Fulfillment of our true desires is a natural process, it is how the universe operates. The universe is constantly expanding. There are new forms of life being created and expressed every day. Galaxies are formed, flowers bloom, trees bear fruit and babies are born. It is the nature of the Universe to come to fruition – to expand and express itself. We take it for granted.

Consider a rose bush. It doesn’t need to struggle to create blossoms. It doesn’t worry that it won’t bloom. It doesn’t question whether it’s worthy of such beauty. It doesn’t feel it’s lucky. It just blooms. The essential nature of the rose bush is to express its glory and magnificence. This is the fulfillment of its true desire. True desires are intended to be fulfilled!

What’s truly remarkable is that the seed of a rose contains all the elements necessary to become a rose bush resplendent with beautiful blossoms. It only needs the nurturing of soil and water. The rose seed is the rose bush in potentiality. Our desires are similar to the rose seed, because inherent in having a desire, is everything necessary for its fulfillment. It only needs a little nurturing.

Your desires are a potentiality waiting for your permission to be released into actuality.

Desire is, in fact, the first step in the manifestation process. We would have never accomplished anything in life if we lacked desire. We would never have planted crops, built houses, created cities, founded or attended schools, written books, sewed clothes, cut our hair or even taken a bath without first desiring something that was not in existence at that moment. Desire is the starting point for everything. It is essential to growth and evolution.

Let me clarify that I’m speaking about your heart’s desires here, not passing fancies or physical urges. Your true desires are those which have been tugging on your heart for some time. It is the yearning, deep within you, to expand into a greater expression and enjoy a more glorious, love-filled, abundant, creative and fulfilling life. In fact, we could define true desire as an invitation from your inner wisdom to express your potential — to be more than you thought you ever could be.

So, what are your heart’s desires? Could it be a fulfilling career; a youthful and healthy body; finding your “soul-mate;” living in a beautiful and harmonious environment; a wildly successful new business; that job you always wanted; unshakable peace of mind; boundless abundance; or the expression of some latent talent? Maybe it’s all of the above. Maybe your true desires have yet to be identified. You only know that you desire something greater than your current experience. Whatever your dream may be, it is meant for you to have and experience. As long as your desires do no harm to yourself or anyone else, they are your inner self urging you forward — urging you into the magnificent life you were meant to live!

So. we want to welcome our heart’s desires and encourage them to emerge from the dream-state and express in reality — not wishing, not dreaming, but consciously inviting our desires to naturally blossom from their seed. The key is to consciously invite them.

When we consciously accept this natural blossoming process, we are taking the first step in the manifestation process.

“Your desires are a potentiality waiting for your permission to be released into actuality.” http://ping.fm/9sV5W

One of the concepts articulated in this morning’s yoga class was: “Relax around the effort.” Of course, that’s what yoga is really all about isn’t it? I’ve not done yoga for that long, but I get that if you huff and puff and strain to get into, or to hold a pose, then you’re missing the point. Although effort is definately necessary, I think the point is to gently approach the pose and then breathe during the holding of the pose and relax into (as best as possible) the experince of it. Easier said than done, I know. But having your intention there is what counts, and it gets easier over time, right?

Well, I started thinking about how much I do not relax around the effort I expend in other areas of my life (particularly work.)  And, how much I would like to set my intention to begin relaxing around the effort it every area.  Again, effort in life is necessary, otherwise we’d turn into big couch potato blobs. Effort is a good thing…but getting stressed and pissing, moaning and groaning around the effort is…counterproductive, eh? 

So, this week I’m going to write on my big bulletin board posted in front of my desk the phrase, Relax around the effort. I’m going to set my intention and see how often I am able to remember to breathe, relax and let the energy move through me…being conscious of where I might be straining, and why.

I invite you to do this with me this week, and report back (in a relaxed, non-stressful kind of way.)   I don’t know, but I’m guessing all our efforts we be much more productive and we’ll be more relaxed and happier people by the end of the week.

Many blessings.