To first become a mother is to let go—to surrender your entire self, body and soul, to the new life that depends upon you for so much. To truly be a mother means you know when to help and when to let be—when to hold on and when to set free.

The only thing constant, absolute, and never-changing is your love—which is eternally present. Thank you, Mom, and thank you to all mothers everywhere.

Image by Tim Donnelly

Just watch what that voice has to say. You’ll be shocked at what you see.

-The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

Sometimes you get so frustrated it feels like you don’t know what you’re going to do with yourself. Look a little deeper into this statement and you might ask: who is the “I” and who is the “myself” that I am referring to? Are there two of me? Might one of these entities be the real me?

This realization is a crack in the ego. Now you realize that you are a silent awareness who is able to watch the voice in your head. You are no longer tricked to believe that the voice is you. Michael Singer calls this voice “your roommate”.

Your goal today is simple: try to observe the voice. You might find that it never shuts up. You’ll also find that it probably isn’t very nice. It is quite abusive to you, saying things to you that nobody would dare say out loud. You probably can’t even brush your teeth, take a shower, or make breakfast without the voice saying something nasty. Try not to let it ruin your mood because it isn’t real.

Many people believe that they have not yet awakened because they are unable to completely shut out the voice. I don’t know whether it is possible to completely shut out the voice for long periods of time, as I have not been very successful at this. Instead, I simply observe my ego thoughts. If my voice wants to speak up, I try to be accepting and don’t resist. But I never take my roommate seriously. I merely watch and smile at it.

Can you identify as the observer and not the voice? Have you learned not to let the voice affect your emotions? At a minimum, surely you have learned not to respond to the voice with action. This is wisdom. This is enlightenment. You are already there.

Life is supposed to be hard, but now in your awakened state you have learned not to allow your roommate to cause problems for you. Life is easier than it used to be. Slower, filled with grace, with moments of beautiful presence. Your relationships are loving. You achieve more with less resistance. This is success. This is the way. We continue tomorrow and each day after that.

Image by Eddie van W.