the past! You have the next moment, day, week, or year to REALLY make a difference in the world, to contribute your purpose that God gifted to you here on earth.

Upon reading this chapter in the book, I could see where someone would get a little overwhelmed. To imagine and think of yourself no longer here on earth could make someone sad. If there's ONE thing we all know, THE BODY WILL DIE! Debbie tells us to imagine our soul is serving God and the only way for the Divine to see or hear anything here on earth is through our legacy.

Our soul is a link to the divine which can only be seen through our eyes.
Our soul desires to fulfill it's purpose here on earth and keeps calling us through the changes in life.
Our soul loves to expand through the changes and share our ventures with others instead of feeling like we are bound by what has happened in the past.

Martin Luther King, Jr. left the legacy of addressing racial bondage in his lifetime while the janitor of a school left the legacy of keeping the bathrooms clean. Each of us have a divine purpose to serve unto this earth. It's when we are happy and know, without a doubt, that we are living our life with Divine purpose.

God has gifted us with such a simple word, PURPOSE, to live by however we have derailed from the train track. Debbie Ford has given us a beautiful scenario of going into the past to touch the piece of our soul that has derailed us from our life's purpose train. It's now at this moment that we realize that we have so much to offer to the world. We have a new day to wake up to tomorrow, just as the sun shines each morning with a new beginning. So instead of feeling like your life is a to-do list, make a conscious effort to go beyond in seeing what your life's legacy leaves behind in this lifetime. Debbie Ford states, "Heed the call of your soul. Your legacy is your soul's purpose and contribution. And your time to deliver is now."

Cleansing Ritual:

Make a list of what you want said about you five, twenty, and fifty years after you die.
Create a vision and plan for the legacy you want to leave behind.
See your vision right now in the present moment.
What is important to you?
What do you want others to say about you?

After reading the chapter and working through the cleansing ritual, I'm reminded about a lesson that was presented to me by a past bartering client, Jeannine Rizzo. Jeannine specializes in business growth, strategy, and performance results through her company, The Inside Edge, based out of Ft Lauderdale, FL. She left me with the profound experience of writing my own eulogy. It really made me think about how my past was truly a blessing and how I had so much more to offer to the world. At the time, I felt my Feng Shui services were not being welcomed in my area. One thing that Jeanine said to me still radiates within, "It's only your perception." After working with her and writing out my own eulogy I realized that I could go on worrying about how others perceive me or I could go out into the world and live my life with passion about what I felt was good within my soul. It's that soul driven purpose through the Divine that places you back on the train track of a purpose driven life. By the way, I read over that eulogy each year and love what I've done!

My intention: Live each day with purpose but with the divine light at the wheel.

Love Potion for Day 19
1 cup of water
1 cup of strawberries
1/2 medium bunch of grapes
1 handful of spinach leaves
1/2 lime - freshly squeezed

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Eighteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Transcendence

2010-01-24T17:40:00Z

Day 18 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse brings us into the Light of Transcendence. On this day we become devoted to increasing our feeling of worthiness by walking through the door into the enormity of what is possible in our life. We separate from the single mindedness of "I" to the expansive power of "we". By picturing yourself as one sitting all alone on the sidelines you are missing the bigger grander version of yourself. When you deny that you are in this bigger grander version you act out in ways that are not intended for your higher divine self. Stepping into the "we" brings you into a collective whole, an energy far greater than the arrogant ego of "I".

Each day your beacon of light grows brighter and stronger within your soul when you come to the realization that "I" did not achieve anything on your own. Your achievements were accomplished by the "we" as a collective, a power greater than "I". You touch other souls along your journey in life with your gifts, contributions, and achievements which transcends into the greater collective as "we". It's when you accept that your sense of worthiness transcends as an act of change to light up the world, as a collective. Give your credit to the higher power, bless those around you, and give thanks to God for working through you as an instrument in the collective beautiful music of life.

