Simple Steps: #13 Mountain Pose

When practicing the physical limb of yoga called asana, the physicality of the postures becomes a vehicle to expand our consciousness and pervade every single aspect of the body.

Releasing ourselves to the flow, and observing the inner strength that one develops brings about a profound grounding spirituality in and through the body.

This allows our exploration of all aspects of our emotions, concentration, intent, faith, and unity between the physical and ethereal body.

Yogi B.K.S. Iyengar is credited with saying

"The needs of the body are the needs of the divine spirit which lives through the body. The yogi does not look heavenward to find God for he knows that He is within."

Referencing this intention to relate to your body as a sacred vessel, approach your practice today in whatever way this expresses itself through you.

I have adapted the following copy to illustrate proper technique from Yoga Journal while inviting you to my simple step at the end of the post.

Keeping both feet on the floor, stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart (so that your second toes are parallel). Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Rock back and forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet.

Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches, then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to your groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and head, and out through the crown of your head. Turn the upper thighs slightly inward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the pubis toward the navel.

Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and release them down your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling. Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso.

Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor, throat soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth. Soften your eyes.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose) is usually the starting position for all the standing poses. But it's useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.

Once you feel strong and steady see if you can lift one leg and place it against the inner thigh of the opposite leg as in the photo above. Breathe through it!

Todays Simple Step

Practice being grounded in this posture given whatever variation you can accomplish.

Feel your ability to stand still and stay put! Plant your flag and keep breathing! If you fall from the pose notice your response. Do you give up immediately or simply refocus and try again?

"Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm"
said Abraham Lincoln adding
"I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

May this be so for you.

This is today's simple step.

Till next time...

ooooooooohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

Photo credit: GCA by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #12 Dog Facing Down

Welcome back to Simple Steps. So far you have covered a great deal of territory that has the capability of changing your thoughts, your habits and your observances for a lifetime!

Do not abandon what you have practiced so far!

Todays Simple Step will highlight just one aspect of the physical practice of yoga.

As one practices, asana fosters a quieting of the mind, thus becoming both a preparation for meditation and a meditation sufficient in and of itself.

As with all your physical practice sessions, find a quiet, clean place for your practice, again polish up your patience with yourself and get ready to try something new, or do this familiar practice in a new way or with a renewed attitude.

Todays Simple Step

For the technical aspect of execution, I've adapted this 4-step text from Yoga Journal and added my own comments on how to relate to the pose at the end of the post.

Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Set your knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders. Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out, and turn your toes under.

Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor. At first keep the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it lightly toward the pubis. Against this resistance, lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling, and from your inner ankles draw the inner legs up into the groins.

Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them. Firm the outer thighs and roll the upper thighs inward slightly. Narrow the front of the pelvis.

Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the floor. From these two points lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper arms; don't let it hang.

Just for today, allow yourself to accept that there are times in life when things simply go upside down and backwards!

Bring to mind an event or situation that you can relate to personally.

Perform this pose as you appreciate the comforts - and discomforts - of stretching new muscles to fit unusual circumstances.

See that you can survive being upside down! Perhaps over time you may actually feel comfort as you adjust and adapt.

This is today's simple step.

Till next time...

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Photo credit GCA by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #11 Asana

In the Eight Limbs of Yoga, the practice of physical postures is called asana. This is the most commonly known aspect of yoga for those unfamiliar with the other seven limbs of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra.

The practice of moving the body into postures has widespread benefits: of these the most underlying are improved health, strength, balance and flexibility.

On a deeper level, the practice of asana, which means "staying" or "abiding" in Sanskrit, is used as a tool to calm the mind and move into the inner essence of being.

The challenge of poses offers the practitioner the opportunity to explore and control all aspects of their emotions, concentration, intent, faith, and unity between the physical and ethereal body.

Todays Simple Step will be the first of five posts that highlight the physical practice of yoga!

Get ready to just enjoy the next few moments...

Find a quiet, clean place for your practice and polish up your patience with yourself!

Be prepared to try something new, or do your familiar practice in a new way or with a renewed attitude.

Todays Simple Step

Give yourself 5 minutes of alone time - just 5 minutes

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

(You can sit or stand for this)

Stretch upward...arms and chest lift...breathe...

Stretch gently side to side...slow down...breathe...

Reach down and slowly let your head hang loose. Relax and breathe...

Notice the places where your body feels tight. Mentally relax them and do whatever gentle movement comes naturally.

