Do you realize that all the darkness we're collectively witnessing and processing is there to show us what's been there all along but hidden in plain sight?  And, do you realize these events are catalysts of divine potential in the service of the shared humanity we're here to learn, embody, and express?  Is there another reason why you're personally here on Earth? 💜 P.S. speaking of divine potential you can download a free digital copy of INFLUENCER by me and Miyu the Zen, the cat I serve. 😹 Print copies via B&N online.   By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Unconditional truth is truth that has no opposite. It is a fact or set of facts that cannot be argued and thus the primary pathway to dispelling it is psychological-emotional warfare via well-known tactics including:  personal or political agenda shaming or name-calling undermining or threatening the messenger fabricating false evidence  gaslighting and crazy-making organized opposition (conscious or unconscious) personal or professional intimidation  fear of death -- specifically ego, role, status or economic The use of these tactics alone tells us something important about the people or groups leveraging these approaches. Namely it tells us more about their opinions, worldview, or "truth" [with a small "t" as my philosophy professor used to say], and very little or nothing about the truth that remains despite the narratives designed to conflate or confuse innocent individuals.   The more we learn about ourselves, the better we're able to discern fact from...

The anti-Christ is not one person but a collective expression of the blockage or denial of the Light in this world. Blockage? Denial? Yes.  Anti-Christ refers to the unconscious underbelly of human existence. Until we recognize it, face it, and befriend it, this shadow operates in you and me. In psychology and health education we call this tender revealing shadow work; the conscious process of uncovering the programs operating in you; your thoughts, your beliefs, your behaviors, your mind-- literally your world and self-view. Shadow work is a form of relational learning and wellbeing; of recognizing that we are in relationship with that which we fear , hate or love.  How do we overcome (heal) the anti-Christ in us? By bringing more light (awareness/consciousness) into our lives and days.  By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

In the fall of 2018, I offered/facilitated a small group experience called Soul Work- a study group for the spirit.  Derived from many decades of life, learning, and teaching, Soul Work was like a crazy 'Hail Mary' to the world following my daughter's passing (in July of 2018), and the fact that my teaching appointment had been given away to a fancy visiting professor. So, grieving and conventionally unemployed, I dove deep into writing what eventually became Until it Happens to You and my tiny course called Soul Work.  Now, 8-years later, Soul Work is knocking so hard on my heart's door, it is destined to re-emerge; be-come something yet again. 💙 By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Everything in life is relational-- it is interconnected and inescapable. The thoughts and thinking (worldview) that brought us here, to this powerful time in American history, will not and cannot help us overcome our national (and individual) insecurity.  Rebranding is not going to help us. Power-over tactics are not going to help us. Annihilation of other countries???-- Holy Moly, that's actually the opposite of super intelligence.  From a psychological, spiritual, physical and emotional perspective, the strategies that temper human insecurity are well-known and include respect* (*a high form of intelligence), compassion, and love.   Our common evolution has brought us here, to this choice point. Do we stay in a toxic relationship and aligned with leaders and cultures that divide, extract, and destroy? Or do we dare love ourselves enough to move towards that which is beautiful and just for everyone -- towards the real security that comes from getting our heads out o...

Given the recent uptick of political propaganda, I thought I would chime in with some of my own ;)  Propagandists of love (a poem) Have you heard of them? The propagandists of love? They’re the ones who imagine the most harmonious outcomes --- the ones who freely share the grace they’ve witnessed and received-- the ones who talk about their own sadness and gladness — the ones who urge us to look deeply when we’ve been blissfully deceived.   Those crazy propagandists want to brainwash us into believing in the sanctity of nature, of spirit, of God—and preach about economic justice, peace, and prosperity for all! When division and war are so profitable and seductive, who would ever fall for such a ridiculous and naive call? (from Propagandists of love (reprise) , originally published in  Silence is alive, Solara Publishing, 2024) By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Everything is living intelligence-- all of it in different densities and forms. While our regular minds dwell in the binary 'yes/no realm', our emotional body yields deeper insights into what's most important to us. Without this awareness we're literally stuck in the density and adolescence of our lives. Remember: intelligence and wisdom are not the same thing.   Operating from the lens of our mind/personality-self is, of course, a necessary stage in our individual and collective development. However, maturing into adulthood-elderhood requires us to get lighter,  "get over ourselves" and integrate new information that helps us to live our lives with a higher integrity and the humility that comes from reflecting and contemplating our own mortality and lives.   From my own training and work experience, part of our political crisis is a crisis of wisdom; leaders with myopic mindsets that are as dominating as they are dangerous. To them, emotional intelligence...