Being a humble servant and knowing that you are not acting alone brings the wisdom of light to you when you are at the top of the mountain or have fallen to the bottom. Debbie Ford tells us in her book, "If you wish to know in every cell of your being that you are never alone and to transcend all the noisy internal chatter that exists within your "I," all you have to do is drop inside and ask for grace, guidance, and ease - the three signs of God's will."

One question in today's Cleansing Ritual broadens the mind and helps you step beyond the limiting belief of "I".
"How would you act in the world if you knew you were actually a "we" and that you were not alone?"
I would feel supported knowing that other souls are right there riding the same waves of life. Through the collective, holding each others souls, we increase our vibrational energy to support all that is and all that shall be.

There are other soul inspiring questions to work through within the book. I love how Debbie Ford asks how many minutes a day you can go inside to connect and ask God how to serve as a greater whole, while ending the day with going over the signs that were presented to you such as; grace, guidance, and ease. My suggestion would be to write in a journal each day, which could be your Letters to God. Just as you would write a letter or send an email to another, write about the signs that are presented to you each day for 21 days and see what transcends within your life.

My intention: To breathe in the gifts of the divine and expand these gifts into the consciousness of the collective.

Love Potion for Day 18
1 cup of water
1 handful of parsley leaves
pinch of salt
1/2 lime - freshly squeezed

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Seventeen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Devotion

2010-01-23T15:35:00Z

Day 17 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse is about knowing that you and only you can step into the light of your divine journey. No-one can force you as it is your responsibility to step into your own choices and live according to God's will. Maybe you have someone that is constantly telling you what you must do, who must be, or wanting to tell your story but this is their soul's journey. It is your soul's journey to walk your own path with your own divine spirit. The higher divine is there whenever we are ready without judgment or pushing you into the light. You have a choice, right now, at this very moment of reading, to fulfill your highest potential or live in the confines of the ego. Your eyes are open when you have committed to expressing your soul's passion and letting the limitations of yesterday fall away.

To stay in the state of inspiration and be present to the light, you must invoke the agent of change called devotion. Devotion is when you focus your energies to your inner state instead of with the priorities of the outer driven life. With devotion you give up the control of the outer world and take control of your inner being. This is the time where you devote minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month to the stripping away what is no longer serving you for the highest good. You begin to bring in the light at a deeper level minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month shining bright like a lighthouse aiding you through navigation of darkness. You then become that lighthouse emitting light from within to all that is in the outer world.

Debbie Ford ensures us that daily devotion will walk us among the masters, singing the song of our soul, and bring love and light wherever we go. Debbie says, "I am certain because devotion to a power greater than yourself is the doorway out of the human mind and into the heart of God."

The Cleansing Ritual for today is to make a list of what you've been devoted to that no longer serves you. You are then asked to write about what new choices you can make that reflect your commitment to shining your own divine light.

I have been devoted to giving energy to past events, rolling them through my mind, feeling bad or sorry for things that I cannot change.
I have given light to the past and now walk in the path of feeling great about my divine soul that is filled with light.
I have been devoted to being available to my children whenever they ask, even if I have to drop everything.
I have been blessed to give life to my children so they may find their own light in the universe. I own my own divine light and walk in the path of my own urgency instead of their urgency in life.
I have been devoted to eating on the run at times and feeling bad after wards.
I have the power within to make healthy choices with food and exercise. I make a conscious effort to exercise each day and surround myself with resources that empower me to feed my soul with divine light and nutritious healthy choices.

My intention: I wake up each day devoted to choices that empower and enlighten my soul.

Love Potion for Day 17
1 cup of rice milk
1 tsp of coconut cream
1 tsp of agave

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Earth Wind & Fire - One of my favorite songs, Enjoy!

Day Sixteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of God's Will

2010-01-21T05:30:00Z

On Day 16 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse Debbie Ford says, "God has a plan for you; I can promise you that". She goes on to say that this does or doesn't mean you are special but that your life is sacred. Each of us are meant to walk a path that our soul longs to experience in this lifetime. Experiencing the glory of the Divine is meant to serve your soul in your own way and how you touch other souls along the path. Time is in your choosing and how you choose this time affects your soul and the souls of others. When thinking that you do not have anything to give in this lifetime is only the ego's voice in disguise. Listen to your divine soul instead of the ego's voice and you will aid others, as well as your own, evolution. You are here to serve for the greater good in the light of God's Will.