Lie quietly for a couple of moments when you feel complete.

If 5 minutes stretches to 10 or 20 or 30 so much the better, but 5 is all that is required.

You have just completed your first asana series!

Notice how many parts of you feel good.

I will offer you traditional yoga asanas in my next 4 posts. Meanwhile, enjoy the delicious feeling you have from the choice you made to move and stretch.

It is the realization and commitment to this good feeling that will carry you through.

Till next time,

ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm

Photo Credit GCA by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #10 Celebration of the Spiritual

This ongoing series of posts is an expression of the breath and depth of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as a practical system for daily living. For me, taken as a whole and interpreted broadly, there is no more comprehensive system for personal growth and enlightenment in exisence. This is because mind, body, spirit and emotion are all represented and integrated.

Yo-ki-bics is a practical representation of the actions one might take that demonstrate the integration of the eight limbs. The system does not seek to exclude, but to include...I speak not of dogma but of practice!

In yoga, isvarapranidhana is another of the niyama personal observances that means "to lay all your actions at the feet of God."

It is the recognition that the spiritual suffuses everything, and through our attention and care we can attune ourselves with our role as part of the Creator.

Todays Simple Step

Set aside some time today to recognize the omnipresent force that feels like a guiding light in your own life, and notice the form it takes.

Do the thing that represents your own spiritual practice...do it wholeheartedly today.

Invite the simple pleasure of communicating with the various forms of life that surround you: animals, birds, trees, flowers...

Be generous today in some anonymous way and do what you do in God's name.

Release the need for your ego to take credit for your good deed...BE the spirit of your actions instead!

This is your Simple Step.

Till next time...
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Photo credit: "The Womb of the Mother" from our trip inside Mammoth Cave by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #9 Self Study

The fourth niyama, or personal observance, is svadhyaya meaning "self inquiry" or "self examination."

This includes any activity that cultivates self-reflective consciousness or that means to find self-awareness in the activity or effort.

Self Study includes accepting our limitations, being non-reactive to the dualities of our existence, and welcoming the opportunity to grow.

Todays Simple Step

Close your eyes for a moment and ask your most self-destructive habit to step forward.

Write about it today in your journal, or discuss it with a mentor or wise friend.

Bring the relief of Light to your limitation and invite yourself to begin a more conscious and constructive dance with Life today in at least one important area.

Like man's best friend teaches us so wisely, begin the return trip on the road to love by steadfast self-improvement...no holds barred!!

This is your Simple Step.

Till next time,
ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

Photo credit: Buddy by Gael Chiarella Alba

Simple Steps: #8 Contentment

As we move through the Eight Limbs of Yoga and begin to appreciate the subtleties of this magnificent system of personal growth, today we acknowledge another of the niyamas or personal observance.

The next niyama practice is santosa, or contentment.

To be at peace within and content with one's lifestyle...to find contentment even while experiencing life's difficulties becomes a process of growth through all kinds of circumstances.

Cultivating contentment allows us to be happy now rather than later, and to stop the incessant waiting for a better day.

We do this, all the while progressing in every way we can toward better circumstances.

Todays Simple Step

Eliminate the word SHOULD just for today.

Look at yourself every time you explain why you "can't" do something "because..." and reframe your point of view so that you ARE cause.

Fly the 'Attitude of Gratitude' flag in some specific way and communicate it.

In your personal journal or dayminder, list the top ten reasons you are abundant today, and what you have RIGHT NOW that demonstrates that.

Go out of your way to share something you are content with today.

This is your Simple Step.

Till next time,

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Photo credit: GCA Warrior Prayer by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #7 Discipline

Welcome back to Simple Steps, a practical guide to the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

The third of the niyamas, or personal observances, is tapas, the disciplined use of your energy.

Behind the notion of tapas lies the idea that we can direct our energy to enthusiastically engage life and achieve our ultimate goal of creating union with the Divine.

Literally meaning "to heat the body," tapas helps us burn up all the desires that stand in the way of our goal!

Isn't this a good thing?

Todays Simple Step

Pay attention to what you eat today. Burn up the desire for anything that is not your ultimate healthy fuel.

Observe your body posture and stand tall!

Notice if you're breathing deep and full in all circumstances today.

Today find ONE important area of your life where your discipline has been flagging and reup your committment!

This is your Simple Step.

If you're not already getting these posts delivered straight to your inbox, join Friends of Yokibics and click FOLLOW on the right hand column of the blog.

