Love as a spiritual practice
One person in a higher state of consciousness can affect many others positively.
Photo credit: Freepik
Only two spots are open in my January Women’s Coaching Circle!
NEW CLASSES January 2025
Women’s Group Coaching
Sundays, January 19, 26, Feb. 2, & 9th
10:00 - 11:30 am PT / 1:00 - 2:30 pm ET
Investment: $97. *Only two spots are left for this session, but get on the waiting list! When this group fills, I’ll start a waiting list for a second coaching group.
Beginning Sunday, January 19, I’ll coach four women to help them overcome frustration or fear in their lives or businesses. My specialty is inquiring into the thoughts, beliefs, or fears holding you back, and then I give you strategic feedback on potential action items.
If you’re stuck, it’s because of a belief.
I’ll coach one participant each week while the group observes and learns. I’ll then suggest strategies for action.
In thirty days, you’ll feel lighter and ready to move forward.
Between our four Sunday grouping coaching Zoom calls, you’ll have one sheet of homework each week to help you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and actions create the results you have today.
All Zoom calls are recorded and sent only to participants. What you see or hear in the group is confidential.
Albert Einstein famously said,
“You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”
To solve a problem, you must first see it clearly, question whether it’s true, and then reframe it.
Limited to four women* only two spots available as of January 2, 2024* Questions? Please mail me at sherold@sheroldbarr.com
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Audio: Love as a spiritual practice [click the link to listen]
Yesterday, as I walked around our neighborhood with our dog, Teddy, I noticed a large white delivery truck at the turn junction of our street. A small blue car was facing the truck. My first thought was there had been an accident.
Closer still, I saw a man outside the truck yelling at the man in the blue car, standing at his driver’s door, yelling back at him.
I paused as I saw a red BMW pull up and wait for them to clear the road. I quickly assessed the situation.
I asked the BMW driver, “Why don’t you back up and go down the street behind us?” He promptly moved his car out of the lineup.
What was the problem they were fighting about?
The man in the blue car would not budge. His car was blocking the truck, which had partially made the turn.
The driver of the truck was Indian. I wondered if the blue car man (it’s easier to say) became angry and refused to back up because he disliked people of another race.
Did the driver of the blue car look like he’d have a gun?
My mind and heart were aligned in a place of service and love. I decided I could handle this, whatever happened. I was not in a state of fear.
The driver pleaded with the man in the blue car to back up, which he refused.
With love, I walked up to blue car man [it’s easier to say].
What happened next astonished me.
“Please, please, would you just back up and let them pass you,” I asked the man in the blue car.
“No,” he shouted back at me. He needs to move his truck,” he was indignant as I turned to face him.
I was completely aligned.
“Please, please—it’s the holidays. Can’t you simply back up and let them through?”
“Please, sir, don’t do this,” I said sadly.
My energy was loving and calm. Blue car man slowly crouched down to return to his driver’s seat.
My energy of love diffused his anger.
I looked at the truck driver, who said, “Thank you, sir, for moving your car.”
Blue car man pops back up and starts yelling again,
“No, I want to teach them a lesson. They have to back up.”
I stood taller and said in a confused manner,
“You mean you think you can teach them a lesson by doing this,” I said with open curiosity.
“You can’t teach anyone a lesson or change their thinking,” I said, signaling that he needed to back up.
“You can’t control what other people do, say or think,”
I told him in an exasperated tone.
“Please, sir, it’s the holidays. We don’t need more fighting.”
He did what I asked, slowly sitting back down in his car. As I walked past, he started his car and slowly backed up. The driver and his worker in the passenger seat whispered, “Thank you,” as I walked past the white truck.
* * *
I heard Byron Katie tell a story in one of her seminars about a man who came up to her when she was in the desert and put a gun to her stomach.
“I’m going to kill you,” he said in a rough and harsh voice.
“Without imagining a future, is fear possible,” Katie asked the audience.
“At that moment, I saw the clouds; it was a beautiful night. The moon was bright, reflecting his eyes. I saw how frightened he was,” she said.
“I had the thought; I hope he doesn’t do that to himself.”
“It’s falling in love and loving what is. Anything less than that would have cost me the last few moments of my life.”
“It’s like dying in hell [believing a future that hasn’t happened yet], Katie said. “Oh my God, he’s going to kill me. I’ll never see my children. Even if he pulled the trigger, how do I know if it hurts? Am I imagining that it’s going to hurt?
It’s very exciting. I don’t even know if it hurts. I’ve never been shot before. I’m just projecting how it would feel. So I’m connected. I have a lot of experiences of love and life with stories like this: I’m not careful in my life.”
* * *
Since I’ve had a near-death experience and touched by divinity, here’s how I view my life.
I’m on my dharmic Path.1 I’m working for the Boss (Universe | God) to help stop emotional suffering.
One person with a state of love in their heart can effect significant change.
Key points about the impact of a love vibration:
Emotional upliftment:
A person radiating love can make others feel happier, more optimistic, and less stressed.
Increased connection:
Positive energy can create a stronger individual bond, leading to deeper connection and understanding.
Positive influence on behavior:
Witnessing genuine love can inspire others to be more compassionate and kind towards themselves and others.
Healing potential:
Love can be a powerful force for healing emotional wounds and promoting personal growth. *I’ve lived this principle.
Scientific basis: HeartMath research:
Studies by the HeartMath Institute suggest that our hearts emit electromagnetic fields that can influence the heart rhythms of those around us, meaning our emotional states can be transmitted through these energy fields.
David Hawkins, MD, PhD, did not provide a specific quantitative measure of how many people are affected by one individual's higher state of consciousness. However, he emphasized the exponential ripple effect when one person raises consciousness. According to Hawkins, significant shifts in consciousness do not require a majority of the population to awaken; instead, a small fraction dedicated to personal growth can elevate the collective consciousness of humanity.
Hawkins noted that as individuals ascend their levels of consciousness, they inherently raise the consciousness of those around them, creating a positive impact beyond immediate interactions. This effect is exponentially more significant with each step taken toward higher consciousness, suggesting that even a few individuals operating at elevated levels can influence many others positively.
Now, over to you. I’d love to know your thoughts about this. The U.S. is a highly violent country now, with many innocent people being killed. I believe the collective consciousness in the U.S. is in a profoundly negative state of consciousness. It’s reflected in the change of leadership, which talks of retribution, framing humans as animals (Haitians eating pets), and what we all experience in this new year. Check out Dr. Hawkins’s map of consciousness.
Happy New Year! Out with 2024 - it was a rough year for all of us.
Also, consider getting to know your neighbors this year. If cataclysmic weather patterns and earthquakes increase, your neighbors are your only responders. If you have an older neighbor, please knock on their door, introduce yourself, and let them know you are there for them (if appropriate). You’ll feel better, I promise!
Q: Have you experienced being aligned with love and watch others around you shift? I’d love to hear from you regardless. Please leave a comment or click the heart to ‘like’ this publication so others will find it.
XO, Sherold
The Path of dharma is a central concept across multiple philosophies, including Buddhism, Jainism, Vaishnavism, and Mahayana Buddhism. It represents a moral and ethical journey that guides individuals toward enlightenment, emancipation, and righteous living. Each tradition emphasizes virtues such as non-violence, ethical conduct, and adherence to duty, illustrating the significance of righteous actions in spiritual fulfillment. The Path of dharma serves as a guide for personal conduct and a means to navigate moral challenges.