Notes from live call:
God’s will, our experiences, are transformed into lessons which unlock our unique gifts and inspire us to contribute them to the greater good. We start to view our life differently and instead of being the victim of everything that we label as bad we can shift that perspective and use the experience though it doesn’t have to use us. And so in any moment we may choose our will where we listen to the voice of our ego which will masquerade in many disguises to influence our choices or drive our actions and remain in control. But when we choose to open up to God’s will, that’s when we open our hearts and really rely on a power that’s greater than us. As Debbie says in the book, it’s a practice, it’s a connection, but we have to be willing to let go of that ego, our ego’s will. Sometimes in our conversations we separate ego’s will between God’s will. What would be possible if we really get that the divine is in us? Then God’s will is the win, win because it’s for our highest evolution when we, "Let Go and Let God". And so when we do that, when we start using God’s will, comes this agent of change we open up to more possibilities. The ego disguises it’s voice as the trusting friend.

Quoted from Debbie Ford's book:
"Are you going to trust the path that you've known, the path that has limited you in some way?
Or are you going to roll the dice and bet all your resources on a power greater than yourself, a source that literally has the power to change everything in your life?"
Debbie goes on to say that this is the turning point where you have to make a choice between the ego that has left you high and dry or surrender to the higher power of God's will. This is where you can raise your white flag of surrender into the arms of God.

The Cleansing Ritual for today asks you to make a list of the areas of your life where you don't have all that you desire or deserve. Ask this question upon looking at each item on your list, "Is this a desire of my ego's will, or is this God's will?"

There are additional questions to work through within the book but Debbie goes on to say that if you have chosen your ego's will, then there is nothing left to do, go on with your time and energy with business as usual. If it's God's will then this is the point where you choose to step into the divine light and open the door to your life's purpose. Once you have made this decision you write out a statement that reminds you of this moment for the rest of your life. Decide upon the amount of times you will repeat this statement each day. This is the time that you surround yourself with powerful statements that remind you that you are a beautiful divine soul with much to offer to others.

A few years ago I participated in a program by Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. This program was called, Key to Living the Law of Attraction, which was very profound for me. This was the program that moved me to physically practicing daily mantras, visualizations, prayer, intention, or whatever you call it. I have a Christian upbringing and have practiced Feng Shui, only because I felt there was more to Divine energy, but Jack's program helped me get clear on my life's mission statement. Each time I add to my knowledge through these learning programs I walk away with more information that feeds my soul. One thing that I have learned from the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse is that I have pushed out the divine light of God. Not that I did not pray or ask for God's guidance but I would always go back to hearing others in church judge everyone else while they had their own dark secrets to contend with. I felt that I could not rely on others within the church for guidance or support when they were not honest with their own divine spirit. Instead they judged others for their beliefs, color of skin, how they dressed, how they made their living, or who they knew to get ahead.

The benefit that I receive from allowing God's will to be my guide is knowing that I can be true to self. I know from deep within that I am connected to all no matter their believe, color of skin, how they dress, how they make a living, or who they know. I don't own their story and when I talk about someone else or judge them for their story I'm only giving energy to them that does not serve their soul or mine. But by being present to what messages are given to me through the divine and how I can serve, I'm vibrating at a much higher frequency of consciousness. We are all divine souls that are here to learn from each other, it may not always be a rainbow of beautiful light but honestly when you look at the darkness as light and asking how you can learn from another person or the experience, it's all so much more comforting.

Just the other day my daughter and I watched a movie by Tyler Perry, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, which was a depiction of how each of us are connected in this web of life but when we do it alone without the divine we truly are by ourselves. This movie showed how our past can affect our present and future life if we continue to shut out the darkness instead of finding beauty within it. God's Divine Light is always there whenever we are willing to give will to the soul instead of the ego. There are signs that are presented to us when we are willing and open to the divine light. It's quite magical once you take that step towards your soul's desire.

My intention: My heart is open to the divine light of God. I surrender and trust to God's Will for the highest good of all.

Love Potion for Day 16
1 cup of sparkling water
1 cup of blueberries
1 medium bunch of grapes
1/4 inch of ginger root - sliced

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Kandi's Vision Board created during the first Live Your Intention workshop.

Day Fifteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Light of Realization

2010-01-21T01:57:00Z

Day 15 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse and we are congratulated for making it to the most magical part of the process. To me this entire cleanse has been magical! We are in the third week of the cleanse which is dedicated to the Future. The holy momentum building within ourselves awaiting to open the doorway to consciousness. We continue to acknowledge and claim the gifts of our past while standing in the present to free up reserves for the creative energy of the future. WOO HOO! And it feels amazing!

Debbie Ford tells us that we have been stockpiling our dreams, desires, and future visions in a divine savings account. I'm absolutely fulfilled with these words of divine wisdom! Now is the time to have what is rightfully ours and take back the powers that we gave to the ghosts of the past and wake up to the blessings of the present and the sacred container of the future. We have pulled up the weeds of the past by speaking our truth and NOW is the time to reseed our sacred garden! By purifying the energy of the past we have removed the toxic residue that was blocking the communication to the natural pure state of divine consciousness.

Debbie Ford's favorite quote is, "God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called." The next seven days are meant for listening intently to the divine.

A Prayer For The Future (Quoted from page 186 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse)

Divine spirit, thank you for giving me the capacity for
wholeness
thank you for this very precious moment
a moment where I am present to all the goodness that exists
inside and outside of me
a moment that inspires thoughts of a greater future
a future where I can serve and be served
a future where I humbly and gracefully contribute my soul's
gifts to the world
I see it, I feel it, I acknowledge it right now
and so I know that it is.

Day 15 is about "The Light of Realization". Debbie Ford contributes Emmet Fox for teaching her, "The art of living is about making each moment as perfect as I can with the realization that I am an instrument and expression of the Divine herself." Debbie Ford relates states of consciousness to web sites on the internet with millions of sites in cyberspace. Each time you open the internet browser you open a homepage, this could be related to a state of consciousness. Upon viewing websites you may come across websites that you bookmark because you like them and want to remember where they are located. This can be related to different states of consciousness. If you visit a site that makes you feel bad you more than likely will not save this as a favorite because it lowers your level of consciousness. These type of sites present you with the feeling that you will never change nor does your life have any meaning or purpose.

By visiting sites that invoke kindness, happiness, peace of mind, contentment, gratitude, joy, or more you raise your consciousness. You can do this within your life each day by surrounding yourself with reminders of the divine soul that is within. This is why you must choose to live each day soaking in the light. You can raise your vibrational consciousness by bookmarking a website that lifts your energy but take this a step further by adding thoughts, books, prayers, or words of encouragement that surround you each day.

This is the point where I share with you what I surround myself with to raise my consciousness. However, the list would be rather long so I'm going to share a few things:

In my bedroom I have a bookshelf that holds inspiring books to lift my consciousness. I read all the books and sometimes read them multiple times as I always receive bits of different information each time. In my bedside table you will find my dream journal. Sometimes I will write in my journal in the darkness of the night when I draw pictures of things from my dreams and read them the next day. I have found synchronicity in my life after reading the dreams months later.

In my bathroom I have a small magnetic board where I can change the words. This is from the "You Can Heal Your Life Affirmation Kit" by Louise Hay. There is a picture that reads, "Be - You can Be anything you you choose to be, Right Now". I also have an angel that reads: "Thank you GOD for the Angels in my life". And of course my vision board that I created during my very first Live Your Intention workshop. Again, the synchronicity in life that has transpired after creating the vision board has been enlightening.

