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I was introduced to the work of David Whyte in the 1990's-- in corporate America of all places.  At the time, I was a young project manager in a leadership development rotation through our training and development department.  My primary mentors, three profoundly generous and wise women took me under their wings like the baby bird that I was. Each of them not only  illuminated the technical aspects of adult learning protocols and processes, but who they were as human beings. It was a life and career altering rotation to say the least.    As a young professional I hardly had the depth nor maturity to understand what David Whyte was talking about or what most of it meant. But when this poem, Sweet Darkness re-found me in 2009 it both  haunted and changed my life. Today, I understand and have lived every single word and maybe you have too.   Sweet Darkness (in the collection The House of Belonging ) When your eyes are tired the world is tired ...

All of us enter life with unique wiring and a divine blueprint. Depending on your individual path and journey, there are things you'll naturally outgrow along the way.  Below is a list of some of the things I've outgrown -- ideas and both behavioral and cultural patterns I've evolved/matured beyond. I would  also like to note that about half of these lessons came directly from the soulful wisdom of my daughters-- the one on Earth who's still schooling me, and my cosmic angel who never misses a chance to remind me "the best is yet to come mom, keep going!!!"  colonialism (in myself) toxic masculinity (in myself) toxic capitalism (regular capitalism/exchange is our friend!) consumerism (a form of addiction)  charity (a form of structural colonialism)  "fighting" for a cure/cause (a form of structural militarism) "winning" (a form of structural colonialism) addiction (my one big lifelong addiction was to "thought"-- my blind ...

In several of my former corporate roles, I wrote job descriptions. They always followed the same recipe: what the job entails (a job summary), the aptitude and skill-set required, and both the desired and minimum requirements for the job.  Given that our country (and world) are in a time of evolutionary change, my sense is that it's important to state the obvious out loud:  serving in public office is a sacred duty.   At minimum, you need to:  #1. respect all people; and  #2. embody the social, emotional, and intellectual maturity to honor the sacred role of serving others. If you don't like people or think people are dumb, public service may not be for you-- but there are many ways you can still serve. The world needs all of us! All of us are in this soup together-- learning how to do things better every single day.  Truth is that the world needs leaders who reflect our highest human virtues --- individuals who are  self-aware, sensitive ...

Women become wise slowly. It begins when we pause to look plainly at all the ways life went wrong, or sideways, or simply stopped being kind. But more importantly, all the ways it lifted, tenderized, and directed our own course. We grow wise from the inside: through the thousand and one betrayals that forced our adaptation and disillusionment; from the courage to walk away from partnerships built on false foundations; from the patience of allowing the same tender lessons of life to touch those who betrayed our hearts—and that includes ourselves.    There’s a powerful prayer I learned in graduate school—the Gestalt prayer (see Fritz Perls) which goes like this: "I do my thing and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, And you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful. If not, it can't be helped." The medicine of life is there for all of us. ...

As we learn more about the way our world and universe actually works, polarized cultural bands become increasingly obsolete.  Polarized cultural bands are thought forms that pit one thing against another. The either-or mentality or fear programs all of us were taught to operate from. These are persistent bands of consciousness that exclude the intelligence of life/nature/energy/God and of our own human hearts. Ideas like  business/profits over people/humanity, this religion is the one and only, these are the good guys/saviors, this political party over the other (and vice-versa) keep us operating in a particular band of existence that limits our God-given gifts.   Although it may appear as such, nothing in God's universe is one-sided. It is, we are, multi-sided --- mind, body, and spirit.   Anytime we notice ourselves arguing with reality or with our own deeper wisdom, that's a symptom that part of us is estranged or in exile. Bring yourself back into sani...

This post is inspired by a dear friend who many years ago commented: "you can't argue with insanity."  -- something I still remind myself of from time to time.  Culturally-speaking, insanity is common anytime someone  operates from a divided or polarized band of awareness which is what happens anytime we leave our center, our soul-self.  So, h ow do we stop our common addiction to engage in the ping-pong of changing someone's mind? #1. First and foremost, know that you cannot change anyone's mind. Minds are changed from the inside-- from the person themselves, not from us informing, telling, teaching, instructing, yelling, shaming, shouting, undermining, or any of the garden variety tactics people employ to keep you in their ping-pong  game . #2. Stop playing ping-pong. Put your paddle down and walk away from the table. #3. If the urge persists, notice yourself returning to the realm of division and polarization. Notice yourself with non-judgement, tenderly, wit...

