God: Now Hiring

I am soon to be leaping into the career unknown, shifting from my J-O-B to Full Time living the vocation of my dreams (my glamorous and exciting calling as a speaker, writer, coach, and performer)!!!  This is huge and amazing and super scary as well.  Sometimes I'm immersed in such faith and trust that I feel as if could walk a tight rope across the Long Island Sound, balancing babies on my head.  Other moments, I feel ready to curl up in a ball and see if McDonald's is hiring.

 Yesterday, I was walking to the gym and I glanced at a sign that said Gap: Now Hiring.  I chuckled to myself and mumbled, "It's only a block away from my apartment, maybe I should go in and check it out."

Suddenly, new, shimmering words flashed across my line of vision: GOD: NOW HIRING...

I stopped dead in my tracks, smiled up at the blue spring sky, and said, "I hear you, I hear you."  When God speaks, whether it is with words, actions, or symbols like the sign that I saw, I am going to listen.

God is hiring, taking applications for our Divine birthright, asking us to claim our calling, our life purpose.  There are no interviews, because the Divine knows us as Her own.  We are one and the same.  The job turnover rate is 0% because once we are living our life's work, we are in the flow, co-manifesting magic and miracles with every breath we take.  There is no reason to run.  No reason to hide.  No reason to have it all "figured out" yet.

God: Now Hiring...The BEST BOSS EVER!!!  And the benefits like peace, non-judgement, fulfillment, wholeness, and unconditional love cannot be beat.

God: Now Hiring...sign up now or sign up later.  It's my choice.  It's your choice.  I choose Now. 

Let's Get Naked

A note to my parental units that may be reading this:  You may feel similarly to the father on Coyote Ugly who walked into the dive bar to find his only daughter dancing on top of a bar...consider yourself sufficiently warned.

Today I got naked.  And no, I am not talking about undressing for the shower or to change into my work out clothes. I, Cora Poage, got naked at a PUBLIC Sauna at my gym. 

This mortifying experience actually happened by accident.

Normally, I wrap a towel around my body, and meditate inside the warmth and steam of the room.  For me, it is literally, a tiny piece of heaven.  Yet, I always have that towel protecting me, keeping me safe, allowing no one to truly "see" me. 

Until today...I sat up a little straighter after my meditation and to my horror my towel unraveled and fell to my side.  I sucked in a breath and made sure no one was inside or venturing into the sauna, as I scrambled to bring the towel back to it's proper home.

Yet, something told me to wait.  A whisper.  My intuition?  My authentic self?  The pervert with the video camera peering in from the guy's locker room?  (typical high-school old wive's tale...)

Now I have never been a "naked" kinda gal in my life. (in the past)  I am the girl in high-school who brought my gym clothes to a closed stall to change.  I've been a "lights off in the bedroom" person,   I have NEVER skinny dipped, although I think I faked it once in college.  There are very few naked baby pictures of me.  In fact, I literally think I came out of my mom's womb screaming, "Towel, GIVE ME A TOWEL...WAAAAH!"

Yet today, in the sauna, the towel fell just as I was stating one of my favorite affirmations, "I am enthusiastically loving and accepting ALL of me.  I am living My Truth out loud with gusto."

I took three deep breaths and I felt the warmth and steam touch my body, ALL of my body.  I tried to let go of self-consciouness, of self-judgement and I just breathed in the moment.  I looked at my body from a place of unconditional love and I tried to see myself the way God sees me.  I sent my naked Being prayers of deep gratitude for all my body allows me to experience, enjoy, and partake in on this Earthly plane.

I taste amazing foods, feel the silky fur of my cat, kiss the soft lips of my husband, hear the ocean water stroking the sand, dance to my heart's content, and see the loving essence of other Beings whom I love.  I may be a soul having a human experience, but this naked body of mine sure does help make the human stuff way more fun!

On my path of self-love and acceptance, I realize that loving my nakedness is truly important. Not only for the literal interpretation of this amazing lesson in the sauna, but also for the symbolic meaning of the towel.

In the past, I have kept a "towel" around me in life, trying to cover parts of me (personality traits, etc) that I didn't think were attractive or well-received by others. I used this metaphorical towel to tone down my light, keep playing small, and hide out in the corner of the sauna.  Afraid of my nakedness, I even hid from God.

