Happiness and Blessings

I have been reflecting more on the relationship between offering blessings and happiness - and trying to embody these, in my actions and deeds as best as I can. As often happens when we focuses our thoughts on a particular subject - we draw more of the same into our energy field - so that everything we read or encounter reminds us of its importance.

This morning, as I read a post by Marianne Williamson on Facebook - and the inspirational poem and newsletter that arrives in my inbox every morning, I found that all three had a word of wisdom for me - and so I share them with you today:

"Happiness is the spiritual experience
of living every minute with love,
grace, and gratitude."
~ Denis Waitley

"Each day, we must learn again how to love,
between morning's quick coffee
and evening's slow return."
~ Barbara Crooker

"Five minutes meditating in the morning
literally blesses your entire day.
It expands time, calms your nervous system,
restores your cells, and makes forgiveness easier
because it opens the heart.
It interrupts the ego's proclivity for attachment and defense,
and retrains your attitudinal musculature
and delivers you into inner peace.
Plus, it's free.
Now our excuse for not doing it
is what, exactly?"
~ Marianne Williamson

Go out and enjoy your day, and put these into practice!

The Art of Devotion and Blessings

I have a dear friend who always signs her letters and emails with "Blessings..."

A year or so ago - I remember my teacher, John Friend - the founder of Anusara Yoga say to a gathering of his teachers - that one of the most important practices we could ever do was to send blessings to others - especially to those we have difficulty with. He noted that we could radically shift the energy of a situation, a room, or even a person.

I have observed a significant shift in how I feel and act, since I have been doing the practices suggested in my previous blog entry. I am looking at situations or individuals that I couldn't imagine feeling positively about - very differently - with gentler eyes and a compassionate heart. There is a softness to how I am seeing and experiencing things. And, I breathe more deeply...All good!

I've come to realize that, that when we embody practices of forgiveness and gratitude - and send loving thoughts to all things and all people - it results in happiness and in aligning with the Divine. I think of these as devotional practices at their essence. Bhakti Yoga is the cultivation of the Yoga of Devotion.

I love this translation/interpretation of sutra 1.23 of the Yoga Sutras by Nischala Joy Devi:

"Boundless love and devotion unite us with the Divine Consciousness."

Yesterday, I finished and sent off to the printers, my latest poetry book, Embraced by the Divine. The process of writing this book was a year-long journey and one I have engaged in every year for the last six. It was truly an act of love and devotion...

I also wrote another practice to add to the ones listed in my previous entry:

"See everything as a blessing.
Turn everything into a blessing.
Send everyone a blessing.
BE a blessing!"

I know this practice will take me deeper. I invite you to join me - and watch your world and attitudes transform - with everything in it changing for the better!

For a copy of Embraced by the Divine, visit my storefront:
http://stores.lulu.com/aligningwithgrace

Loving What Is

Yesterday morning, I had a long conversation with a dear soul friend while I was out on my deck, under a cloudless slate blue sky and gentle fall breeze, during which we shared so much on so many levels - particularly insights - right down to personal aspects of our respective meditation journeys. It had been a while since we had shared in this way, and I enjoyed the experience of every moment fully. I was totally present and in the moment...

I shared with this friend, some personal struggles, and more details of my recent private lesson with a gifted yoga teacher - who is her own life-long, dear friend. In fact - it was this precious soul I was speaking to - who led me to this just as equally wonderful soul and gifted teacher at a very opportune time in my life.

As a result of working on the practice I was given during my private session, and embodying it more deeply, I was gifted with profound insights about my life, my body and my practice, leading to breakthroughs in my meditation as well. I even had the experience at times, of plugging into a frequency, and having my very own personal "Conversations with God" - receiving clear answers to every question my heart posed.

Byron Katie wrote a book some time ago, titled Loving What Is. It surely is something that is more easily said than done. I don't think I ever quite understood how to do this, but all of a sudden, I had a clearer understanding on how to how to accomplish this for myself.

This very friend I spoke to, once urged me to tackle what was most difficult in my life with relentless love, directing me - to love the unloveable. And that has stuck with me.

When I am faced with difficult situations, I often become emotional, and let them get to me - especially when others around me are angry. I am overwhelmed by anger and violent reactions, and tend to withdraw.

I prayed in the midst of all of this and asked for guidance - and I received it from various sources, and in the process, this simple little plan arose spontaneously within me, which I shared with my friend...

Be grateful.
Be grateful for the experience,
and the lesson that is being presented.
Then, send the person or situation love.