While the clarity lens  invites us to look at things from all sides in order to see a higher (deeper) truth, the tender lens asks for something different--- to accept what is.    Without our tender acceptance we cannot move past, through, or over any thing. Without our tenderness we cannot see the reality and wholeness of things. Truth has 144 sides (existing quote, not mine). As such, wisdom implores us to pause, breathe, and observe. Only then can we make informed (data-driven) and mindful choices that don't hurt our precious hearts.     By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

This information is for all of us--- so that we can better discern what-is-what not from a "red lens" or a "blue lens", but from a clear one--- the clarity lens.   #1 . Why all the hoopla with AI & data centers?--- Why does the leading administration of this country insist that half of the population is super dumb and they are the only smart ones?  Answer: Consider the motives of the messenger- - this requires a number of filters: media, communication, and political literacy and your own gut-heart discernment.   Is the motive to include & unite, or verbally abuse & divide?  how does it feel to you? do you believe that others are dumb? why?   #2.   What are some examples of e xtractive business models and why all the hoopla? Answer: Private equity (PE) in any industry, military and all government-subsidized industries including AI use vast amounts of public economic and environmental resources. They are not the future, but a contin...

For many of us, beauty is a felt sense. While beautiful things do delight the eyes, or in the case of music delight our body through the ears, nature has the ability to enter our consciousness in the way that few things can.  As a long-time observer of nature, it always feels like there's an exchange that occurs when we truly notice something that takes our breath away. My sense is that the soul of nature is speaking to my soul--- having a sweet conversation without words. Helping more individuals to connect with their God-given soul senses will enable them to see, hear, and feel the soul of life in them. And this is not only essential for their overall wellbeing, but good for community and planetary health. By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Consent is a spiritual law. Generally protected by concepts such as, natural laws,  inalienable rights and the freewill granted to us by God/Source, it is understood that violating a person's right to peace, freedom, wellbeing, and their pursuit of meaning are non-negotiables.  When state 'leaders' decide to give away our land and resources to corporations without our consent, to build prisons and data centers no less, they're not only violating community and citizen's rights, they are violating spiritual law. These violations are so vast and visible they can no longer be hidden or unseen.  If you're an individual who believes in the God of Extraction Capitalism, I implore you to reconsider and to study. Commerce and exchange are sacred things. Human slavery and the sale and extraction of community resources for the enrichment of the few is not-- they are a distortion and corruption of our shared humanity and go against natural laws.  I speak for myself and ma...

I watched a news video yesterday--- of the president of this country yelling (YELLING!) at a female reporter. It's not the first time, of course, but a pattern of behavior.  Any woman who has lived through any kind of domestic violence or abuse knows this tone, this face, and the vile, violent, and twisted words that emerge from a wound so deep, it is unreachable or amenable from the outside.  Generally speaking, the great uncaring doesn't begin or occur in isolation-- we can safely speculate on its roots: from childhood? from abuse they witnessed or experienced? from fear of being who they are? anger at society for having to fight/win/survive? from generational wounds seeking healing through them?   The great uncaring is a like a cancer in our culture and society. And like most chronic conditions it can only be treated by the individual through conscious awareness, emotional intelligence, a caring community, and self-love.  By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publis...

Ohio's elder care system is on fire and more of us need to sound the alarm.  There is indeed waste, fraud, and abuse in our system, but it's not from the families or daughters who deplete their savings and lives providing free care. The waste, fraud, and abuse is from the corporations who insisted they would take care of us.  While institutions rob and extract billions upon billions of dollars from Medicaid and from families, people sit around and report the same thing day in and day out; " the system is corrupt and broken" .  This didn't happen overnight, but over 30 or so years of disempowering families and women in particular with punitive policies and one consistent message: "we know better than you!" PE (private equity) firms in Ohio are some of the richest institutions in the state. In the meantime, citizens and residents alike observe the professional uncaring that naturally happens when human and community welfare is systematically undermined by ...

Knowing that everything serves is an important reminder; one I often circle back to again and again. Anytime we're triggered by something unpleasant or a plot-twist of sorts (like venture capitalists/private equity purchasing a beloved industry), this is a good time to "zoom out", literally pan-out and see the bigger picture. Shadows or what we perceive as shadows or the negative expression of anyone or anything is there for our awareness and light. Literally coaxing it-- inviting it into conscious activation so that we may realize the beautiful and good that's guiding our lives.  By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

A few weeks ago our mom's assisted living provider was purchased by a private equity group. I call them vulture capitalists because their only goal is to strip what little is still fresh and viable; they gut it, bankrupt it, and then fly off to "save" the next wounded industry.   Do you know what the average time is between acquisition and sell-off? About 4 years. They are the antithesis of a caring community and a caring economy. While the employees fake smiles to hide their terror, the residents and their families, already under severe distress, are literally just buying time.  Like millions of Americans I too am deeply steeped in the legacy of misguided economics and shiny savior promises. Like many who once believed in the Religion of Privatization and trickle-down-economics, I’m once again savoring the unpleasant feel and flavor of a “business” wholly designed to extract shared resources and wealth.    As I reflect on my decades-long jo...

