Learn… and suddenly the teacher in you is emerging.
It’s a known fact the physical body needs applied stress to stay healthy and thrive. Our bones need gravity and weight bearing action in order stay strong enough to support us and carry us throughout our lives. Weight training induces tearing of the muscles so during the time of rest, the healing of that action can create strength. Most of us intentionally push our bodies to the limit in order to stay strong and healthy, so why do we have such a problem with life’s mentally and emotionally challenging events? Couldn’t it be, that on some level we have chosen our hardships so that we may grow and learn and be strong? The way we handle life’s early obstacles can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of our future challenges. We are who we are because of our hardships, not because of our joy, not really. As we work through our painful, lost, angry and confusing times, we can find solace in knowing that on the other side is even more strength, more resilience. Anyone of us alive can appreciate, in hindsight, the lessons learned and knowledge gained from our misfortunes.
Paul McCartney said: “…and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Perhaps, taking our lessons with a dose of loving kindness for ourselves, strengthens the love we put out.
I honor our life’s mission while here on Mother Earth - to learn and grow and connect with one another and to live a full and loving life, awake and aware with dignity, divinity and grace.
Sat Nam!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Serenity Now
Expand… and suddenly you are embracing it ALL.
I can remember when I was young, in my parent’s bedroom, hanging in a frame over the dresser mirror, was a prayer:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
…and the wisdom to know the difference.
I had read it many times over during our years in that house, realizing, even at a young age, the power of those words and the usefulness in memorizing them. Although, I haven’t lived it verbatim everyday, the Serenity Prayer has served as a reminder throughout my life how much time we can spend being stuck, mired in our own ideas of how things are “supposed” to be, consistently leaving us open for disappointment.
A dear friend and yoga teacher, recently pointed out the benefits of “the middle way”- as the Buddhists call it - resides in the calm or contented states of being. In other words, not attaching to only joy or fighting so hard to avoid misery and pain. We must live with both in the world. Therefore, the best thing we can practice is expanding within the space between. Therein lie the serenity, courage and wisdom of complete acceptance of whatever may come.
Thank you, Dejisan, for that powerful reminder!
Peace.
I can remember when I was young, in my parent’s bedroom, hanging in a frame over the dresser mirror, was a prayer:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
…and the wisdom to know the difference.
I had read it many times over during our years in that house, realizing, even at a young age, the power of those words and the usefulness in memorizing them. Although, I haven’t lived it verbatim everyday, the Serenity Prayer has served as a reminder throughout my life how much time we can spend being stuck, mired in our own ideas of how things are “supposed” to be, consistently leaving us open for disappointment.
A dear friend and yoga teacher, recently pointed out the benefits of “the middle way”- as the Buddhists call it - resides in the calm or contented states of being. In other words, not attaching to only joy or fighting so hard to avoid misery and pain. We must live with both in the world. Therefore, the best thing we can practice is expanding within the space between. Therein lie the serenity, courage and wisdom of complete acceptance of whatever may come.
Thank you, Dejisan, for that powerful reminder!
Peace.
Monday, January 14, 2008
** News Flash**
Read all about it!
Update on LAS VEGAS LULULEMON GRAND OPENING:
http://thesucculentwife.typepad.com/succulentblog/2008/01/lululemon-athet.html
Thanks for all your support, everyone, and thank YOU Anne-Marie for bringing Lady Guru to the West Coast!
Sat Nam!
(Photo by Anne-Marie Kovacs)
Update on LAS VEGAS LULULEMON GRAND OPENING:
http://thesucculentwife.typepad.com/succulentblog/2008/01/lululemon-athet.html
Thanks for all your support, everyone, and thank YOU Anne-Marie for bringing Lady Guru to the West Coast!
Sat Nam!
(Photo by Anne-Marie Kovacs)
Monday, January 7, 2008
Why Not?
Leap… and suddenly you realize you are the net!
