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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

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...

Human beings are naturally endowed and imbued with God-given technology--- as such, there's a vast intelligence operating within and around you. If you doubt this statement then tell me: how does your mind work? why do you think the thoughts you do? how does your body operate? what enables you to feel, dream, hope, and accept grace? what urges you to fight? what actually is keeping you alive? Do you know? Our ignorance is no longer optional. Our compassion is no longer optional. What is optional is the choice to allow any leader or group to insert primitive technology into our towns and bodies and then sell it back to us as an advancement--as "the future".  Control is not the future. Division is not the future. Hoarding and raping the Earth is not the future. Toxic capitalism is not the future. Incarcerating human beings for profit is not the future. These are all functions of our collective past. And perhaps why they feel somewhat familiar and resonant. However, our  mut...

There's a common tendency among many of us, self-included, the default to quickly fix or rescue someone or something instead of allowing ourselves the time (respect) of feeling our way to what is wise.  Another way to describe this dynamic is control through   the rescuing of others when radical compassion is what's called for instead.  Compassion is a relationship between equals. This is timeless wisdom that took me many years to integrate and fully activate. What hindered me are the usual things: first-born daughter, overly-responsible, analytical, empathetic, spiritual, practical-- all the perfect ingredients that make someone efficient, dutiful, and sometimes an arrogant jerk-face.  Fixing and control are common anxiety reducers. If you ever notice this tendency in yourself, you may find that the arrogance that first activated your "fixing muscle" was then followed by a number of unpleasant symptoms and sensations: resentment, exhaustion, false pride, and anger....

As the language and awareness around quantum mechanics and the quantum field reaches more individuals,  I'm finding myself connecting with friends and colleagues in an even richer  way. Fielding questions about consciousness, Spirit, and life not only informs the inquirer, but it deepens my own awareness and sense of self.   In my career as a community health educator, my approach was always "from the inside-out". This was not because I wanted to be a jerk-face contrarian (lol), but because that is how reality is created-- from the inside-out. You/we can create 'reality' that is divisive and punitive (as we do today), or we can create a 'reality' where we honor the divine in each and every life-- including our gorgeous and abundant planet.  From my research and observations, it's impossible to be sane and 'healthy' if we're constantly striving to fit standards that are not our own--- standards designed to keep us ensnared in mind loops with...

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 or 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 a...

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