This evolved into another practice:

Every day, sit in meditation, and pick three persons
or situations you consider unloveable.
Focus on each one for a couple of minutes or so -
and envelop each in love.

In my most recent post, I shared the suggestion of finding something to appreciate everyday about your present situation and watching it begin to improve. I have been doing that now for a few days, and things are shifting considerably.

This morning, another friend posted this:

"As we grow in awareness,
we discover that it is more important
to BE the right person
than to FIND the right person."
~ Keyes

And so, today, on a day which is the Autumnal Equinox, and a Full Moon - inviting us to celebrate and embrace our journey into our shadow side and darkness....

Be grateful.
Trust.
Let go.

Appreciate everything.
Accept everything.
Let go.

Seek the highest.
Look for the good, always.
Let go.

Embrace the Light.
Embrace the Dark.
Let go.

Love everything.
Love the unloveable.
Let go.

Only then,
Will you love what is.

I Arise and Receive Again

I sleep in, for the first time in a while...The singing birds and gentle fall breeze kisses me awake...

I make espresso and sit out on my deck, under the canopy provided by mighty oaks, poplars, and evergreens of all sorts, delighting in the moment...

Two weeks ago, I visited a yoga teacher who had been mine for several years. I went at the behest of a dream the previous night. She too, had dreamed of me. There were more incredible details to this dream that miraculously drew us together again...

Three days ago, we reunited again, for a private that was nothing less than a sacred meeting of souls. This gifted angel "saw" what I needed, and provided the needed support and assistance which both my soul and body needed...

Interspersed with her sequencing and strong healing hands that gave me the right adjustments, were gems of wisdom, addressing what she observed, poetically flowing, like manna for my bruised spirit...

"Find your breath! Find her! Say to yourself - 'Let me find You!'
Find your breath - and then sip it - like a delicious cup of tea!
Remember: The rhythm of Spirit and Grace is slower than our own...
You are not drowning - you are surfacing - and giving birth to yourself again. Like a baby that is born and gasps - and asks - 'Can I breathe here, in this world and in this place?' Of course you can!
Know that working deeply and practicing is a love affair with yourself!"

And we did work deeply with Anusara Yoga's Universal Principles of Alignment, that are so therapeutic and conducive to healing. This gifted soul urges me to address the pain in my hip by hugging the pelvic girdle into the mid-line more - and to connect it to the bone...

She gives me precise instructions for working with the loops, spirals, and principles of Anusara that are both nuanced and deep - and result in openings in poses I have not experienced...

I weep all the way home, for the unconditional love and attention received from a fellow Anusara teacher and colleague, and friend as well...I love this Anusara community, for I know that like her, there are legions...

I write back to her:

"Thank you for today.
For holding a space that was both sacred and safe.
For your gentleness and strength.
For your compassion and support.
For your gems of wisdom and divine insight.
For your time!
I am grateful beyond words."

I sit this morning, on my deck, and I feel my eyes moisten once again...

And then, I listen to the Voice of the Divine, expressed through my inner wisdom, cascading forth, like a waterfall, answering every question I have asked myself for days and weeks. And all of a sudden, I see and experience things with greater clarity. There is a Deep Knowing...

I come in and find in my inbox the latest newsletter from the Twelve Insight Journal for today, and it complements aspects of my private yoga session, and the insights I have just received on my deck:

"Your relationship with all...in your world is vibrational first and physical second. You have to recognize this before you will begin to get very much success in creating the things that you want in life.

Yours is meant to be a loving involvement with all the aspects of your world, recognizing the vibrational, higher nature of every person, place and thing. They have all been called together for you by your own vibration, your own inner being. Even the parts of your body have been called together in that manner.

So you see there are no mistakes...The Law of Attraction is infallible. But what to do when you are living in a condition that is undesireable to you?

Well, first you've got to find a way to love that place, because this is where your journey begins...

Find something, anything to appreciate about your present situation and watch it begin to improve. Allow it to be easy, and be easy on yourself, and the power of Divine Grace is going to move everything in response to your gratitude..."

I arise, and I receive, once again, more than I have ever dreamed. I come in, and I write this. I look at the clock. And it reads, 11:11.

Unplugged-Redux

As often happens, when you are entertaining a particular subject - everything that comes your way seems to reinforce it. We magnetically draw to ourselves more of the same!

The September edition of Yoga Journal addressed the impact that our exploding reliance on technology is having on us:

"In her days as a Wall Street trader, yoga teacher Chrissy Carter used to sit in front of five computers tracking stock prices. But Carter says her technology use now - staying in touch with students via email, and social networks - is actually more stressful. 'Being so available all the time, and feeling obligated to respond quickly can leave me feeling pulled in a thousand directions,' she says. 'I use my Blackberry so much, my thumbs hurt.'