The contemplative life is accessible to anyone at any time.  But when, where, and how do you even start? I can't answer that for you, but can share how it began for me.  Noticing.  Noticing is the point of contact with present-time -- with that which captivates your attention and stirs your heart in this moment.  Do you notice a repeated thought? a thought pattern? an emotion? an attachment? a color? or something beautiful in the middle of chaos that makes you heart smile?   Reviewing your own data, that which  you consistently notice, is sacred work and the only way I know to step into the field of curiosity; of actual life.  Like Thoreau's tender quote reminds us "it's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see" .   What we see  is the invitation-- it's where we begin our divine apprenticeship and courtship with life.      By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

The "hinged" candidate/aspiring public leader checklist:   self-awareness - if your ego is doing all the talking, we can't tell what's actually in your heart.  emotional intelligence -- without it you can't express or model respect for others-- especially your opponent(s).  social intelligence - without it you're likely unaware that other human beings (including opponents) are not like you, but that doesn't make them "unhinged", just different from you.  communication intelligence - clearly and consistently expressing your unique gifts and qualities. systems/spiritual intelligence -- how are you actively minimizing fear and  proposing people work with you to be wiser/happier than they are today? By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

I taught marketing courses in higher ed for 11 years. Twice each year, a capstone group project was assigned.  Coming from a background as a corporate trainer, I was well-versed in adult education theory and methods. This experience not only gave me a little edge in understanding the psychology beneath a number of factors that make projects, in general, fail or succeed, but it informed me on the unique challenges and importance of project-work in general.  Accordingly, one thing that was standard policy in my courses was choice ; students could choose to work in semi-randomly assigned groups or work alone.  By a show of hands I would get a sense of the students who wanted to work alone-- typically a small number, and then conduct an abbreviated Insights-style assessment for everyone.  At the conclusion of the 10 or so question assessment, I would ask: "Where are the yellows in the group?" The "yellows" eagerly raised their hands and I would ask them to "come on...

The Divided Self which is the natural state of being in the dimension of time (the 3 rd dimension) teaches us that whatever we reject or exile inevitably becomes an anchor--- emotionally, psychologically, physically, and energetically. Unless you make it so, this is a temporary passage of experience, not a permanent state.   What are the gifts of the 4 th dimension (and the 4 th chakra of our bodies)—the emotional, astral, mythical realm of existence? The Undivided Self--- the integrated human, the modern human, a wise human being. Can we access more layers and dimensions of knowing while we’re still alive in our bodies? Yes, but only if you follow your heart and Soul— they are our only direct line to God/Source.  By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Learning about the latest website project from the leadership team in Washington, DC.,  inspired me to consider a number of things. Titled American Arcade, its aim is to indoctrinate American children in the values of American shadow culture. What do I mean by shadow culture? The sad, dark, oppressive, and unforgiving aspects of a country’s personality seeking visibility, illumination, and healing.    Most of us are familiar with the term shadow from psychology and the work of Carl Jung. All of us have a shadow. It’s the primitive, survival-based drives that stem from a wounded ego—from a blocked or dysregulated root chakra run amok. Countries have shadows too. If the fact that the United States leads the world in the number of prisons, the worst health outcomes, food insecurity, and the number of single-family homes and social service institutions owned by private equity firms has not awakened leaders and citizens alike, hopefully the new arcade will.   ...

There's a gorgeous and growing silent majority in our country. They live in every state and  come from every background and human shade. Their key defining feature? Their ability to sense benevolence through the energetics of the human heart. What is benevolence? The stance of "do not harm" --- of not hurting anyone or anything intentionally or as a matter of policy.  As many more of us notice and realize the harms caused by the cultural expressions of malevolence*, a gentle energy is activated that naturally awakens an inner call to speak up and out. Despite the machinations of our current systems it is no match for the vast, living data base that informs the human spirit and heart. Accordingly, our response to current events is lived through the ability to move towards that which is beautiful and just;  that which serves humanity and is designed for our collective common good.   *Cultural expressions of malevolence  violence and abuse of women (verbal, physica...

Throughout my publishing career, collaborations and working with friends was always a given. The joy of sitting around my dining room table, hashing out ideas, book covers, and marketing plans remains a personal and career highlight for me.   All this took a giant pause following my daughter's passing, then COVID, then my re-turn to corporate America for a few years. It wasn't until mid-2024 when my dear friend Eric reached out with an idea to do a book on soul, joy and love in every day life. That book became ONE WITH THE LIGHT.   Then I turned 60. And when recurring caregiving duties took over my life in a deep and demanding way something hit me: I'm not a 'spring chicken' (lol), I'm an old-er mother hen! While there are countless leadership initiatives for young people/professionals, there are few for individuals 55+-- and so it struck me: the world needs wise elders-- we need to hone our "wisdomship", and model modern elderhood for our children and...

Looking back on my career, its evolution, involution, and refinement, I can see that purpose was a lens.  In corporate America, the purpose lens was commonly teased out by way of psychological assessments like Insights and MB which reduced us to a type, or a color, or a shade of something we could hold and admire about ourselves.  As we age and mature, our purpose is less so about an avatar or sequence of letters, and more about a longing or yearning that lives deep within our hearts.  In the meantime, purpose is what happens when we're busy searching and making other plans.        By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC Photo: Miyu and me (selfie)-- Yes, that's MIYU the great cat INFLUENCER (lol)