We all share a common illusion: that we are in control. Of course, we do have the capability to make choices, and those choices will surely have an impact on the direction we take, but I think we can get into trouble when we become attached to the idea that those choices we make will actually bring us safety and security, when in truth, how could we possibly predict that? It really hit home in a big way, one day, when my husband and I were debating yet another scenario of polar opposite opinions. It occurred to me, neither one of us was wrong, just lobbying for our own sense of security. Isn’t that what every decision and choice we make in our life is ultimately based upon? Security, comfort? Could it be this is why we feel we sometimes need to fight so hard - to defend our fundamental sense of security and wellbeing? When, ironically, the idea of security for one person, can translate into sheer terror for another! One person can feel better talking out her issues when another may feel more secure keeping them inside; some people feel safer investing in stocks, others in real estate; and maybe some find more comfort remaining in the familiar, while others fear boredom or stagnancy and look for change.
I found had to allow myself to, yet again, grieve another major loss – the letting go of the concept of stability, safety, security – and come to a resolve and finally a comfort and liberation in letting go, to have faith I will play my part on whatever stage is set, to relax and ask “why not?” instead of “why? ”, and to be open to the newness that every moment brings while truly respecting the path of others.
Peace and many blessings.
We all share a common illusion: that we are in control. Of course, we do have the capability to make choices, and those choices will surely have an impact on the direction we take, but I think we can get into trouble when we become attached to the idea that those choices we make will actually bring us safety and security, when in truth, how could we possibly predict that? It really hit home in a big way, one day, when my husband and I were debating yet another scenario of polar opposite opinions. It occurred to me, neither one of us was wrong, just lobbying for our own sense of security. Isn’t that what every decision and choice we make in our life is ultimately based upon? Security, comfort? Could it be this is why we feel we sometimes need to fight so hard - to defend our fundamental sense of security and wellbeing? When, ironically, the idea of security for one person, can translate into sheer terror for another! One person can feel better talking out her issues when another may feel more secure keeping them inside; some people feel safer investing in stocks, others in real estate; and maybe some find more comfort remaining in the familiar, while others fear boredom or stagnancy and look for change.
I found had to allow myself to, yet again, grieve another major loss – the letting go of the concept of stability, safety, security – and come to a resolve and finally a comfort and liberation in letting go, to have faith I will play my part on whatever stage is set, to relax and ask “why not?” instead of “why? ”, and to be open to the newness that every moment brings while truly respecting the path of others.
Peace and many blessings.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Happy Christmas
Maybe it’s the quiet of the morning with the soft Christmas music lilting from the stereo, or the glow of the white lights on the fur tree in the corner of the room. Maybe it’s knowing all that’s left to do is wrap a few more gifts… or, maybe it’s waking up this morning of Christmas Eve and feeling the fullness of the coming day and all it’s meaning - the birth of new hope and promise for a brighter future, a coming together of human-kind. It’s a time to drop the anger, resentment, jealousy or any other negativity that can take up so much space in our being and relax into the warmth and love that resides in everyone of us; a time of coming together to pay homage to our oneness and the common thread that connects us all. Let us allow this time to open our hearts to the beauty that comes with being human and for the gift of this extraordinary Earth on which we live.
A time for thanks, a time for reflection (Mom, Eddie, Kathy, Diane, Tom, Merrill, Zoe, Rocky, Lee, Johnny, Michael…) and a time for loving…
Many Blessings and Peace to you all.
A time for thanks, a time for reflection (Mom, Eddie, Kathy, Diane, Tom, Merrill, Zoe, Rocky, Lee, Johnny, Michael…) and a time for loving…
Many Blessings and Peace to you all.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
On Peace
Choose kindness… and suddenly you are diverting another conflict.
Yesterday, Annapolis set the stage for a day of peace talks. Country leaders came together to “try” to find some sort of resolution for their conflict. It is a big step down a very long road of centuries of differences. There is no overnight solution, but it IS a step in an optimistic direction.