Culture tells men that pain, fear, and anger can only be tempered through control and power-over tactics.  And so they learn to externalize and weaponize their confusion to prove and protect their masculinity.  Se lf-awareness and honoring grief are radical forms of love for brave and wise men. This is one of the most powerful and valuable lessons my dad taught me.    By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com  ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

The desire to understand how you think, what you know, and how you know you know , is a simple way to describe metacognition. Another way to say is this: “the awareness of your own thought processes, including its evaluation.” Relative to culture, the simplest application of metacognition is to ask yourself: “how’s that working out for you?” This kind of question ushers us into a tender investigation of our beautiful selves as the living, fluid, and creative forms we each are. As a former educator, project manager, and life-long student, I’ve always valued the process of self-inquiry, dot-connecting, and evaluating outcomes. That’s why for anyone who's analytical in nature or enjoys using their mind to solve puzzles, I encourage the use of journals and contemplations on gratitude and self-awareness.  But...there are other ways to know that don't require any analysis; only your presence, awareness and love.   Recommended journals: Grateful – 30-day self-care journal ...

All human beings have (are) a soul. Not when you die, but right now.  You're allowed to talk to your soul, ask it/yourself questions and learn how to listen. Your soul is connected to other souls, and to God-- our common Source.  You/your body is already equipped with soul senses. They are "factory equipped" (lol) and just waiting for you to activate them. I had no idea I had access to these until life/God helped me activate them one by one.  Some people believe that these senses are anti-progress and anti-American, but I don't see it that way at all. T hese behaviors actually make us stronger and fortify us from the inside-out-- they naturally evolve the goodness within each of us. There's way more, but here's my list:  Awareness Acceptance Balance Compassion Contentment Creativity Empathy Equanimity Faith Forgiveness Generosity Graciousness Gratitude Humility Humor Inclusion Integrity Kindne...

The way you see and perceive has direct implications for your state of mind and wellbeing.  If you think about it, most of us were never taught how to look, only what to look at. The good news is that with little guidance most of us can expand our seeing and perceiving. But first, let's level set.  Looking at something and blaming the conditions on others or its opposite does not equate to seeing something. Notice this. Notice when you’re projecting and regurgitating versus actually operating from the wisdom of your heart. Presence requires a deeper way of looking -- a seeing that taps into your soul senses to view things from their essential root and form.   Want to practice?  To access your beginner’s mind, you must be willing to “clear your cache and browsing data” (lol) and set your preconceptions aside. Then ask yourself: what do I need in this moment to feel safe, coherent, and loved? When we operate from open and loving queries the solution...

A brief and tender story (for adults)-- especially for anyone who has ever been confused or suppressed their own wisdom and light.   https://mayraporrata.com/b/misadventuresofana By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

My daughter Serena used to make fun of my Aquarian approach to business, specifically the promotion of our first book Lilly's Life [retired].   She often lamented "mom, you give away more books than we actually sell!"   -- and we would both laugh and agree that doing so was the most noble and honest thing we could do.  For her, having been partly raised in a culture/country that valued production and monetized every single interaction, my approach was certainly different. And yet she deeply understood that some things were so honest, abundant, and real that to monetize them would amount to insanity.  In a culture that values division, war, and "isms", kindness is wildly unprofitable. As more of us realize the value of simply being human and humane, perhaps that will change.  Download >>   Soul Friends    By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Our lives are a bit like a road trip. All of us start out excited, but then a flat tire, a road block, a detour--- and then we get turned around and lose our way.  None  of us are immune from the drama and energetic complexity on this shared road and landscape.  All of us worry, all of us get anxious, all of us get angry and lost. Here are some of the landmarks most of us visit: The Inner Landscape  The Inner Landscape is the densest, most rugged, and  challenging part of the road and landscape. The Inner  Landscape is riddled with temporary traps, dead-ends,  and side-trips—some pleasant, some not.     Novice travelers may have to visit all the stops before  they move on to The Divine Thresholds. Some may  simply get bored and decide to move on to Thresholds  on their own. For others, just a few stops are sufficient  for them to drive away and only return when they need  to re-visit The Past or other missed sto...

