The magic of a good memory

Sometimes when I channel the angels, I get a sense of what they’re going to say beforehand. Other times, it comes as a complete and delightful surprise. Today was one of those surprises.

As they invited us to recall a good memory, I suddenly remembered the joy of flying a kite as a child. It was such a big deal to get my first kite that springtime. My brother and I carefully unwrapped our kites that were comprised of sturdy plastic wound around their wooden, chopstick-like axes. We carefully attached the fishing line our parents brought with the kites. Then we ran outside, waited for the wind, and ran as fast as we could while letting the line out. If we were lucky, the kites caught the breeze—tugging, pulling, and begging for flight and freedom as we unreeled the fishing line as fast as we could.  Straining to look upward, we watched them dance in the sky, feeling a freedom that surely our souls recalled from other realms.

I had completely forgotten how much joy that brought me until the angels offered the exercise.

It made me wonder: how many other delicious memories live within me, forgotten yet waiting to delight? I wanted to do the exercise again! “Okay, soul, show me another good memory.”  Suddenly, I am on Lumahai beach in Kauai, on a rainy day, sitting alone on the sand. I have the beach all to myself. The surf is pounding furiously with a soothing roar. I scoop up handfuls of sand and allow them to pour through my fingers while I search for tiny green olivine crystals.  After collecting a small vial of these treasures, I retreat from the rain and sit on a dampened log under the broad tropical leaves of the trees that line the beach. The rain-soaked earth is pure perfume, the surf better than any meditation CD, and the air chilly and damp. I am embraced by life itself. Yet another forgotten treasure in the trove of life experience.

Life can be insanely difficult—and yet so rich with magic moments as well.

Today is another cozy, rainy day. I already went to the center where I take my biweekly cold plunge. I’m looking forward to an evening of peeling and juicing this year’s orange crop. Outside, my mulberry tree drops autumn leaves. Roses are blooming. Tomatoes are turning red. Lulu, my lemon tree, is bursting with abundance that feeds family and friends. Inside, I’m cozy in a T-shirt and flannel, writing this newsletter. Work doesn’t feel like work when I notice all the goodness around me.

I could turn on the news and ruin my mood in thirty seconds—or I can tune into nature’s news. I could worry about loved ones who are struggling—or I can be grateful for their courage to stay here and heal. I could stress about my to-do list—or trust the flow and enjoy the journey.

Even when we don’t choose circumstances, we choose focus. Focus inspires vibration. Vibration inspires attraction. And on it goes.

I love the idea of asking our spirits for good memories, and I love that the ones that arise aren’t necessarily the big ones. I didn’t recall speaking at conferences, graduating from college, or buying a house. Instead, my soul chose tiny magical moments—sparkling sprinkles on the cupcake of life 🙂

I like this exercise. I’m going to do it often and allow my soul to share its view of life’s beauty with me. That feels good.

Here are a few ways you can focus on those magic moments, and how they can help you through life’s heavier moments:

1.  Deliberately Enjoy a Magic Morning Moment

When we awaken, our minds can quickly pick up where we left off the night before—racing through the to-do lists or obsessing about the challenges we face. We can easily and deliberately set the day off to a better start by creating a “magic morning moment”—a moment of focusing on something that inspires good feelings or a sense of being blessed.

Before you even open your eyes, take a breath and feel the air in your lungs. Feel the coziness of the blankets or the comfort of your pillow. Ask your spirit for a magic moment, and as you open your eyes, see what you notice first.Appreciate it.

You can prepare the night before by keeping something close to the bed that inspires you. Try a deck of affirmation cards, an aromatherapy scent, a favorite photo or quote, or a crystal you love.

You can extend your magic morning moment by enjoying the scent of the soap in the shower or the feel of the water. You can appreciate your breakfast or coffee, or you can make a small altar and spend a moment lighting a candle and praying for the day.

Get creative and make this ritual your own. The deliberate practice of creating a magic morning moment can set your whole day off to a better start.

2. When You Don’t Feel Good, Look for Good

You get interrupted and work and suddenly feel you’ll never get ahead. Something breaks. A big repair is required. Someone you love is having troubles. When life throws you a curve, before jumping into panicked action, pause. Breathe.  Look for something good to appreciate, feel, smell, or enjoy.

This tiny pause shifts you from fearful reactions into a high vibe where you’ll take efficient, effective, and guided action.

3. Play the Angels’ Good Memory Game

Ask yourself, “Soul, give me a good memory.” See what arises from within. Indulge in the memory. Feel the good feelings.

Remember that when viewed from heaven, your life is rich with these moments and filled with love’s many mini miracles.

Life isn’t always wine and roses, but the wine and roses are there to be appreciated. The dripping of today’s rain is a meditation in and of itself.  The coffee on my desk has a comforting smell. And thinking of all you reading this, committed to being the love and the peace, makes me smile.

Right before I finished this newsletter, I saw a horrific video that I couldn’t un-see. After my stomach turned and I had a good cry, I prayed for all involved. I prayed for peace in the world. I sat and emanated all the love in my heart, and it burned like fire as the energy turned on within me.

To calm the inner storm, I asked my spirit for another memory of peace, and one arose. Years ago, when visiting friends, I awakened on an air mattress on the floor, nestled under a pile of cozy blankets. A cool and gentle rain dripped quietly outside the windows. My hosts brought me a mug of steaming tea. It was pure stillness. I had forgotten.

I marinated for a moment in the memory, then projected the feeling outward. I imagined a world at peace and felt the soothing flow of energy radiating outward. It might seem small and insignificant, and yet every kind vibration we emanate matters and adds to the upliftment of the whole.

You never know who your loving wave might wash over in their time of need. Our vibrations are real. Our peace, our joy, our inspiration is tangible energy that can be felt. Some day it will be measurable, but for now we must trust that the love we feel and share is a gift to the collective.

While some make war, we can ask for and share vibrations of love. While others argue and kill, we can find agreement with life’s beauty. And while there is much to grieve at times, there are also so many things that our dear ones in the heavens, from their new blissful vantage point, long for us to celebrate.

The violence and hatred in the world are real, but far more powerful and prevalent is the love that sources our very being. We need not wait until the afterlife to see and feel the good that is all around. We can ask our souls to help us see and remember the beauty of our human lives here and now.

May your week be filled with many mini miracles and a myriad of magic moments. (Say that ten times fast!)