Till next time,

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm

Photo credit: Gael at Sunset by Bob Alba

Simple Steps: #6 Cleanliness

Niyama is the Second Limb of Yoga. Niyama means "rules" or "laws."

Like the 5 previous yamas which offer insights into universal morality, the five niyamas are not exercises or actions that are there simply to be studied.

They refer to the attitude we adopt toward ourselves as we create a code for living soulfully.

This gives us a map of personal observances.

The first niyama is sauca, meaning purity or cleanliness, and it invites relationship in both the inner and outer world.

Todays Simple Step

Clean your room!

Seriously...or your desktop, file system, closet, secret stash, whatever and wherever...and remember "simple" might not necessarily seem "easy" for you.

If you hit your resistance and want to blow it off, make it unimportant, push it away as you have so many times before, then you must clean your mind first!

Release the conversation that would have you being less than you can be.

There is nothing more important than that you do this today.

Living unemcumbered will feel less difficult and much more fun.

Once you really get how these two aspects of yourself work in tandem, and you activate a responsive result, you will have mastered this very important step in both your soul growth and your effectiveness in the World.

This is your Simple Step.

Till next time,

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Simple Steps: #5 Wealth Management

Yogis managing wealth?? You bet!

The very nature of the fifth yama, aparigraha, invites us to a relationship with wealth that neutralizes the desire to hoard it, thereby increasing the flow.

What's wrong with hoarding?

Hoarding itself implies a lack of faith. We never know how we will be provided for, and so we gather, hold on and squeeze tight to what we've got.

Addressing our hoarding tendencies requires a letting of of our attachment to things, and an understanding that impermanence and change are constants and therefore true.

Managing our wealth WELL is an inspiration to the world as we engage in the flow of Nature's abundance.

The Mystic knows that as we give with ease and generosity, the World gives back exponentially in return.

The wondrous part is that we never know just HOW that return will occur!

Engage the flow and have faith that you will receive exactly what you need.


Today's Simple Step

Do yourself the biggest favor today:

Determine something you yourself think you need, then find a way to give that very thing, or something like it, to another.

Whether it is an emotional gift like forgiveness, or a material gift, offer what you can and engage the flow today.

For direct delivery of these posts, click "follow."

Till next time,

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Simple Steps: #4 Sense Control

This Simple Step to forming a well-rounded practice of mind-body-spirit wellness is the forth of five yamas. Called brahmacharya it means sense control.

Traditionally this was translated to mean celibacy, or withdrawing from the pull of the senses which can bring us into the mists of a life separate from Spirit. It requires a non-attachment to the things of the flesh that keep us stuck.

For me the deeper practice is that we use our creative energy to regenerate our connection to our Spiritual self.

Sense Control encompasses genuine appreciation of the world we interact with through our senses by recognizing the Divine in what we perceive.

Taste...

Touch...

Sight...

Sound...

Smell...

Establishing a great relationship with our senses has the power to make our personal world a better place, don't you think?

If everything we saw, and all that we touched was held sacred...if we truly relished the taste of our food and swooned with the scents of Nature...would we ever intentionally hurt our planet, or see our neighbor's backyard as different from our own?

Both non-attachment to sense objects WITH appreciation of their presence offer a practice that embraces the essence of brahmacharya.

Todays Simple Step

Wake your senses up to their purpose!

Slow down at mealtime...taste...smell.

Look at the world through eyes of love.

Be more concerned with listening than speaking today.

Touch and be touched with compassion for your loved ones.

This is your Simple Step.

You'll find all posts in this series labeled SIMPLE STEPS on the right hand column of the blog page, and you can have them delivered to your inbox directly by clicking FOLLOW.

Till next time...

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Simple Steps: #3 Non-Stealing

This Simple Step to forming a well-rounded practice of mind-body-spirit wellness is the third of five yamas. Called astaya it means non-stealing.

What does stealing mean in this day and age anyway?

Stealing includes taking from another without their permission, but its subtleties include using something for a purpose for which it was not intended, or beyond the time permitted by the owner.

It is taking what is not freely given.

One of the most prevalent ways of slacking that has far reaching consequences is stealing other peoples time.

Being late.

Holding people up.

Being a no-show...or demanding another persons attention through inconsiderate behavior or expecting them to use their time to complete our task.

Today's Simple Step

Do what needs to be done today to correct any subtle areas where you are stealing other peoples energy.

Respect other peoples time.

Respect other peoples things.

