​The benefits of walking in nature are numerous. Some of these benefits include the following:
-helps improve cardiovascular health
-assists with reducing stress and anxiety
-improves well-being and uplifting one’s mood and can be especially helpful when experiencing a traumatic life circumstance like a health issue, or the transition of a loved one or a relationship issue.
-can help decrease high blood pressure
-helps bring stillness to the mind
-grounding
-can assist with opening and developing one’s senses by observing the sights and sounds of nature
-feeling more connected to Spirit which also boosts creativity

With such benefits to the body and mind, walking in nature can also assist with speeding up the healing/recovery process. Being outdoors in nature brings clarity of mind. Especially when we let go of everything that may be on our minds for a while, and become aware of and observe our surroundings in nature. From the wind’s gentle breeze, to the rustling sound of leaves and the warm sun on your back. The brilliant colorful flowers, the sweet song of a bird overhead, the soft green grass and strong-rooted trees, all with their vibrancy and aliveness is something to appreciate. Taking a nature walk helps us to see our lives and experiences from a higher perspective. It helps us connect more deeply with our inner peace, our Spirit, that reminds us that “All is Well.”

I love walking in nature on a daily basis. No matter how I am feeling before taking my walk, I always feel more uplifted and renewed during and after my nature walk. I also have found that much intuitive guidance comes during these walks. When the mind becomes still, the inspiration (in-spirit) flows. And adding Reiki to a walk in nature boosts the intuitive guidance even more, since the Reiki energy helps us to connect more deeply with the wisdom of our Spirit.

​Incorporating Reiki into a Nature Walk

Our intuition is guidance from the Higher Spirit Self. The mind has two parts/thought systems. Spirit is one and is the voice of love. Spirit knows only our divine Truth that we are perfect love and that only love is real. The other part of the mind, the ego, is illusory. The ego is not an entity nor a thing, but rather just the idea that we are separate from our Source. Its thought system is fear-based and is totally flawed as we are not separate from Source. The ego is the inner critic/false self which judges everyone and everything. Abundance, unity, and wholeness are part of Spirit’s thought system. Lack, separation, and limitation are part of the ego’s thought system.   

Since the part of the mind we choose to follow at any given moment effects how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world, listening to Spirit’s guidance (our intuition) enables us to experience and enjoy life from Spirit’s true vision of peace, love, non-judgement, harmony, and freedom.
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How do you know if specific thoughts and ideas in your mind are guidance from Spirit or the ego? When they are from Spirit, they are loving, gentle, kind, and uplifting in nature. Any guidance that Spirit offers always result in positive outcomes for our well-being and anyone else concerned. Spirit gives us solutions on how to forgive and eliminate fear and judgement, and brings us clarity. We may feel a burst of joy when we receive inspiring ideas. If the thoughts and ideas are unloving, judgemental, or condemn anyone including the self, then they are from the ego.

The guidance received from Spirit may not always necessarily be what one wants to hear at the time. If there are expectations of what it should be, to match what you think you want, this is judgement and a control mechanism of the ego. If Spirit’s guidance is then ignored, it may lead to some confusion and doubt.

If unsure if the guidance is from Spirit or the ego, you can ask for clarification from Spirit and wait awhile. Let go of thinking about it for some time and to clear the mind, trusting that Spirit will bring you the clarification in divine timing. When we spend time being in silence and the mind becomes still, the intuitive guidance comes through clearly. Also, Spirit’s guidance will most likely stay the same a few days later, but that from the ego can change, even often.

We have so many thoughts that arise in the mind each day. Each moment, we always have the choice which inner voice to listen to. When I made the choice to listen to and follow only Spirit and have stayed committed to doing so everyday, the voice of the ego became much weaker. Like a muscle that gets stronger when we exercise it, when we are dedicated to listening to and following our intuition, the stronger our communication with Spirit and it becomes our clear, dominant, guiding light. ​

There is great power in the quiet stillness within. I was recently listening to an audio lecture by Eckhart Tolle, that reminded me that we are truly helpful to others and ourselves when we remain in our place of inner stillness/presence, whenever we have conversations with others. It seems to be human nature, that when one person in a conversation is speaking, the other may be thinking about how to respond rather than letting the mind be still and fully present. The listener brings the mind out of the now moment, and listening with the ego instead of presence/Spirit, becomes focussed on the future response.

When the mind is still, any thoughts/words that arise from the part of the mind where Spirit dwells, rather than our own mind, is always most truly helpful. Sometimes no thoughts/words arise. In any case, there is always an underlying energy of peace, whether the form of Spirit’s response is through words to offer another or simply stillness. Words are but symbols anyway.

