I literally laughed out loud recently when I heard this passage. I was listening to an internet radio show and the host was giving advice to a caller who was bemoaning their life circumstances. After several minutes the host said, "I'm going to share a quote with you from Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle--'life is an adventure, not a pre-packaged tour'." Nothing gets quite to the heart of a dialogue like humor. I've heard the reference to the beginning of the saying many, many times. The package tour reference was new to me.
Let Happiness Chase After You...
In the fall of 2015 I joined my Mom and husband, Eric, for a two week Mediterranean Cruise. The itinerary name: The Holy Lands and Beyond. Highlighted port stops were Israel, Turkey, Athens and Rome. I have always been fascinated by different beliefs and customs that make up the heartbeat of a culture. So, the thought of participating in a trip destination that was non-denominational peaked my interest. Big Time! Always a lover of history I was especially excited about seeing ancient cities, temples and architecture. In addition to these amazing sights we'd be participating in a Hay House sponsored speaker line-up on days we were at sea. The amazing Dr. Wayne Dyer was to be our headliner; however, he had passed away a month before the Cruise date.
Remember Rule #6
There's a story about a gentleman who worked in a corporate setting. He was busy, busy, busy rushing around answering emails, texts, phone messages and worried about the looming deadlines of upcoming projects. One particularly frenetic day he burst through the doors of his boss' office and started talking quickly about the stresses. His boss interrupted him and said, "Hold on.. hold on. Remember Rule #6." At this the worker instantly calmed down, relaxed and smiled to himself.
Healing is an Inside Job...
How often do we think about something and decide to do it out of obligation? Obligation is a pretty heavy word and comes loaded with all sorts of negative connotations. Why is saying No and meaning it so hard? Why do we say yes when we really mean no? What is it that keeps us stuck in this loop? For many of us it comes down to feeling guilty about having our own needs met. And by this I mean taking care of ourselves first and foremost. Like the old saying about flying. In case of emergency put the mask on yourself before your children.
The Simplest Acts of Kindness...
Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, "the simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." I don't know about you, but this made me pause and read it a second time. We all know people who profess to be lovers of faith and devoted followers of a religion or philosophy they most resonate with. Some of these devotees are true models of compassion, kindness and love. However, there are others whose actions are out of alignment with what they say. All too excited to let us know scripture. Yet... there is a cavalier judgement and critcism to their thinking that just doesn't feel right to us.
Think Bigger... No, Bigger!
How comfortable are you with letting yourself think outside of the box? Often times we aren't even aware of how confined we live. A good way to check where you are on the "living-in-the-box" or "living-out-of-the box" scale is to check how many times you say No. No, immediately followed by a self-limiting excuse. And, just to be clear... there is a huge difference between the No that comes from not wanting to over-extend and the No that comes from fear-based living.
Horses and Yoga and Centering, Oh My!
Finding yourself tethered to the invisible leash of technology? Are the shackles that bind you to the cyber-world feeling heavier and heavier by the day? Who hasn't felt the strong pull of answering e-mails, texts, private messages, tweets, comments and phone messages immediately? We live in amazing times, to be sure, where connecting to each other has never been easier. Social media has ushered in an unprecedented era for reaching out. Many of us are finely tuned gold medalists in keeping up with news feeds, buying all types of goods with a few clicks of the mouse, attending webinars, listening to podcasts, radio programs, watching Netflix and Skyping-- just to name a few.
Re-energize Your Intuition
We all know the sensation of listening to our gut instinct, but how often do we trust it? In my own experience, it's typically after something happened that went against my better judgement. I would then say, "I knew it! I totally knew that was going to happen. Why didn't I listen?" It wasn't always this way, though. I'm sure many of you can relate. Have you had these feelings, too? Or, perhaps you already have a healthy relationship with inner guidance. But, do you trust it to guide you? I mean really trust it? All the time. Are you a good listener? Or, have you pushed it to the back burner and relied more heavily on logic and intelligence to make decisions?
Inner Magic Lamp--(better than a Lotto ticket!)
Who hasn't thought about how wonderful it would be to find a magic lamp? Three wishes. Done and done! But, wait.. how do we truly decide? How can we possibly narrow it down? When pressed most most people overwhelmingly place boat loads of money at the top of the list. After this it becomes more fuzzy because with all the money we could possibly want, what else do we need? Perhaps we wish for perfect health, creating our own business, traveling more or spending quality time with friends and family.
No is a Complete Sentence
One of the biggest challenges I hear repeatedly from students, friends and family is feeling guilty about saying no. Who hasn't felt the intense pull of obligation to spend time with someone or attend an activity that deep down you really don't want to? Often times people say, 'I have to do this' or 'I have to do that'. But, in fact, do you? Says who? And why?