Respect other peoples ideas.

Feel good about this powerful choice! It grants you the gift of a healthy heart filled with faith that what YOU can be,do and have is more than enough, and that is the very nature of abundance!

This is your simple step.

You'll find the rest of the series labeled SIMPLE STEPS on the right side of this blog page.

Till next time,

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Simple Steps: #2 Honesty

The second Simple Step is another one of the yamas (40 Simple Steps will be collected under the label on the right hand side of the blog page) called satya, or commitment to truthfulness.

Satya means "to speak the truth" - to consider what we say, how we say it, and in what way it could affect others.

If speaking the truth has negative consequences for another than it is better to say nothing.

The bedrock of satya is that communication and action form the bedrock of any healthy relationship, community or government. Deliberate deception, exaggeration and mistruth harms others.

Today's Simple Step

Observe your words today.

Eliminate even white lies and excuses. Notice if this is hard for you.

In addition, use your words to support others. Offer your words of support even when you might feel more comfortable staying in the background.

Make someone smile today with your truthful words.

This is your simple step.

Till next time,

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Simple Steps: #1 Dynamic Compassion

Of the Eight Limbs of Yoga there are numerous branches or examples of each.

The first limb is called Yamas, and the first of these is Ahimsa...

Non-violence and compassion for all living things.

More than a lack of violence itself, ahimsa means active kindness and thoughtful consideration of other people and all things.

Sounds like plain old common sense, doesn't it?

It is! Done as a practice though, it invites you to go deeper, richer...all the way.

What can you do to practice ahimsa today?

Today's Simple Step

Spend this day becoming aware of thoughts around your judgment of others.
Make it your first priority.

Whenever and wherever you can, open doors, ask if you can help, take extra time, listen.

Just for today, go the extra mile and when you see yourself holding back kindness, let go.

Determine the thing that YOU can do today to practice compassion - and do it.

Let the practice take you as deep as you are able with at least one person in one significant way.

This is your Simple Step.

You will find the entire catalog of Simple Steps labeled as we go on the right hand side of the blog page.

Till next time,
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Simple Steps: An Overview

Are you looking to start a home-based yoga practice? Have you been looking for a MindBodySpirit routine to enlarge your daily lifestyle? It was this very impulse that got me started many years ago.

In 1977 there were no local yoga schools, studios, classes...no short trip to the gym.  All my training was sought after, and 99% of it involved travel.  With two small children at home, much of the time I was at a loss...except for my self-study. Ahhhh...The books of Richard Hittleman and Parahamansa Yogananda became my mentors.  Their writings, illustrations and philosophies filled my days, and enlarged my life in ways I can never repay.

Although today you have such support for simply hopping off to the local Y to take a class, I still believe that developing a home practice - a life practice - will support you in ways you will not regret.  I have a great idea to help you get involved right from where you are.

I have created a series of Simple Steps that you can take to incorporate each of the Eight Limbs of Yoga into your daily practice. I will post an ongoing series of practical applications that will give you bites size practices for each one.

Simple!

Collect them all and you will develop a well-rounded system of daily opportunities.

I wish someone had done this for me when I was looking for a reasonable way to address my spiritual growth while learning different esoteric and comprehensive systems.

Along with my regular ongoing blog topics, this series of SIMPLE STEPS are easy-to-digest bites of information that I will regularly post so you can follow along.

In short, SIMPLE STEPS will outline the foundation of an age-old yoga philosophy that is a blueprint for health, happiness and peace of mind.

Based on the eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for a well-rounded yoga practice, no one element is elevated over another in hierarchical order. Yoga is not merely a physical practice. Each of the eight limbs is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings completeness to your system of bodymind health and wellbeing.

With SIMPLE STEPS you can develop a comprehensive daily practice for mind-body-spirit health.

In brief, the eight limbs of yoga are as follows:

1. Yama: The attitude we have to things and people outside ourself.
2. Niyama: Personal Observances; the way we relate inwardly to ourself.
3. Asana: Body Postures.
4. Pransyama: Breathing Exercises.
5. Pratyahara: Control of the senses.
6. Dharana: Concentration on inner perceptual awareness.
7. Dhyana: Devotation through meditation.
8. Samadhi: Union with the Divine. Joy!


To get the most from these posts, you can review them by coming back to the blog and clicking SIMPLE STEPS in the right hand column of labels, or click on the label for any of the eight limbs described above and you will see 5 different posts covering that particular limb.