With the explosive growth of smart phones and social networks in the past few years, people's lives are more saturated with technology than ever, which is a challenge if you want to stay connected with your peaceful nature...

Constantly checking your computer and phone for updates isn't just distracting - it also induces anxiety, according to Linda Stone, a former technology executive at Apple and Microsoft, who has researched the effects of computing on human health.

'The desire not to miss anything, along with our poor posture and compromised breathing, can evoke a fight-or-flight state,' she says.

When your gadgets start to feel overwhelming, Carter suggests reconnecting with something that uplifts you. Close your eyes for a moment before composing a message and focus on the exhalation to soothe your nervous system; pause and repeat a mantra, or set a timer on your phone or computer and do a one minute meditation. 'You need that moment to step back and to press the reboot button on yourself.'

In a similar vein, the latest AARP Bulletin (Yes! I am old enough to get that!) warns of overindulging our many gadgets with our precious time. The article noted that it was after 9/11 that many jumped into the fray of owning a cellphone. I know that's exactly when I made the decision to make sure my son had one, who was in high school at the time.

"Is it time for you to power down? [These are questions to consider]:

• Are you able to sit down to a meal with friends without checking your phone?
• Do you feel the need to check your phone in the middle of a movie?
• Do you use your hand held device while walking or driving?
• Have you noticed that all your conversations are taking through your smartphone rather than in person?
• Do you sleep with the device next to the bed?
• Does your neck hurt from looking down too much?

Psychologists fear that people are spending enormous amounts of time cultivating virtual relationships at the expense of getting to know the flesh-and-bone folks standing right in front of them..."

Worthwhile things for all of us to consider!

Unplugged

Unplugged...

Definitions: "To remove a plug from, to free from an obstruction, to disconnect..."

I might add: "To reclaim time - and a healthier relationship to it...To experience the present moment more fully, to dwell in the eternal now..."

Recently, on my vacation - I experienced time "disconnected" from the Internet, from my computer, and other such devices...

Yet, while I walked around the city, observing others engaged in their quotidian routines, I was struck by a legion of souls, walking down city streets, oblivious to their surroundings, obsessively texting messages, checking email, or "surfing the web" on their mobile phones...

Even the woman sitting next to me on the plane - on one of the legs of my flight back home - ignored the dictate given by the flight attendant to turn off her phone after the door of the plane had been closed. Instead, she continued doing stuff on her Blackberry, and I wondered, what in the world could be so important that it could not wait?

I thought of so many conversations overheard, on planes, trains, and city streets, that seemed so vacuous, trite, and bane...

All of sudden, I was more keenly aware of how distracted we have become as a people, and as a culture and society. While technology has brought instant communication, unexpected connections, and has shrunken the world, it has also made us less centered, and less tuned in to the rhythms of nature...

Years ago, William Gibson, the writer of science fiction novels, coined the word "cyberspace," to describe (as Time magazine noted in a recent review), a "digital alter ego of every day reality," created by "connecting a lot of computers together..." I read these words on a plane coming back home, and it caused me to re-examine my near obsession at times, with a need to be constantly connected. And so, I have decided to scale back and limit how much time I spend "online," and allow more time for simply being, for meditation, for introspection, for writing, and for reading the old fashioned way (i.e., books that I can hold in my hand, underline - and even bury my nose in and smell!)

Too much of anything ceases to be a good thing. After observing so many souls tethered to and imprisoned by their devices, I could not help but examine my need for constant connection. I thought of my newest mantra, reminding me very simply, that I am infinite, free - and that all I ever truly need, is inside of me!

Only Oneness

I look into the eyes of a biker - and I wonder - what it would be like to be him...On some level I know...Only from that place of oneness can I ever truly know...

From that place - I know what is in his soul - just as I know how it feels to be fully Conscious on the tip of my toe...

This place of Oneness calls me...And when I am there, I am not held captive by my head or my senses...I am only there...

Namaste!

When you are in that place in you - and I am in that place in me - there is only Oneness...We are only One!

Unison Benediction

Return to the most human,
nothing less will nourish the torn spirit,
the bewildered heart,
the angry mind:
And from the ultimate duress
pierced with the breath of anguish,
speak of love

Return, return to the deep sources
nothing less will teach the stiff hands a new way to serve,
to carve into our lives a form of tenderness
and still than ancient necessary pain to preserve

Return to the most human,
nothing less will teach the angry spirit,
the bewildered heart,
the torn mind,
pierced with the breath of anguish...
at last, act for love.