In the hallway there is a picture that reads, "You, Me, Then, Now, Always". In our kitchen I have inspiring words on trivets and a picture of my hubby and I with the words, Dynamic Duo printed on the frame.

In our living room there is a quote on the wall that reads, "Home is where your story begins". I put this up about five years ago when I was working to raise the vibrational energies of my family life. It has been very inspiring to think about the changes within our family.

In my office I have a calendar by Dr. Wayne Dyer which depicts inspiring uplifting words that I read each day. In front of me I have a card gifted to me by Shannon Burnett of Conscious Living Partnership that reads,
"Thank you for being
Who you are and
Doing what you do!
Who you are is wonderful!
What you do is important!"

There is also a card in front of me gifted by my daughter that reads, "Mom, no matter what I do today, or where the future takes me tomorrow, I promise to remember all the things you've taught me and how very much you love me. And in case I don't always say it, and sometimes I forget to show it, I wanted you to have this so you know I love you, too, Mom."
I place my water on a coaster that raises the vibrational energy of the water that I drink. (Ask me about a future class on how to make your own coaster.)

I could go on and on about the things that I surround myself with but this is what I do for others as well. I help my clients surround themselves with elements to raise their vibrational energy or consciousness. When I started this cleanse I was reluctant because I knew I would share many private thoughts and past events with everyone, especially with it being broadcast over the internet. I'm humble to all of you that go through or have gone through experiences in life that maybe you just don't want to share with others. I'm humble to you! I honor you for following me during this venture in my life and hope that this will inspire you to take that next step to empower your life with the gifts that you have to offer during this lifetime.

Love Potion for Day 15
1 cup of water
1 tomato
1/2 lemon freshly squeezed
Pinch of salt
1 piece of mint leaf

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Fourteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Power of Truth

2010-01-19T23:50:00Z

Day 14 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse is about the power of truth. What is truth? According to Debbie Ford truth is living in the light of a new day with an unimaginable and unpredictable future. Truth comes from your heart and the highest source, not your head or ego. Truth is when you are honest about your life as in this day. Debbie Ford goes on to say that you must be honest about the good, bad, what works or doesn't work. It's in this honesty that you can live for your highest good. When you lie about something you are trapping yourself to the past and basically scaring the soul. This leaves dark deep experiences that fills the head with bad experiences. It's when you are totally committed to standing in the light of truth that sets your soul free.

Debbie Ford tells us that we are confronted each day with old habits and patterns that are not necessarily true. Going about our daily routines of life that can be busy is when our old thought patterns can creep up on us unexpectedly. It can take months or years for an old habit or pattern to subside to a new level of consciousness.

There is a passage in Debbie's book that stands out for me. "Often you don't tell the truth, and don't even know you're telling the truth, because you have agreements with other people that cause you to sell your soul rather than honor the light within." What is sad about this passage are those that do live their entire lives in the unjust truth of others. No matter how much it hurts to see someone you love live this way you cannot own their story. Debbie states that laziness is the reason that so many slide back into old patterns. You may feel you can't do it alone, or you don't need help or support. Debbie leads us into a sacred contract with our highest self to break free from the lower self of the ego.

Cleansing Ritual by Debbie Ford

Make a list of the things that you are still denying such as an addictive behavior or where you are living in a smaller expression of your soul's truth.
Make a list of excuses, rationalizations, justifications, and stories about why you have not been able to change this area of your life.
Make an agreement for each area or pattern as it is now, such as, "I promise to never be more successful than my mother, or I promise to always maintain the lie that money is the root of all evil". Then ask write down what agreements that are keeping you stuck in the past and still showing up in the present.
Write "Null, Void, Canceled, Declined" at the top and sign your name to those written agreement.
Write out new agreements that bring success into your life. Sign this agreement.
Choose which agreement you want to live by and shred or rip the other agreement into little pieces. Take outside of the home and throw them away.
Smile, breathe deeply, and send yourself some extra loving! Then read the agreement every day for one month.