You have 40 practices in all to choose from and grow with. This offering is my gift to you. Get well. Live. Love. Enjoy.

This offering is my gift to myself. If we can reach the "hundredth monkey" through something I have offered, then I have done myself a great service.



Today's Simple Step

Commit to your Practice.

This series will highlight The Eight Limbs with five examples of each.

That means you'll have 40 Simple Steps to follow. Game? Begin right now...

Till next time,

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Think Different

"Think Different." Beautiful video is worth the viewing.

I think of courage when I think "different"...and beauty, and reverence, and the joy of exploration.

Who does not know that we are all unique - we are each different - yet trying...wanting...desiring to fit in and find our place.

For some of us, the "fitting" can signify ease...for others, it is the area of greatest struggle. Humans do all sorts of convoluted things for the sake of being accepted...

Over time the balance that is struck between the individual and the tribe offers a path to success in the journey.

May you find yours.

"Here’s to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.


They’re not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.


You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them....
Because they change things.

They push the human race forward.

And while some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think
that they can change the world… are the ones who do."

The ‘Think Different’ campaign featured many people whose lives and thoughts are inspiring – Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Mohammed Ali and Richard Branson.

Originally written for Apple Computer.

Repeated today for you.

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Food and The Power of Choice

I'm usually attracted to writing about optimistic issues - at least from the perspective of empowerment.

Change what you can and have the wisdom to know what you can't.

So on the subject of nourishment - the basic foundation of fueling ourselves with energy-producing food that will add to our lifeforce - we have all sorts of empowering choices.

Don't we??

The documentary movie Food Inc takes a deep look at the subject of choice and offers us lots to think about - much of it clearly upsetting. We are in the dark kids, when it comes to food processing, contents, management and control. If you think you know what's going on, or that it doesn't affect you and your family, then watch this movie and see if you really know.

The picture is grim, and the results of our current actions (or non-actions) are felt by all. Yet I do believe we CAN change the way our systems work - and that the way we are likely to do that is to be effective at the individual level.

If you wish to exercise your own power of choice at this most basic level of your own health and wellbeing, then -

First: Knowledge is power. Get educated. Go see the movie and/or go to the website to get filled in.

Second: Don't give up or give in! It is likely that you will see, as I did, that individual action counts. Vote with your choices. Vote with your habits. Vote at the checkout.

Third: Recognize what the best result for all concerned actually means.

"What Would a Mystic Do?" Why act for the benefit of the greatest number while inflicting the least harm, of course!

If you browse the website you will see highlights on the following issues:

"In Food, Inc. we meet Barbara Kowalcyk, whose 2 year old son, Kevin, died from E.coli poisoning after eating a hamburger. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from foodborne illnesses. Although Kevin's law is not pending in Congress right now, there are other important national food safety legislation pending now for you to support.Some of our most important staple foods have been fundamentally altered, and genetically engineered meat and produce have already invaded our grocery stores and our kitchen pantries."

"Cancers, autism and neurological disorders are associated with the use of pesticides especially amongst farm workers and their communities. Learn about what pesticides are in your food and their effects."

"Approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers, pollute surrounding communities, are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming."

"High calorie, sugar laden processed foods coupled with our sedentary lifestyles is growing our waistlines and contributing to serious health issues like diabetes, heart ailments and cancers. One-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese."

So what can you do??

* Know what's happening.

* Care enough for yourself and others to choose wisely.

* Act.

See for yourself. The movie Food Inc is on DVD now.

Namaste

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Dare I Be Me?

Photo credit: Bob Alba.

I went to see the movie Julie and Julia the other night with three women friends. The four of us are an interesting blend of ages (early 20s through late 50's) with lots of differing life experience in between, but one thing is for sure - we ALL love good food. The smell - the feel - the taste...unanimous yum!

Julie and Julia is the 2009 comedy film, written and directed by Nora Ephron, which depicts events in the life of chef Julia Child, contrasting her life with Julie Powell, a woman who aspires to cook all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook.

I'm no movie critic, so I'll leave that alone, but the lessons I learned from Julia Child herself struck my heart a long time ago.

I remember seeing her on TV when I was very young. Her authority - her humor - her voice!...and I thought she was certifiably weird - but attractive in that genuine weirdness sort of way. Little did I know she was becoming the beloved icon she is.

The memory that lingers for me now is the feeling that she was different, and my emotional response to it.

