​This afternoon I am sitting at my desk to write this note to you, looking out at a beautiful fall tapestry of colors in the trees surrounding our home, listening to a chant song (Ang Sang Wahe Guru) that settles my Soul with each note. I can feel the peace of the mantra flowing with the instruments. The meaning of the chant is "The Infinite Being, God, is with me, and vibrates in every molecule and cell of my being."

Wow - a new level of words defining our reality, hmm?! 

I have been exploring mantras in a deeper way ever since I started kundalini yoga earlier this year, and continue to find new ones to add to my collection. There's a powerful overlap between meditation and mantras. When I get quiet and still my mind during meditation, mantras help continue that calm state as I go back into the busier pace of life. And the message I am sending to my mind and body is that I am always supported and always loved. So good!

This week I had the gift of spending time with GuruGanesha Singh for a Healing Our Souls chat, and we talked about mantras, music, meditation, and the mystery and joy of life. What an amazing, generous, and kind man who has lived an extraordinary life of following his passion and gifts down many successful paths. You can learn more about him and check out the video chat below.

The theme for this week's post of Tenacity came from my reflections about the logistics for the video. Yikes! We had a plan that didn't go as planned, and then spent a half hour improvising on the new plan until we finally scrapped it all and made another new plan work! And through it all, Ganesh was patient and encouraging, not at all upset about the delays, even offering to guide us in a grounding mantra-chant as we finally were ready to begin our interview. That is a rare experience in today's busy world where we are rushing to meet deadlines and adding new ones in as we go. (Thank you, Ganesh!)

The interesting thing about the word Tenacity is that it has a few definitions: "The quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; the quality or fact of being very determined; or the quality or fact of continuing to exist."

In so many areas of my life and of the lives I see playing out around me, we are trying to grip on firmly and make things happen. That has a very different energy than "the quality of continuing to exist" which to me implies surrendering to the current of life, trusting that we always (in some form!) keep existing. If our focus is simply on continuing to BE, it takes away the pressure of making things go a certain direction or look a certain way. Ahhhhh..... so much simpler. 

If you are not already a part of our community, I  invite you to bring your reflections about Mantras and Tenacity to the Soul Shine Tribe with Viv on Facebook. We are "building a community of Seekers committed to expanding who we are in this world. Using meditation and mindfulness as a practice, we spread awareness, love, compassion, eagerness and the joy of Life within ourselves and to those around us. We see Life as an adventure, meant to be enjoyed fully and shared in its depth and richness. Bring your highest and best self to this community and soar with us!"

I'd love to have your voice join the conversations in this heart-based tribe.

Keep on "continuing to exist," my friends!

Vivienne Gerard - Healer / Guide / Lover of Souls and Humanity 
Clearing Past Patterns to Co-Create an Empowered NOW
Join me on My Soul Journey on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

​What interesting times we live in right now. It feels like many hidden beliefs are being brought out to be examined in our own lives and all around us. If there was a word collage that could be made for this past week's American headlines, I'm sure the most repeated words were "Disaster, Deception, Exposed, Liar, Threat..." Ugh. The density of it all can be a bit stifling!

I found myself more curious now, however, than I have been yet in this political campaign year. Perhaps it's the intensity of anger, the momentum of the rapidly approaching election date, the collectively growing energy being created by so many more people having passionate opinions... it is fascinating, right?

What I know for sure is that it always comes back to You, to Me, to Us. It's never really about the other person, the one we want to blame for our own problems.

So I spent some time this week in meditation, reflecting on what emotions are coming up inside of my own heart and soul about what I am witnessing in the news. And then I shared my reflections in this week's Healing Our Souls: "Balanced Relationships" episode, wrapping up the video with an invitation to join me in a short ten minute meditation together. Because that's how I believe our country (and also our world) will heal from this deep division being created. Through each person getting quiet, becoming still, and taking ownership for our own emotions and actions. Choosing Loving Kindness as a way of being.

Idealistic approach? Yes, definitely. But it's way better than what I see unfolding politically in front of me, so I choose idealism over and over! 

If you need a re-balancing or realigning internally, gift yourself with a quiet hour on Sunday's Soul Shine. We always seem to be tracking the collective energy when we tap in, so I am sure you will find a match to clear in your own space!

Vivienne Gerard - Healer / Guide / Lover of Souls and Humanity 
Clearing Past Patterns to Co-Create an Empowered NOW
Join me on My Soul Journey on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

​What a fast and deep dive into the October month of Relationships and Balance many seem to be taking! As I write this, Mama Earth is rumbling and rattling the East Coast of the United States through Hurricane Matthew - a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds that is dramatically grabbing people's attention. Nature in its power has a way of quickly realigning our human priorities! Life, love, community all begin to take precedence over work, politics, battles.

I tend to get out of balance at times also, putting work or everyday errands over the higher priorities (in my opinion) of loving relationships. This week, as I was moving quickly through my to-do list of creating some fun new programs and meditations, my husband called to tell me that he had been hurt at work. He's doing great now and all is well, but that phone call stopped me in the midst of busy-ness and reminded me of what's most important in my life: Supporting my family and being by each others' sides when we need to be reminded that everything is okay. My husband and my children are my top Loves in this lifetime and sometimes we all need that nudge to slow down and Be Present together.

I share more about Soul / Life priorities and my love for my husband in this week's Healing Our Souls episode, through a book review of one of my favorite books! I hope my reflections inspire you to pick up a copy of Journey of Souls and dive into it yourself. 

Vivienne Gerard - Healer / Guide / Lover of Souls and Humanity 
Clearing Past Patterns to Co-Create an Empowered NOW
Join me on My Soul Journey on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.