And what are WE doing, this very moment, to promote peace? I am not even talking about global peace, but about keeping peace in our lives. Are we keeping peaceful thoughts or are we wishing our sandwich were a gun so we can shoot the server who took so long bringing it to our table? Of course, we have all experienced rage and anger, but how can we consciously, from a grassroots level, facilitate a peaceful world if we are enmeshed in violent video games and movies or tuned-in to robotic talking heads reporting on daily violent events from our own backyard to the other side of the world? Conflict is prevalent. It is humanity’s shadow-side manifest. And world peace is a beautiful concept, but it starts at home. It is true: as long as we inhabit this earth, there will always be a penchant for the “dark side”. Are we strong enough to honor this by allowing it to show us the way toward our own lightness of being? Or do we allow ourselves to get swept away in the flow of it’s current? I don’t know, and time will certainly tell, but I do believe we have a choice. So, in the meantime, try asking yourself “Would I rather be right… or kind?” It’s a small step, but it’s a step in an optimistic direction.
Sat Nam and Peace.
Yesterday, Annapolis set the stage for a day of peace talks. Country leaders came together to “try” to find some sort of resolution for their conflict. It is a big step down a very long road of centuries of differences. There is no overnight solution, but it IS a step in an optimistic direction.
And what are WE doing, this very moment, to promote peace? I am not even talking about global peace, but about keeping peace in our lives. Are we keeping peaceful thoughts or are we wishing our sandwich were a gun so we can shoot the server who took so long bringing it to our table? Of course, we have all experienced rage and anger, but how can we consciously, from a grassroots level, facilitate a peaceful world if we are enmeshed in violent video games and movies or tuned-in to robotic talking heads reporting on daily violent events from our own backyard to the other side of the world? Conflict is prevalent. It is humanity’s shadow-side manifest. And world peace is a beautiful concept, but it starts at home. It is true: as long as we inhabit this earth, there will always be a penchant for the “dark side”. Are we strong enough to honor this by allowing it to show us the way toward our own lightness of being? Or do we allow ourselves to get swept away in the flow of it’s current? I don’t know, and time will certainly tell, but I do believe we have a choice. So, in the meantime, try asking yourself “Would I rather be right… or kind?” It’s a small step, but it’s a step in an optimistic direction.
Sat Nam and Peace.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Hang Your Hat
Fly… and suddenly you realize the whole world is at your doorstep.
Home. They say it’s where the heart is, where you hang your hat… but John Cage sums it up neatly: “We carry our homes within us which enables us to fly.”
When I think about Thanksgiving, I immediately associate it with “home”, a warm hearth with family all around. There is a gratifying sense of abundance and satiation. I know this sounds idealistic and it probably is, because along with this sense of cozy satisfaction can come the stresses of the day; planning, cleaning, cooking, more cleaning and striving for family peace while buttons are being pushed all around.
Some of us travel for this holiday, visiting family, or vacationing. Some are doing business in a far-away land, some of us are fighting a war, or merely displaced due to circumstances beyond our control.
No matter what Thanksgiving holds for us or where we spend it, may we stay close to our hearts, our truth, our divine light and give thanks in knowing that we are really and truly home wherever we may be.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Home. They say it’s where the heart is, where you hang your hat… but John Cage sums it up neatly: “We carry our homes within us which enables us to fly.”
When I think about Thanksgiving, I immediately associate it with “home”, a warm hearth with family all around. There is a gratifying sense of abundance and satiation. I know this sounds idealistic and it probably is, because along with this sense of cozy satisfaction can come the stresses of the day; planning, cleaning, cooking, more cleaning and striving for family peace while buttons are being pushed all around.
Some of us travel for this holiday, visiting family, or vacationing. Some are doing business in a far-away land, some of us are fighting a war, or merely displaced due to circumstances beyond our control.
No matter what Thanksgiving holds for us or where we spend it, may we stay close to our hearts, our truth, our divine light and give thanks in knowing that we are really and truly home wherever we may be.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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