As a youth I was uncomfortable watching her in some undefinable way, but attracted nonetheless. Attracted to what exactly? Not the ducks and chickens she would parade around the kitchen. It was something about HER, and I know now that when we witness what is truly authentic in the human spirit, and it is displayed so openly, it causes both attraction and a sort of fear.

We are "different" from others - somehow "outside" the tribe.

If it scares us too much, we will disparage it.

Look closely at this. If it scares us too much, we will disparage it.

Could it be then... if others have seen "it" in us... we have been disparaged?

A quandary exists, and it's a biggie.

Less than three years ago, when my husband told my Dad he wanted to marry me, my father stood up to shake his hand and said "she's a little bit loud you know."

A disclaimer! I come with a family disclaimer!

ahhhh...let me understand here that I've been "a little bit" of a discomfort for my parents all along. Explains a lot.

Now I watch my beloved friends and respected colleagues - my students and my neighbors, and I've got to tell you - hardly anyone is really really happy. What's up with that?

Perhaps it's the quandary.

We regularly visit the places in ourselves that say "I can" or "I can't" DO that, or BE that, and I guarantee you some part of you measures it against that trickle of fear that accesses the response of the tribe, and this will include your own inner judge that you too might be seen as weird in that uncomfortable sort of way.

Somebody won't like this - and you might suffer.

And yet...is it not this exact difference that we must be and do and have in order to demonstrate the abundance of joy in a life well lived?

OK - so I'll put my own disclaimer here that I'm not talking to psycho-killers or mean streaked folk, but to YOU - the well-meaning person who is intending to live their truth:

If you are living from your heart, and you have the Golden Rule as your guide, GO for it!

Live!

Move!!

Stop waiting for permission!

And you don't need more therapy. You need more authenticity.

Have faith!

Go find your inner Julia and do what needs to be done.

Happiness will be waiting for you on the other side.

"Bon appetit!"

Till next time
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Don't Quit

I have had a touch of food poisoning these past two days - well more than a touch - and being sick always reminds me of the fortitude and grace we humans need to handle the very personal journey of living - and dying - well.

We just celebrated my Dad's 84th birthday, a huge milestone in itself given his physical condition. He quotes the famous Bette Davis frequently: "growing old ain't for sissies" and to me he exemplifies the quiet determination needed to just get on with it with few complaints.

In meandering through YouTubes this morning (an endeavor that can fill hours and hours of time as I'm sure you are aware) I came across a short and simple version of the famous poem "Don't Quit." Much as I wanted to know something of the author, anonymous was what surfaced from my search.

How amazing that we have such ability to transcend our identity and make our mark on the human heart!

One thing led to another and I found videos, blogs, short stories and quotes - all inspirational and supportive for hanging on (even if, as in my case, it's to the rim of the bowl and the knowledge that "this too shall pass...")

When you're looking for a moment of inspiration...when you feel let down or laid low...I invite you to indulge in your own search. Start by keying Bette's quote into your search engine, or begin with a YouTube link to the poem below.

Here is the original poem in it's entirety:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown



Don't Quit

You are sure to find that you are not alone in your challenge, no matter the content, and that there is something wonderful in witnessing the inspiring words that have laid a path before you.

Sharing...ummmm...that's always a good thing.

Namaste
ooooooohhhmmmmmmmmmm

The Imposssible Dream

"The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it."

Oh how I love this!! One of my favorite quotes!

I can't tell you how many times I've deflected the naysayers and the can't doers in my own life. Comes with the territory when you think big.

Are you one who has big dreams and a strong will to succeed? Then this post is for you.

If you are wondering where to begin to actualize your dream, how to get started, or simply want to read someone with a good head for advise, check out Chris Guillebeau and the free download he has provided in his manifesto called 279 Days To Overnite Success: An Unconventional Journey To Full Time Writing. .

I find his ideas helpful and easy to follow, and he's a giver.

You know I like that.

No matter what your goal, if you think you can do it, you can. Remember The Little Engine That Could? May we all succeed in our dreams...their expression is what you were born to accomplish.

Chris gives good practical advise on how he attained his goal, and offers support for the journey.

You can visit Chris here and get a copy of his manifesto for yourself.

Till next time -
Enjoy!!

ooooohhhhhmmmmm...

Time for Fireworks!

As we near the 4th of July, what new thing can possibly be said that isn't already being said by great (and sometimes not so great) minds tuned in to celebrating meaningful occasions?