~ May Sarton

A Tantric Moment in Vancouver

On this cool and breezy morning, I strolled out "ISO" of the perfect cup of coffee, and I found it at Blenz, on the corner of Burrard and Robson, in downtown Vancouver.

I ordered a Latte Macchiato with a just a hint of maple, that was to literally die for! The barista, took her time, artistically composing a unique and exquisite lattice design on the creamy foam. My delicious coffee was accompanied by an almond croissant, totally covered with encrusted almonds that was unlike anything I had ever tasted!

There I sat, on a bar table, looking out at the small trickle of humanity, making its way to work, with an explosion of flavors, I dutifully and indulgently savored and almost considered obscene! I sipped my coffee for what must have seemed like an eternity, feeling like Julia Roberts, in Eat Pray Love, enjoying every morsel of her decadent pasta, with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, descending from the heavens in slow motion, as if shaked out of the skies by the very gods themselves - and all to the tune of - "Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" - from Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute!

And then, as if things could not get any more interesting - the most exquisite specimen of the male sex came into the coffee shop, and sat down right next to me with his own coffee and newspaper - oozing the most delicious scent I have ever detected on another human being! I stole surreptitious glances on the sly every once in a while, distracting from the symphony of gustatory delights, I was simultaneously enjoying. Life slowed down to a crawl - every one of my senses was fully engaged - and I thought to myself: I am truly having a Tantric moment!

I can't remember the last time I felt so fully alive and present in the moment. I did, however, eventually move on, but not until I stood in line once again, and personally thanked my barista, for what I deemed to be the best cup of coffee I had, since one memorable cappuccino, in Rome during the Holy Year of 2000. I could tell she was both surprised and delighted by my compliment.

The rest of the morning did not disappoint either. I made it down to Canada Place, down by the harbor, and near the 2010 Winter Olympic Cauldron, where I meditated as seaplanes took off and landed, punctuated by seagulls making their presence known, thinking to myself, it doesn't get any better than this!

Walking Through Illusions

Once in a while, a book falls into your lap that is almost heaven-sent. It arrives, and when you read it, you realize it is precisely what you needed!

Walking Through Illusion, by Betsy Otter Thompson, was such a book for me.

This work reminds me of so many others - Conversations with God, by Neale Donald Walsch, A Course in Miracles, and The Disappearance of the Universe, by Gary R. Renard, just to name a few. If those books spoke to you, this one will as well. So much of what I read, rang so true and deep for me.

The author, an intuitive, connects with the spirit of Jesus, and presents very powerful messages and insights in a very engaging dialog comprised of questions posed and answers given on a number of relevant topics and subjects that thoroughly examine our beliefs, and our notions of morality, truth and death. In all - twenty-three subjects are thoroughly explored.

The topics in question are examined through the lens of Jesus' relationship to some of the apostles and other figures in his life - some of them familiar to us - though others we have never heard of before - and as a former theologian, I can verify they are not documented in biblical or extra-biblical sources.

Walking Through Illusion, illustrates the many ways we feed illusion in our lives. But it also illustrates very concrete ways for us ways to dispel illusion, through wonderful and catchy maxims you might find yourself reciting like a mantra, through worksheets that are both practical and useful, and through reflection questions that are both engaging and cogent. This is not a book to be simply read, but to be lived - digested and re-visited over and over again!

Here are some of my favorite maxims or quotes from the book:

DISAPPOINTMENT COMES FROM THINKING
THAT LIFE SHOULD BE DIFFERENT.
ENJOYMENT COMES FROM THINKING
THAT LIFE IS WONDERFUL THE WAY IT IS.
(p.23)

(This one definitely struck a deep chord with me, and it arrived at a very opportune time!)

EVALUATE YOUR JOURNEY BY
BY HOW WELL YOU HAVE LOVED,
NOT BY HOW WELL OTHERS
HAVE LOVED YOU.
(p. 32)

Walking Through Illusion contains a section of the author's personal reflections at the end of every chapter, and these were among my favorite parts of the book, often providing an almost perfect reflection of my own experiences. For example, in the chapter on "Morality," Betsy Otter Thompson shares her own journey in forgiving herself, which she was able to do under the tutelage of Jesus:

"I went from resenting those who had wronged me, to loving the growth they offered; I went from wishing people were different to welcoming their uniqueness; I went from hating my lonely hours, to loving my independence...I went from fearing the unknown to embracing each new moment. Nothing changed overnight, but overnight I knew that change was possible..."

