Lauren Buglioli: Living From My Heart

Everything and everyone is a mirror reflection of a different angle of us. To what we give our attention, our energies start to flow, and our desires become real. From our broader perspective, there is no difference between us and everything that surrounds us. From our self-perspective, we can experience the unique expression of Everything That Exists, which in turn expands through our asking, giving us everything we allow ourselves to receive. One of the practices to experience the God-like perspective within our physicality is to connect to our heart. The moment we place our two palms together and rest them upon our chest center, we can sense the loving energies running throughout our entire body; it is the vibrational translation of the words, “Thank you. I love you.”

Artist Lauren Buglioli, who plays Margaret in Tyler Perry’s upcoming new film A Jazzman’s Blues, says. “I am heart-centered, heart-focused, perhaps sometimes to my detriment. And especially within the entertainment industry, which has been a spiritual assignment for me; not being concerned with what people think of me, how I’m perceived, just continuing to move forward from that heart-centered space. And knowing that at the end of the day, everything that’s happening is for the highest good of all—not being afraid of the outcome, not being afraid of making perceived mistakes—just having that heart-centered moment and saying, ‘I’m willing to learn and grow from this.”

When we observe and experience the variety that our world offers to us, we are able to make preferences, create new desires, experience more variety, and propel more expansion. Experiencing different cultures, meeting different people, and seeing different ways of living allows us to open ourselves to the beautiful multiplicity of the world and decide what resonates with us the most. Disliking something doesn’t have to be a negative experience; it’s more of a moment of gaining the clarity of what we want. Therefore, the experience of exploring the world is an opportunity to discover and expand more of ourselves. 

Lauren was born in LA and then relocated to London, where she spent the majority of her youth into her high school years. About her experience in the UK as an accomplished equestrian and artist, she says, “Realizing how large the world is always felt very humbling and comforting to me. I was very lucky to get to see a lot and to experience a lot. As an artist, I am an empath. So, getting to meet a lot of people, connecting with them, and seeing the world was a gift that I got from a young age. And it was invaluable having all of these experiences in my formative years. You take yourself out of your immediate environment into a new place surrounded by new people, just with a desire to connect and experience life. And you’re not necessarily the Lauren who’s a dog mom and an actress, but now you’re just a stranger in the streets of Barcelona, wanting to connect with someone in a cafe. So, I think it’s nice to take yourself out of your environment and separate from those things that build up your identity that we are sometimes so attached to and experience ourselves from a new angle.”

We all are an extension of the Universe; therefore, we are always connected to Source, as we are Everything That Exists embodied in a specific physical form. There is no – and can never be any —  separation between us and God, which is the part of us that is always assisting us in receiving anything we desire; we just need to ask. And the asking happens through our physical selves. There is no hierarchy between physical and non-physical; it’s all equal, as it’s interwoven within the asking and receiving dance between both perspectives we encompass. And many might ask, why do we then forget that? Because if we would remember everything, there would be no discovery, which would imply the end of expansion, and that simply can’t be. 

“I feel like the more everything is an experience for you to learn, grow, evolve from, the more exciting life is, trusting that we live in an abundant world. There is always more on the way, and if I do an audition and it isn’t my role, then great, someone else’s dream gets to come true. But the second I think that role will fix my life, or give me a sense of self, or heal me, then I’m in big trouble. So, I think it’s holding things with an open palm and saying, ‘Whatever is for me is for me. Who can inspire me? Who can I learn from? How can I show up to a particular job and be of service just with my spirit?’ I love focusing on doing my work and wanting to give the best performance possible for the show or film that I’m working on. But who can I connect with on that set that needs a little bit of joy, that needs some light, then it goes from a job to a way of being that feels like the best job I’ve ever worked on. Because if the desire is to connect, if the desire is to co-create versus looking good, it’s fun. When you are doing it to prove that you’re worthy, that’s a slippery slope. I think it’s just reminding yourself that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be at any given moment and you can hopefully learn what you need to learn to go on to the next thing,” shares Lauren. 