So then - I'll spare you that - but in addition to being aware of the responsibilities and privileges that come with the price of societal freedom, I invite you to celebrate with me, giving all your heart to the freedom that you personally have in what ever way you have it.

In addition to joining with family and friends to have fun this weekend and be expressive (I've been to many a barbecue following the parade myself),

and with an attitude of gratitude for another year...another day...another moment of living...

may you also be poignantly aware of your own inner fire, and open this day to the glory of the spark that resides authentically within your own true self.

Live it up.
Laugh out loud!
Be authentic.
Smell the roses.
Speak up!
Dance.
Enjoy.
Be joy.
Be the freedom you wish to see.
Be peaceful.
Be grateful.
Be wise.
Be strong.

This is the season to grab the brass ring, dear one.

The world needs you to shine.

The world needs you to shine.

The world NEEDS you to shine.

Namaste to you...

and Happy 4th!!

;)

I'm Changing and You're Holding Me Back! Part 2

Ever notice that life can be sailing right along but as soon as you begin to get the itch for a change that says "somethings gotta give" - something does? Oh yes...and that 'something' is not always in the direction you wanted.

So you think.

This is the paradox in desiring happiness and fulfillment in life.

All that is NOT that will show up to be healed.

And don't you know, the higher you reach, the more "not thatness" you are going to have to handle.

Yes sirreee.

No worries though - eventually all will settle down and soon you'll be living the life that was waiting for you - the one you were attracting all along.

Having said that...

The last thing I mean is that the process itself will be all light and breezy, though it does get easier with practice ;)

The journey itself reminds me of something I once read on the process of change that I copied and tucked away during my own time of travail.

In alchemy, there is a stage called ‘the negredo’, the darkening.
There is a point in this process of turning base metal into gold when the earth shakes, the sky rains fire and the air fills with the smell of rotting flesh.

There is a point where all seems lost.

If the alchemist drops the cooking vessel, allowing chaos and smoke to make him afraid, the whole process must begin again.

The alchemist must believe in the process of change.
He must, in effect, reach outside himself for something larger, greater, and broader
than his own experience.

As he does this, "the shaking slows to a stop, the smoke clears, and the smell of death dissolves.

The impurities have been burned away.
The process begins its ascent from the dissolving, putrefying depths;

what was once disaster is now potential gold.

We never know what comes out of darkness while the whole world shakes.

When our vision is choked and all seems lost,
our task is to reach outside ourselves,
to connect to that which is larger, deeper, and wider than our own fear.

Chaos and outrage fuel movement, movement fuels transformation.

The mystic feels, then observes, and rising above
births life from the fire of his own creation."

This is the stuff of alchemy.

Heavy stuff...but then again so are the issues that we are all handling these days, and we will continue to handle as we Lighten Up!

What are you birthing during these times of change??

The ultimate realization is that noone else must change to make it easier for you to get there. The gift of the alchemist...is inside of you.

Blessings always!

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

I'm Changing and You're Holding Me Back! Part 1

I'm working with a client whose particular challenge is in the area of wanting approval from her family for the healthy change she is starting to make in her work, her lifestyle and with her living arrangements. She is improving her foundation across the board and literally feeling driven to oust the old suppressive values and open her arms to embrace the wildness of her true passion and the talents she possesses in that direction (which are plentiful by the way.)

She'd love it if someone in her family would just recognize who she actually IS and all that she is going through to improve her conditions. She sighs and moans and fights and crashes into walls of grief demanding - demanding! - their understanding and approval. "Just care dammit!! Can't any single ONE of you see what I'm doing here? Is it too much to ask for your support??" But noooooooo...she is not getting support OR approval. Not at all. She is getting resistance instead! Yes folks - resistance. Selfish and self serving she is. THEIR need that she just stays put is not being met! How dare she rock the boat?

Indeedy then. Sound familiar?? Anyplace in your own life where you've wanted to have something better and needed to buck the tide?

I bet, though there are degrees. Right now my client is facing it in spades.

There are a ton of psychological resource out there for this kind of dynamic, and I encourage you to seek for it. You will find. I especially recommend the books Dance of Intimacy and Dance of Anger, both by Harriet Lerner. Oldies but goodies.

There are many insights on how you can handle the work of growing spiritually as well. I have adopted this model from a complex and ancient body of knowledge, but the simplicity is clear. Do this and you're well on your way to making sense of the territory.

Imagine yourself inside a circle of your own creation. Make the territory sacred. It is yours and yours alone.