My intention: Speak the truth from deep within my soul.

Love Potion for Day 14
1 cup of water
1 piece of kale leaf
1 apple
1/2 lime - freshly squeezed

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com

Day Thirteen 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse - The Power of the Present

2010-01-19T23:44:00Z

Day 13 of the 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse is one of my favorites. It's about the power of being in the present and living in the moment. Years ago if you asked me about living in the present I would have given you a blank look. I didn't know how to live in the present but I also didn't have someone opening my mind up to doing so. I have many to thank for introducing me to meditation, yoga, and just being still in the moment.

Debbie Ford explains in her book, 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse, that NOW is all that exists. "There is no tomorrow or even a yesterday or a later today. Harnessing the power of the present means having your full awareness on the task at hand and merging with the moment." By experiencing this very moment in time you realize that it's unlike any other moment you'll experience. When your in the moment, you focus 100 percent in every detail such as; smell, touch, hear, feeling, and what you see. There are no thoughts of what you did yesterday, in the last hour, or what you will do in the next hour, it's this very moment that you take in all that surrounds you. I had a very dear friend, that has since passed on, give me a bumper sticker that reads, "Today is a Gift. That's why they call it the PRESENT." It's all glittery with an angel on the side. I use it as a bookmark and cherish this quote. It reminds me to truly cherish everything around me in the moment and thank the divine for the beautiful present that is provided to me at ANY time.

The grand thing about being in the power of the present is that you don't have to worry about something that happened in the past, no worries about time, or resisting something in your life. When you become present you are in a state of love.

Being an Aries, I'm a high strung person and get excited or drawn into others drama. However, over the years I have learned to let go and use the power of the present to help me get through times when my life felt upside down or when there was drama in the family. I can remember one Christmas sitting at a dining room table with a room filled with people talking while I listened to Holosync and meditated. I had nowhere else to just be present, since we were sleeping on a blow up mattress in the same room. I look forward to my daily "me time" of being in the present. Sometimes it's in the morning or in the evening but when I don't have this time I feel a little off balance. I have also learned techniques to ground myself while in an airport, waiting in line, or when there is a situation between other people in a public place. For instance, my son had to go to jail overnight and was brought out in cuffs. I had to use breathing techniques and the power of the present to get through the event. If I had not learned these practices I'm certain they would have taken me out on a stretcher. No kidding, when my daughter was about 7 she fell off the monkey bars during recess. She had to have stitches along her jawline but they ended up putting me on the table because I passed out when I saw the needle going in her face. As a parent we tend to own a child's pain but it's AMAZING when you can separate yourself and not own their pain. You can do this by learning to live in the present, your present, the one gift that is gifted to you by being here on earth.

One of my favorite spots is my front porch where we have a water feature with goldfish. (You can see it below.) I also love to work in the yard with the plants, I know your probably grunting at this, but I really love connecting to nature. I love listening to the birds, watching the butterflies, the lizards that sneak out to gobble up an ant, and yes, those annoying frogs that keep me awake when a storm has rolled through. (Check out my nature album on Facebook.)

Here are a couple of suggestions from Debbie Ford's book, 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse:

Take a shower and become present to all that is going on in and around your body. Notice your skin, your heartbeat, your breath, and the feel of the water.
Write a letter to yourself. If you were completely present to the sacred vessel and vehicle of your body, how would you care for it? What would you want to say to it? What love and gratitude would you want to express?
When your on the phone or talking to someone, truly listen to them, hear the beauty in their voice, and the quality of the sound. Listen to them, even if they are complaining. (But this does not mean you own their story.) Tune into the sensations.
Connect with nature by going outside and ground yourself to earth. Tune into the sounds around you and the smell.

My intention: To breathe in the beautiful energy that surrounds me now, right here, in this moment.

Love Potion for Day 12
1 cup of water
1/2 banana
1/2 apple
1/2 cup of rice milk

Kandi Phillips
www.AwakenYourSpace.com
www.LiveYourIntention.com
www.KandiPhillips.com