Becoming the change we wish to see...(what does this really mean?)
If you are like me you've heard or seen this famous axiom of Mahatma Gandhi's. "Become the change you most wish to see in the world." I have seen this painted on one of the wall's at Capital High School. I've seen it taped to the back of a bathroom stall. I've even seen it painted in huge, beautiful letters at the Mumbai airport. Clearly this message resonates on such a deep, cellular level that it seamlessly crosses cultures, ages and geographic boundaries. It harkens back to reading about the impact the Silk Road's travelers and early entrepreneurs had on each other. From the villages and capitals of Europe came tradesmen and explorers. Persia and the Far East had their own merchants and adventurers as well.
reteaching a thing its loveliness
Does this line intrigue you? Pull you in for more? The extended line that stopped me in my tracks reads, "though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness..." This passage comes from the stunningly beautiful poem "Saint Francis and the Sow" by Galway Kinnell. Kinnell uses the metaphor of a bud's flowering to our inner journey of healing. Poets have always mesmerized me. They seamlessly dwell in the sacredness of life itself. They are true wordsmiths. Crafting and weaving words together in such a way that stirs our very souls.
Identity Crisis...(or, the cost of following someone else's dream)
We've all seen it. We've all done it (or have been tempted to do it.) Someone inspires us. We might know them, meet them, hear about them, watch a live lecture or TV special about them. Regardless of how we come to know about this person they awaken something within us that wants to live the lifestyle they live. Perhaps they have similar beliefs or talents to our own. They might even awaken creative juices inside that haven't been alive in years. We think....Wow! Look how successful they are. If I applied myself a bit more here and tweaked a few things over there I could do what they are doing. I mean they did it so who is to say I can't do it?
From here on out we become increasingly focused on learning the techniques that helped them achieve the success we want. We become vigilant.
Benefits of Unplugging (from the Invisible Leash)...
How do you feel when you hear the word unplug? Does the thought of a one day media fast send you into a cold sweat? How about two days? A week? Just to be clear, when I refer to media I'm talking about the whole enchilada--phone, internet, social media, TV, movies, newspapers, books and articles. Are you starting to get the shakes like someone going through major withdrawals? Eye twitches. Cold sweats. Dry mouth. Muscles tensing up.
Or, are you on the flip side? Where just the thought of going one day or several days without an invisible leash feels like you drew the prized Get Out of Jail Free card? Does it feel exhilarating, freeing, and beyond comprehension amazing? Does your body feel less stressed? Can you breathe easier? Do your eyes, mouth and jaw feel more relaxed? Does your inner voice coach you up saying you got this?
Holy Cats...?!?
Touring the Mediterranean's Ancient World, one expects to see temples, ruins, tombs, columns, stone walkways, old ceramic pots, statues and the like. Not to disappoint--you will see all of these amazing, awe-inspiring artifacts and structures. If you are like me, this is a huge anticipation point. I fell in love with the Ancient World's lore and beauty back in my college days during several Humanities courses.
Tracking a Tiger... A Look Back (Part 4)
We watch for another 20 minutes. At first we simply bask in seeing the tigress so relaxed and at ease amongst the trees and leaves. I am in awe of this magnificent and beautiful creature. We had been told the night before the Bengali tiger was facing extinction. Yet, with great effort India and some of the neighboring countries have implemented plans to save it.
Tracking a Tiger... A Look Back (Part 3)
Tracking a Tiger... A Look Back (Part 2)
Tracking a Tiger... A Look Back (Part 1)
It's 5 a.m.. The alarm clock is no regular, electronic one. This one arrives in the form of a gentle Indian voice outside our Swiss style tent. "Good morning, Sir". Pause for a few beats. "Good morning, Sir". Pause, repeat. Finally, roused from sleepy slumber Eric replies, "Hello". Slowly, he gets out of bed, walks to our tent fly doorway and thanks the friendly staffer at Jim's Jungle Retreat for the wake-up reminder.
Welcome to my blog...
Hello big, beautiful world! Admittedly, for years I've been resisting the urge to delve fully into the territory of connecting through cyber space. I think the term Luddite fits very appropriately here! However, I have felt an undeniable calling to share thoughts, experiences, and personal transformative moments with a larger audience.
I have come to realize that one person's story of healing is another persons story as well. One person's wisdom gained from a challenging situation can be an invaluable asset to a fellow comrade. We all laugh with delight in this human life. Other times argue with our Maker about the heaviness of a series of unfortunate events. This life is what some describe as a wild ride.