Facing the East: Determine what you need to do to be clear.
Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't be mean. Give as much advance warning of your schedule as is possible. This allows others to plan accordingly. Be clear and concise about what you can and cannot do. Lots of explanation is not the point - nor is anyones agreement. Just your own clarity.


South: have courage and compassion.
Keep the love. Have courage to live your truth. You don't need to buy your way in. Do your work. Have courage with your own scale of success, budget and availability for others. Work within your own constraints and do not betray yourself in order to "look good" by anothers' measure. No need to get angry that "they won't let you" when you are on top of your own game.


West: Grow yourself.
No excuses necessary. Share your victories with those who do support your goals and give to those who can learn from you! Be the change you wish to see. Succeed in your own journey and those around you can only benefit. Use your light to be an asset in a world of fear.


North: Rest and Relax.
Appreciate your accomplishment. Your work in this area is done for now. Meditate, pray, sing, write in your journal - keep your toes in the water of life with a gentle breath in Self reliance and communion with The One.

This is your ultimate goal.

Part 2 is coming soon. Meanwhile practice being inside your circle, always moving clockwise through the Four Directions. Here you will find the light of ease.

Namaste

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm

Unexpected Help at BEA

As anyone who has spoken to me recently knows, I just returned from a couple of weeks in New York (my home state before moving to PA) and was able to attend Book Expo America 2009 while I was there. I expected to meet tons of valuable contacts in the publishing world and learn copious amounts of information about an industry that is changing right before our eyes.

Most of what I needed to accomplish in order to take the next steps in my business was indeed there at BEA. Like one-stop shopping, it was glorious to be flooded with hope, help and contacts to make the business end of my production company soar. We came away with every single one of our intentions checked off even to the last when we met a publisher who was ready for little more than a margarita as the show was closing, who enthusiastically invited our proposal as we stood among the ruins of his display.

For writers, authors and publishers these are exciting times! The powers we once relied upon to get published are changing - and sometimes vanishing - while new possibilities are opening that were just a dream less than a generation ago.

Self-initiation is a tremendous asset to those of us in this field, and spaces and places are opening for individuals to have a clearer voice. The opportunities that both the internet and social networking provide play no small role in changing the opportunities for anyone who truly wants to be heard - and this alone enables any of us with the will to find the way effectively.

While I was able to create a punch list of what I needed to accomplish while at the event, what I couldn't foresee was the nature of the interactions among the participants. This is territory where the Mystic enters through the front gate of your experience. and asks the question "who do you want to BE while you are here?" rather than settling for the simplicity of "what do you wish to accomplish."

These two dynamics are not mutually exclusive to those with eyes to see. Rather the observation of them both allows every moment to be a sacred moment and every opportunity to be one in which you can serve to help the world while you're getting things done.

To that end, part of our search at BEA was to find people who exemplified kindness, openness and helpful service. We did indeed succeed there too. I credit my husband Bob for teaching me a term called "fair exchange" where each party involved achieves a win-win. Fair exchange eclipses the simplicity of exchange of goods and services, although it certainly includes it. Fair exchange takes all the aspects of any exchange between people into account. No more climbing to the top by squashing the person beneath you. Can that possibly serve to elevate the world?

Then there is "exchange in abundance!" when you know that what you gave - or got - was more than you expected and maybe even more than you dared hope for.

Exchange in abundance? Well ain't that grand!!

The self-initiated Mystic moves their game piece to this square on the board of life, and in so doing will find any and every way to accomplish their abundant goals.

How to? Here are some simple and possibly "out of the ordinary" ideas from me...but you can go find your own and add to the list immeasurably.

Take the extra step to be helpful to whoever, whenever, wherever.

Give what you no longer use to someone who needs it.

If someone compliments something you have, consider giving it to them or sending them something similar as a gift.

If someone "wishes they could go" but can't afford to, consider supporting them.

If someone could go but needs someone to watch the kids/the store/the front, consider taking the time to spot them.

Teach the secrets of success in your field to the new generation following you.

Share your contacts.

Recommend liberally.

When you think of that good thing you could do for someone, don't stop there. DO IT!
It can make a world of difference just because you tried.

With this recognition in mind, we do hereby bestow our

Most Helpful Person Award

to author Iain Martin who, from our chance meeting at BEA, just keeps coming at us with an interest to help backed by great advise.




You can find out more about Iain by clicking here.

Thanks Iain! May you live long and prosper ;)

oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm
Namaste