Everything starts with an idea, which is the tiniest kernel of our being. How do we create our life experience? Thoughts are like fluffy clouds composed by tiny drops of water. By giving our attention to similar thoughts, we feed them with energies, like the drops in the clouds that become more and more dense. At some point, the energies start to solidify becoming physical, like the drops in the clouds become so heavy that they manifest as rain. And sometimes, the rain crystalizes into ice, which we call snow. A similar analogy can be applied to how thoughts become ideas, and how by giving our attention to these ideas, they become physical. Being aware of the attention we are giving thoughts—energy of love and abundance or fear and doubt—will bring to us different experiences. There is no destination; there is only an eternal journey. When we arrive to experience a desire, we always want to express more. 

Lauren says, “100% of the people in a given industry, but especially in the entertainment industry, started with a dream. And then fear comes in, and then comparison and lack and all of the things that take that pure love of the dream that you wanted to pursue. So, it’s how often can you redirect from fear to love, from fear to joy, from fear to expansion. I think it’s really interesting, you’re constantly confronted with yourself in this business and in relationships and in the world, but when you see things as a spiritual assignment, instead of going off the rails and getting frustrated, it feels easier. I used to be very, very hard on myself. And now I pause, and I go, ‘Okay, cool, there’s something to heal here. There’s something to learn from.’ And that’s what being human is about. It’s alright, it’s a journey.”

We often look at the past condemning ourselves for things that happened, things that require conscious healing and releasing resistance. But we are not only creating the future, but also changing the past. Recognizing what was coming from fear and now has the opportunity to come from love is empowering. Any change can be made now, and we have to embody the change we want to experience. Sending hate to those who did wrong is still projecting from fear. Sending equal love to all parties involved, is very hard, but it will bring a fuller love, healing, and unity. Inclusion means to include the love we all are, express it, live it, and direct it towards everyone. 

About her character and being part of the film A Jazzman’s Blues, Lauren says,“I will say without divulging too much about the project that Margaret was living in an era that had beliefs that were a product of her environment which are not that of love and inclusion. So, it was very difficult for me as an empath, and for someone who didn’t identify with her beliefs, to say some of the things that my character says. To embody Margaret was challenging. But I brought myself back to the fact that I am telling this story and the story is beautiful. I wept the first time I read it and just being on that set, it was electric. And I kept telling myself, you’re telling the story of these lovers, and you are supporting them. So, it allowed me to not judge the character because I was there to serve the story and play a function and totally remove the ego because there’s a little bit of your ego that can creep in thinking when someone is going to watch this, they will think I’m a horrific human being. And then you separate yourself from your ego and say, ‘I get to tell the story.’ And I get to have empathy for these beautiful characters and serve that story. I just reminded myself that I play a lot of tricky human beings, some who are very, very flawed in their thinking and the way they see the world. So, I remind myself that that’s what I get to do. And thankfully, it makes me very grateful to have been raised by people who believe in love and inclusion, and it really allows me to see the character for what they are, but not judge them and serve the story.”

Every moment is a perfect moment, because we always receive what we are ready to receive. Being touched by a story that reflects an important history to us can be empowering. Although, there are many things we are still seeking healing from, when we celebrate and appreciate even the smallest win, we most likely will flow the Energies That Create Worlds that are infinitely abundant in love. Why does anything opposite to love feel bad? Because who can resist being in love when it’s our most natural state of being?

“I anticipate people being deeply moved. And I keep telling myself that if someone sees a little bit of themselves, or a little bit of a prejudice or a little bit in a character I play, then I’m doing my job. Because part of engaging with art and interfacing with art is reflecting on who we are, and maybe, the systemic prejudices that are within us. And if anyone can, myself included, I’m always reflecting and wanting to grow and wanting to be a part of art that moves people and changes people. If I can be a part of that, I am living a full life and I’m doing my job. So, in playing her, I really wanted to be cognizant of the power of saying something horrific with a smile. Evil can sometimes be quiet and equally as disturbing and the villain who is less insidious. 