It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how much time or lifetimes you think you wasted conforming and performing. Nothing has been wasted. Everything has served. Everything was there for you and your soul’s growth. But whenever you decide to dwell within your own inner landscape—the sacred realm of personal power and truth, you will find precious clues to the treasures and adventures God placed there for you.   You don’t have to believe me. You only have to believe in you.   By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Though my writing often points out the mysterious and wondrous complexity of being a human being, the point of it is this: you don’t have to understand any of it to appreciate and accept yourself and embrace what you love. Love is its own language and intelligence. It transforms matter, distance, and illusion. It needs no conditions, only your allowance. By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

It’s not that far a stretch to consider that if we can be tough on ourselves, we can also be soft and treat ourselves with  tenderness and kindness.   When we shift our focus away from the muck and towards beauty, we make time to pursue our dreams, live our passions, and honor the calling of our hearts.    By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

The collision of artificial tech/forms with human ingenuity and creativity is in full display. Some call this late or end-stage capitalism—and it does feel like the death of something for sure. Mass layoffs, greed on steroids, and hazardous and extractive initiatives that prioritize technology over human beings are all symptoms of the last gasp of an economic system that’s at odds with humans, wisdom, and with life itself—literally. It appears as if something important was overlooked in all the planning and ‘winning’ frenzy and it is this: the end user, the consumer, always decides which innovations take root and which are rejected. [See Diffusion of innovations theory, Everett Rogers].  Data and intelligence are yesterday’s innovation. The future belongs to the creative, thoughtful, and kind—and at the end of the day, it is the human heart that ultimately decides.  By Mayra Porrata | comments: mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

When children are respected and supported by parents, this doesn’t inoculate them from life challenges or hardships, but it generally guarantees they grow up without shame—being proud of who they are. Shame is a punishing mental program that tells the thinker: “there is something wrong with you”. That’s the opposite of pride—of respecting and embracing who one is. Even if we ourselves don’t fully understand every complexity or paradox within us, embracing ourselves helps moderate our fears about being different or unlovable. In fact, the recognition of one’s diversity -- the ways you are unique and the deeper appreciation of identity (your own) is critical to your development as a human being and as a soul. June is Pride month-- a celebration of identify and human joy. Whether you like Pride month, or LQBTQ people, or parades or not is not the point. This is an opportunity for you/me/we to turn the lens inward and honor and celebrate the living spirit within each and all of us....

All of us are living in and through a powerful time in human history—a time of both evolutionary and revolutionary change. While it's certainly unsettling, please know there’s a deeper invitation hidden beneath and within these clouds. At present time, there are millions of individuals who have gone through several wash and spin cycles on the washing machine of life. They are in every country and community in the world. They are the ones who have stepped off or were kicked off the conveyer belt of conventional success and performance and had no other rational choice but to follow their inner wisdom and voice.  If this happens to you, please know you're not alone or that you somehow 'failed'. On the road of life we are all students and teachers helping each other to follow the inner-calling and knowing of our hearts.   By Mayra Porrata comments:  mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC

Social media has helped more of us notice and observe conservatism and its derivatives. From my experience, conservatism stems from a band of awareness (see Self-understanding ) that leads people to value superiority, safety, and control over anyone or anything else. Conservatism is a form of fear – a personal and cultural refusal to grow beyond the confines of belief. It could also be viewed as an indirect form of violence—a commitment to controlling others, especially women,  through  policy, ridicule, or shame.     The conservative stance is deeply bound to dogma, nationalism, extractive economies, power-over mechanisms, and with leaders who promote and perpetuate these mindsets and policies. What are they conserving? Unconditional love.   By Mayra Porrata comments:  mayra@solarapublishing.com ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC