ALONE WITH GOD

ALONE IS TO BE STILL
LONELY IS TO BE RESTLESS

To be lonely, a gut wrenching hollowness, comes from a place of spiritual emptiness. So you call up a "space filler," only to feel empty again the moment they leave your presence. Lonely only enhances your problems because its only purpose is to seek temporary resolutions. To be alone with God offers eternal gratification.

Lonely is not reserved for the single; married men and women are just as susceptible because what I speak of here is spiritual, not physical loneliness. When the restless settles in, you may blame your mate for the impeding doom of your psyche that was masked by the love and comfort of your mate. Your soul will recognize the masquerade and the truth will play itself out.

It’s okay to feel lonely if you recognize it as a time you should be more involved in nurturing your soul. Lonely can surely be transformed into alone because alone is your place with God and, after all, God will never leave you. You will always be one with the creator. The creator can not exist without that which it created. You and God are one and the same but when you feel lonely you have emotionally lost acceptance of your divine connection.

Often we look for people to complete us because we are afraid of that intimate relationship with the God-self. We end up with someone with the same flaws because it's the only way to acknowledge your own character blemishes, so instead you project them onto someone else, denying their reflection of you. So the ego boasts without personal acceptance and never reconciles the inner conflict.

I have to laugh now, but many years ago I asked a man, "Do I complete you?" I feared losing him so I asked the question, hoping he would fear never being complete without me. I was emotionally and spiritually lonely; protruding my emptiness into his space, of course at the time not realize what I was doing. The lonely seek other lonely people for comfort because they feel ignored by the people simply seeking personal alone time. Intervals of alone time will give you balance, energy and clarity.

Now is the time to be alone with God. Don't fear the stillness within because that is your Being surrendering to the light of God. Submerge in the light and you will find spiritual clarity and emotional stability. You can be alone and happy; alone and fulfilled; alone and single; alone and married.

I suggest making time to be alone because it will actually enhance the relationships with those you love. What good are you to them if you are not any good to yourself? Light can not penetrate through loneliness, although it's inside of you waiting to be exposed as you surrender to alone-time with God.

Are you able to find "alone-time" with God? If so, describe to me one of your "alone-time" experiences.

Shelli Tinae

VIVA COSTA RICA

"Are people really this nice?" That’s the question I kept asking myself during my stay in Costa Rica. By the end of my seven day trip I discovered the answer is a resounding, “yes!” I expected the staff at the resort to go above and beyond courteous – but the people in the neighboring towns of Montezuma, Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, were just as organic.

There is a collective consciousness in Costa Rica and it’s centered on love and compassion. It was not just the native Costa Rican’s but all the world implants that showed me a peaceful world is possible. In the U.S. the idea of peace sounds more like a Disney inspired fairytale then a foreseeable reality. Countries that are not founded on the ravishes of racism have a different idea of how to live. There isn't a group of the shamed, intermingling with a group of the resentful.

In Costa Rica they often say “PURA VIDA,” which means “PURE LIFE." I think a lot of us get trapped in the day-to-day demands and the idea of a pure day is far fetched, let alone the idea of a whole life that is pure. What’s considered a pure life is relative and unique to each of us but we can not follow a plan to experience pure life, we have to create it.

I highly suggest traveling abroad to see what the world has to offer. America is only the land of the free in theory, clouded by a matrix of obstacles to keep us confined and stagnant.

SHELLI TINAE – YOUR COSTA RICAN TOUR GUIDE
As your official tour guide, I would like to highlight some of my favorite parts of my Central American adventure:

TORTUGA ISLAND
We took a 30 minute ride on a speed boat across the Nicoya Peninsula to Tortuga Island. It is owned by the Costa Rican government but leased to a family for 99 years. The family is the only inhabitants of the scenic island and their livelihood is based on tourism, as several boats enter their bay everyday loaded with attentive tourists.


MAL PAIS CANOPY TOUR AND SUNSET
If you are looking to have the time of your life, you have to canopy through the rainforest. At Mal Pais there were 11 platforms. The thrill of ziplining 11 times through the lush rainforest was amazing. There are just you, the cord you dangle from, the beauty of the rainforest and the Howler Monkey’s that occupy the region.


After the canopy at Mal Pais we went to the ocean shore and watched a captivating sunset. It’s amazing how the Sun, with the ocean as its background, put me in a mood to pray and give thanks to the Sun for being so faithful each and every day. Think about it; have any of us ever been this faithful? Well, we can sure try.

MONTEZUMA

We took a taxi to Montezuma, a small town about 20 miles from our resort at Tambor Beach. It's a Bohemian influenced area with great food, people and a beautiful beach. A lot of American's have claimed this small piece of heaven but it still has its Costa Rican authenticity.



NEW AND OLD AMIGOS
I went with my girls and loyal travel buddies, Sahsha and Marcia. We always have a good time on our excursions and Costa Rica was no different.




We also linked up with some cool people from Toronto, Canada and Tampa, Florida. We met many people that I will undoubtedly keep in touch with but these guys are definitely worth mentioning. We met Adrian, Gemma, Brian “Bubba”, Steve and Paula on the second day off our voyage and I think we spent the rest of our trip with them!


I am so very thankful for the Costa Rican energy. I somehow feel renewed which has prompted me to take their idea of "pura vida" with me so it will infulence my life.

Share your mind with me! I'm also here to answer questions for any of you interested in taking a trip there.

Blessings!