Yet today, I am taking off my towels BOTH of them...I am dancing around this sauna of Life, letting my light shine, my nakedness be witnessed, and I am playing it Big.

"I am enthusiastically loving and accepting ALL of me.  I am living my Truth out loud with gusto."

So everyone, are you with me?  Are you ready?  Are you willing?

LET'S GET NAKED!!!

The Prom Queen Strikes Again

I am not my body. I am not my actions. I am not my "wins" or "losses".

I am a center of pure, loving consciousness.

This weekend, I was in Los Angeles attending my Graduate School, University of Santa Monica where I am receiving a degree in Spiritual Psychology. This month we had presentations as well.

"Great, awesome, fabulous," I thought to myself. "I love public speaking, love presenting. This will be a beautiful experience."

My dear readers, I was positively jazzed for this assignment. I spent an hour or so creating posters for my Spiritual Approach called IsCupid Matchmaking Services or Inner Soulmate Cupid.:) "Our mission is to pair our clients with their Inner Soulmate. We believe that the deepest life partnership is the one within."

A blast to write and a joy to present, I spoke about the importance of Self Dating and falling in love with your Inner Soulmate. The benefits of the approach included wholeness, the Knowing of one's Intrinsic Self Worth, and also the Remembrance of our unending Union with Source.

Well, all was peaceful and fine in Cora Land UNTIL our small group (we presented in front of 15 other people or so) VOTED ON THE BEST PRESENTATION. The top presenters from each group would share their approach with the whole school.

I am not my body. I am not my actions. I am not my "wins" and "losses".

I am a center of pure, loving consciousness.

Suddenly, I felt a part of my Basic Self, my Ego, coming forward into my awareness. I call her the Prom Queen.

"Ooooh! A competition," the Prom Queen squealed. "You have to win. I mean, public speaking is YOUR thing. And come on, Cora, you know that in order to a be STAR student at USM you have to be picked to perform."

Then my Higher Self, "I hear you Prom Queen and I understand what you are saying. I love you. However, I trust and surrender to this process. Whoever is "meant" to present, will be the one to receive this opportunity."

Deep breath. We voted. I tied for the top presentation. We voted again. I "lost".

Deep breath. I truly found a place of gratitude and acceptance within. However, once in awhile I would still hear the Prom Queen saying, "You aren't a truly successful student because you didn't win."

The next day, the day of the final presentations, I felt a bit off. I noticed that I was seeking outside affirmation or ego strokes from others including my friends and teachers. It was like I was trying to make up for this perceived "loss". It did not feel very good and it felt especially incongruent with my Authentic Self.

Through an incredible counseling trio, I was able bring up that Prom Queen and really address that for years, I searched for my self worth through accolades and outside affirmation. I wanted to be the best student, loved by the teachers, the best friend, adored by her peers, and most notably I wanted to "win".

As I looked deeper into this part of myself and my life, I thought of my Spritiual Approach, my presentation. If I am in union with my Inner Soulmate, I am in love with Self, in the Knowing of my unending union with Source, and totally aware of my intrinsic self worth as a Divine Being having a human experience.

When my Prom Queen popped up, I recognized that I was letting her run the show, instead of Spirit, of God. I was allowing my Ego to make me feel "less than worthy" and in desperate need of outside affirmation.

I was allowing the Prom Queen to be my Queen, my God, my partner in life. Instead of my Inner Soulmate, my Authentic Self.

Time for Self-Forgiveness...

"I forgive myself for buying into the misunderstanding that I need affirmation from the outside to prove my worthiness."

That feels wonderful. Deep Breath. My Prom Queen is a part of me. I am grateful for her. I am. She served a purpose in my life for many years. But I don't need her anymore. She can rest, take off her crown.

Better yet, she can give the crown to my Inner Soulmate.

I blink back tears of love as I watch the beautiful "best" presentations. I am in awe of the Divine wisdom, the love, the courage of all of the presenters. Especially the Goddess who presented from my group. Her light shines so bright as she speaks, her love and words touch me to the core.

I feel absolutely HONORED to be in the audience, to be witnessing and supporting my amazing classmates. The Universe really knows what She is doing...

I am not my body. I am not my actions. I am not my "wins" or "losses".

I am Center of Pure Loving Consciousness. I AM my Inner Soulmate.