In any situation, whether it be for example, having a conversation with a friend, or a more challenging conversation with someone who is triggered by or acting from an internal unhappiness or upset, whatever the other person is communicating, listening with the non-judgement of Spirit is important. There were some challenging conversations I had in the past where I was at a loss for words. Afterwards, I would often be self-critical for not speaking up for myself or knowing what to communicate at the time. I later came to the realization that in such situations, others were just projecting their own unconscious beliefs about themselves and nothing really had to do with me. We are not responsible for the behavior of others, but are for our perception, and our response (be it verbal or just within the mind). And not making the unreal/illusions (the world and what happens in it) real in the mind. With that insight from Spirit, and a change in perception to seeing through the various forms to the true innocence in all, it was liberating to release the self-judgement and not take things personally, and become more the observer, or awareness, in conversations.
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We don’t need to know what to say or do, when we let Spirit take charge. We can let go. I find this very comforting and freeing when I remind myself of this and each morning I ask Spirit to be in charge of my thoughts, actions, and day. We don’t have the best answers, but Spirit always does. When we listen mindfully with Spirit, it changes the way we experience conversations. When we are in our place of inner stillness, Spirit can then fully express through us. There is no attachment to outcomes nor a need to have others understand our views. There is no ego involvement. It is important to see each person that comes into our life experience, as the perfect, whole, innocent, divine light that they truly are. Everyone with the same source of wisdom and tools within. In another type of scenario, if you are in the company of or have a conversation with someone who is going through a difficult time, the best gift you can offer is presence. Spirit may or may not offer words for you to verbalize or ideas to act upon. When you join with Spirit’s peace and you perceive the other in his/her true perfection, the peace and well-being extends to that person. All minds are joined. That may be all that is needed to be a truly helpful support in that moment.

Published in Sibyl Magazine: For the Spirit and Soul of Woman, October issue. 

The following is a beautiful passage from A Course in Miracles. I have a copy of the quote printed and on my fridge, and it is a wonderful reminder that all is taken care of when we let Spirit, our Inner Teacher of Peace, take charge.

"I am here only to be truly helpful.
I am here to represent Him Who sent me.
I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do,
because He Who sent me will direct me.
I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me.
I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal."
~A Course in Miracles​

In Oneness,
Maya Bringas
​
~Freedom comes when you remember the magnificence of who you really are~

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Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves and it sets us free. When we choose forgiveness, we release the past, and can enjoy living in the eternal now.

Judgement takes many forms. Blaming others or the self for one’s experiences, believing the self or others to be inadequate, guilty, or undeserving, and making comparisons, are just a few examples of judgement. Love and judgement cannot coexist. Only one of these is active at any given moment. Forgiveness is the means to the relinquishment of judgement.

When we truly forgive, we do so at the level of the mind where it is needed, since all arises from the mind. By forgiving the self, another person, or a situation, we are not indicating that a specific behavior or action is ok, but rather we see through the illusion of the world and its seeming separate identities and stories, to the love that is truly there beyond all form. The non-dualistic spiritual principles of A Course in Miracles teaches that the path to inner peace and love is through this true form of forgiveness. All are innocent, and only the love that we are, is real.

We can always, at any moment, make the choice to love, and abandon judgement. Everyone is doing the best they can based on their state of awareness about who they really are. Those who lack self-love and are unhappy deep down, can extend to others only what they feel for themselves and what they believe to be true. Forgiveness though, does not mean that one should tolerate or be subjected to the unloving nature of a situation or behavior of another.

A very helpful tool that you can use is to bring your conscious awareness outside the illusion/world and to perceive a situation as an observer looking in. This makes it easier to detach from a situation and bring your awareness to the stillness within. Like watching a movie, you observe the characters with relatively no strong attachment. Taking such a perspective when observing the stories happening in your life, results in a greater understanding and compassion for the various characters.

Spirit, our inner teacher of peace, always assists with forgiveness, we just need to ask. Our true essence is light, free, and unconditional love. Forgiveness uplifts your vibration and permanently disconnects you from suffering. Nothing on the level of form, outside of the mind, needs to be done, unless there is specific guidance from Spirit to do so. Forgiveness and commitment to the daily practice of non-judgement accelerates the undoing of the ego, which cannot survive without judgement.

Forgiveness is an act of nurturing unconditional self-love. Forgiving another is really forgiving yourself. When the painful life stories and characters are forgiven, whatever was based on divine, unconditional love, always remains. Those that were not rooted in divine love naturally fall away on their own. This creates an opening for more of that which is based on love to come into your life.

In Oneness,
Maya Bringas

~Freedom comes when you remember the magnificence of who you really are~

PS. The tool I mention in this article in which you bring your mind's awareness outside of the world/illusion is also very helpful in other types of situations. For example, if you are experiencing any discomfort, anxiety, or other forms of distress. It assists with mindfully stepping outside of a situation and bringing your awareness to your true eternal home with Source, where all is well. In this space (outside the level of form and where you are forever One with Source) only perfect peace, love, stillness, and well-being exists. Connecting with your true essence in this manner, and by being the observer of a particular situation, helps to return equilibrium to the physical form. Use the breath at the same time. Breathing slowly, gently, and deeply into the body assists with bringing soothing comfort and calm to the mind, and in turn brings gentle release and tranquility to all aspects of the physical body. This powerful exercise also helps to feel more grounded. If you work with or attuned to any vibrational therapies like Metatronia Therapy®, incorporating it with this exercise when any distress is experienced, can bring additional support for quicker relief, healing, and re-alignment to your true Self.

~Published in the September issue of Sibyl Magazine: For the Spirit and Soul of Woman. As it is a paid subscription magazine, I also share my monthly articles for Sibyl Magazine for 2018, here on this page. To find out more about Sibyl Magazine and to read wonderful, inspirational articles on the topics of spirituality, conscious living, mind/body/spirit, for a low annual subscription fee, you can visit their website here. 

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