messages Archives · Ashley Castle Barnes

Daily Bliss – July 26

Daily Bliss

What is it that rings

And resonates

Through her bones

Leading her to throw stones

At all that ever taught her

Not to listen to the singing

Of her soul?

©Ashley Castle Barnes

The older I get, the more I notice the all the ways I’ve internalized messages and beliefs that have steered me away from what I know to be true for myself, deep in my bones.

I’m remembering what I’ve always known.

And I’m turning away from the things that no longer feel in alignment with who I know I am, who I want to be, and the legacy I want to leave.

I’m choosing myself over the voices which pull me elsewhere.

I’m following my weird.

It’s a mantra that came up from a podcast interview about my book, Liminal: Between Life and Breath, and I had no idea the power it possessed.

The words simply fell out of my mouth and are now throwing stones at all my old beliefs and messages about fitting in and being my weird self.

A journey I’ve been on for a long time, now gaining momentum.

Each step informing the next and reinforcing the path.

What old beliefs and messages are you throwing stones at today?

Daily Bliss – June 14

Daily Bliss

If defiance is in her nature

Then she might as well embrace it all

Defying the training of her mind

That has defined her

And releasing the thoughts

That have constrained her

And kept her small

©Ashley Castle Barnes

I leave for our annual vacation in less than 2 weeks.

In my writing this morning, I was fretting over things I still needed to do.

Things I felt like I still HAD to do before I could leave.

That’s an important distinction.

So often I get mired in lists of to-do’s that are actually old scripts playing in my head.

I was reminded that I don’t have to follow those scripts.

There is nothing and no one who is holding me to it – except me. And my old beliefs that they are important.

Maybe some of them are important. But some of them are running on autopilot.

And they’re not important anymore.

They’re not even helpful anymore.

Like this script playing about how I’m supposed to work right up until the moment I leave.

Who decided that?

Some productivity script that I picked up ages ago.

One that said I’m not smart/successful/organized if I don’t work hard every minute.

Today I call B.S. on that script.

Vacation is sacred time for me. And not just the two weeks I’m gone.

The time leading up is sacred preparation. The time there is sacred relaxation. And the time after is sacred re-entry.

It’s sacred because I say it is. Not some outdated script.

And it feels delightfully defiant to declare it!

What old messages are you defying today?

Daily Bliss – April 28

Daily Bliss

Let it all out

Write it all out

Make room

In your heart

Your soul

Your mind

For all that wants

To carry you into

Your next waking dream

Let the dream flow

It’s funny how life sends messages in a variety of ways, and not always in ways we want to hear.

I find that I’ve been getting the same message, over and over recently.

From people at work. From songs. From “coincidental” posts or articles that show up when I’m not looking. Through my own inner guidance when I’m writing.

Some of those I haven’t listened to because they were delivered in a way that was off-putting or offensive.

But it’s hard to ignore even off-putting messages when they come from more than one source.

Especially the inner source. Ugh.

When something is important, it finds a way of getting to us.

Even if that means slapping us in the face (literally or metaphorically).

Some of us just learn the hard way I guess.

(It’s me. I’m the one that learns the hard way!)

What messages are showing up over and over for you lately?

Daily Bliss – July 27

Daily Bliss

Though her plate feels full

Its cracks are showing

Allowing the messages

She’s been avoiding

To spill onto the floor

She can’t ignore them anymore

©Ashley Barnes

The Angels remind us that messages can come from anywhere….dreams, feathers, song lyrics, offhand remarks, even animals. They invite us to pay more attention to the small details of our day. Not everything is a message but sometimes a messages is “hidden” in the most seemingly meaningless detail.

Daily Bliss – April 14

Daily Bliss

We receive messages all the time. Seemingly innocent or unrelated events or happenings are often a subtle (or not-so-subtle) message, reminder, or gift to you. Start paying attention to the little things and become curious about what their message might be for you. http://www.yourtruebliss.com/1/post/2015/04/tue-apr-14-2015.html