Tyler Perry is astounding and so inspiring. And I’m just so grateful to have been a part of this project. The cast is beautiful. Everyone was so amazing. This is definitely a star turn for Solea Pfeiffer (as Leanne) and Joshua Boon (as Bayou), they’re going to skyrocket.”

Everything we are inspired to do to feel better and good is the best investment in ourselves. What can we offer to the world if we don’t take care of our own state of being? When we feel sadness, fear, or doubt, allow these feelings to flow and remember: these feelings are not us, they are just indicating that we are focusing on the opposite of what we desire to experience. When we feel bliss, love, and appreciation, revel in it. But when we once again deviate from these good-feeling emotions and we start to beat up on ourselves, we will just amplify those negative emotions more. The balance is to recognize where we are, and then make a conscious choice in which direction we want to move now. 

“I believe in therapy. I believe in working on oneself. I think I asked my therapist last month, ‘How do I fix this?’ And I was gently reminded that we’re not here to graduate life school, we’re not here to just suddenly be healed into fully an evolved human who’s done and who can check all the boxes. We are always in process. So there continue to be moments where that old line of thinking of you should look different. And I’ll gently release it and say, ‘You know, that’s the old line of thinking, we don’t have to live there anymore. We’re no longer choosing that.’ But I think if I could say anything to my younger self, it would be, ‘Sweetie, it’s going to happen in time.’ I wanted it all healed, and I wanted it all fixed. But there are some things that are deeply ingrained. And I have just hit this stride now where I’m starting to experience the feeling of, ‘Oh, it’s actually wildly rewarding to make progress and that it’s never all complete, that it’s never all done.’  But all the meditations, all the journaling, investing in therapy, and investing in one’s self-development shows up in the work, it shows up in your relationships. And then, thanks to my wonderful PR team, I was in LA last week, getting some photos, and I felt comfortable. And I felt at peace. And I enjoyed the experience. That wouldn’t have been the case five years ago. I would have been worried about what I looked like. And I looked at the pictures and I thought, ‘Man, that’s growth. And that’s actually the exciting piece.’ I think I’m finally starting to get the fact that you don’t ever arrive. There will always be a new echelon and an opportunity to grow from,” shares Lauren. 

If you feel bad, ask yourself what thought or activity would feel better right now? If you already feel good, ask yourself, what’s the next exciting thing I can think or do right now?

Lauren says, “I think being cognizant of what you consume on social media, of what you’re reading, what you’re listening to, not believing that I was broken and needed to be fixed or different and starting to consciously challenge that line of thinking was the thing that helped me, and it got better and better with time, and I continue to work on it,” she pauses and then continues, “Being reminded and continuing to remind myself that I don’t have to believe every thought that comes into my head but ask myself what my highest self would say in this or that situation, brings me back to the inner work.”

Lauren also has a degree in early childhood education, and she is passionate about working with foster children and those with special needs. About her experience with children, she says, “When I’m working with kids, when I connect with kids, I have a compassion and a patience that I don’t always have for myself. So, it’s easy for me to bring levity and joy to a situation with a child. And the more I am reminded of that, because kids just say the funniest things and will just snap you out of whatever spiral you’re in.”

Children still remember to look beyond good or bad; they simply live in the moment and choose with ease the state of being they would like to experience. Lauren says, “I really do care about people. And I love very hard. I can’t control how someone perceives me, but I know where my heart is. And I do care about people and want the best for people.”

Like Lauren, are you taking care of yourself enough? Are you aware of how much you can give when you feel amazing and alive? Are you aware that it’s also equally important to receive? Give yourself a break. Do something that you really love a few times a day and see how magic happens around you.

Photo credit // Ben Cope | Styling // Anna Schilling | Hair/Makeup // Cat Sherwin

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