Lately, we’ve seen all kinds of storms happening here in the United States.

We’ve seen hurricane’s and floods from storm surges, we’ve had tornadoes and then there are the political and societal storms of racism, sexism, and division.

It seems that the storms keep coming.

When I’ve felt blasted by the storms of emotions and drama, whether it’s been of my own making or someone else’s, my spiritual practice of non-judment and nonviolence is my rock.  It’s a haven of infinite patience and Love inside my own mind.

So often I see folks do things that make no sense.  We lose perspective and then we suffer and make crazy choices.

At times folks are deliberately unkind; they’re selfish and hurtful.  People respond without thinking and are rude.  I’ve done so much of that in my life.

Some people are discouraging when they could be encouraging.  My practice of non-judgment forces me to look at my motivations and intentions and to consistently choose the most loving intention regardless of where my emotions are.

My spiritual practice of non-judgment is a practice infinite compassion.

It is the daily practice of walking in Spirit.  Just as that farm girl from Kansas put on the ruby slippers and remembered her personal power that could take her back home, my personal practice of nonviolence takes me back home to the spiritual truth of all life:  I am one with all that is.

If I hate the one who hates, I’ve lost my power, I’m wearing their shoes and they can never fit.  If I am rude to the one who is rude, I am living someone else’s pain.  If I have no compassion for the one who has no compassion, I am spending my precious energy magnifying someone else’s hurt.  Every moment I choose whose shoes I’ll stand in.  Every moment I can choose anew and change the course of my life.  When I make the highest choice I can reach for in the moment, I lift the world.

Mother Theresa taught us, “People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered.  Forgive them anyway … Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.  Give the best you’ve got anyway.”

When I look at Mother Theresa’s life and the lives of Buddha, Jesus, St. Francis, Gandhi, King and Thich Nhat Hanh, I see the power in their moment to moment practice of choosing love in much more difficult circumstances than I’ve ever faced.  I choose to carry close to me this awareness of those who went before me.  This is my ruby slipper practice.  In every moment I remember my intention to love and I am that.  How grateful I am that no matter where I am, no matter what is happening in and around me, I can have a ruby slipper moment and come home to my heart.

Today, I walk in God’s shoes.  I see with God’s eyes.  I stand in the loving intention of those who went before me and I AM that.  Infinite patience brings the Peace that takes me home.

Every day I write about the healing practices that became my Masterful Living Program and helped me change my life for the better – it’s continued to this day. This is what I’d like to share with anyone who is willing to do the work with me.  Let’s work together and let go of the painful past.