Walking Through Illusion, like the works of Byron Katie, and Eckhart Tolle, will help you separate the wheat of reality from the chaff of illusion. It will give you greater clarity in regards to many aspects of your life - the true nature of the ego - and how you can be the true architect of your successes. I know that I will be returning to it, and reviewing portions for a long time to come!

For more information, visit:

www.betsythompson.com

I Arise in the Morning and Receive

I arise in the early morning, compelled by the sweet urgings of a dream, that enlightens me as to how to begin a magnificent Sunday morning...

It is cool, and quiet, and before making my way to the other side of the river, on the day before Labor Day, directed by a dream to visit the yoga teacher I studied with for three years but have not visited in nearly two, I am profoundly inspired by three verses that ford the rivers in my heart, and offer sweet guidance for the day...

"I rise to taste the dawn
and find that love
will shine today."
~ Ken Wilber

"There is morning light
inside of you,
waiting to burst open."
~ Rumi

"Arise, and drink your bliss
for all that lives is holy."
~ William Blake

So I arise, and ride to the other side of the river, knowing that I will receive something I am meant to have today...

My teacher and I greet each other warmly. She tells me that she too, was given a dream about me, and I share the incredible details of mine with her...

The practice is just what I needed, and targets every major issue I have and place of pain within my body...

I had forgotten how delicious and nurturing this precious soul can be. Yet, her class is always hard, challenging, its work is deep, and her instructions so incredibly nuanced, and I remember how it always seems to find my "stuff!" It is her gift, and I always experience a nakedness of soul here, that I only ever experience when I study with John Friend, our mutual teacher...

We work on releasing and lengthening the psoas, a muscle that holds many deep-seated emotions for all of us, and mine trembles in one pose involving a block in a supported lunge, which we hold, while we send love and compassion to it.

The theme today, is appropriate as well, for it focuses on self-love, always a difficult one for me, and so many of us as well...Later in the day, a book I read, which I will review shortly, also brings the same lessons on self-love, compassion, and letting go of what does not serve...

I leave class with many insights, a sense of where I need to do the work as well as how to do it, and feeling better than I have in a long time. I am grateful for the gift of this wonderful teacher, and promise myself that I will visit again, more regularly...

I arise today, grateful for messages received, for the Anusara yoga community that I belong to, for the support given and received that is seen and unseen...

"Ask, and it is given.
Seek, and you shall find.
For, everyone that asks, receives.
And everyone that seeks, shall find.
To everyone that knocks, it shall be opened."
~ Mathew 7: 7 - 8.

A New Mantra (Part 2)

I AM
Infinite!

Free!

As God
Created ME!

ALL
Is Inside
ME!

A New Mantra

A New Mantra arrives
In bits and pieces--
In several delicious slices,
Forever altering my consciousness

A New Mantra arrives
Leaving its footprints
On the Hallowed Ground
And fertile soil of my soul

I ask to be shown the way--
And I say,
"Make it clear!"

And so, I receive this,
As a gentle stirring,
Deep in my soul:

"I am Infinite."

Then, a short time after,
I am given,

"I am Infinite.
And I am free."

I chant this assiduously
For weeks on end,
And it takes me to a Place--
Blissful and Expansive
And Utterly Delicious

I inhabit this Place,
Between worlds and dimensions...

And yesterday,
During deep restoratives,
This New Mantra is unexpectedly
And most decisively completed,
With one Haunting Echo...

"I am INFINITE!
And I am FREE!
Everything I need--
Is inside of me."

A New Mantra arrives
In bits and pieces--
In several delicious slices
Forever altering my consciousness

A New Mantra arrives
As a gift sent from the Beyond,
By the Beloved,
Through the Intercession
Of His Divine Mother
To set my heart and soul free

I AM INFINITE!
AND I AM FREE!
EVERYTHING I NEED,
IS INSIDE OF ME!

Yes!

FOR I AM
AS GOD CREATED ME!

A Stairway to Grace

A new month arrives - its welcome energies - crisp and clean - signaling a major shift. The days are growing shorter, and I look forward to the coming fall season and all that it will bring. New months always remind me of opportunities to begin again, and new seasons offer that as well. This time of year invariably issues a call to journey into greater introspection as well...

We step into the last quarter of the year, and it issues an invitation - like Anusara Yoga - to step into the currents of grace, on and off the mat.

My teacher, John Friend, the founder of Anusara, shared these insights on Twitter in the last couple of days:

"Grace = Growing Revelation as Consciousness expands."

"Our stairway lies on the whispering wind of Grace."

This summer brought illness, unexpected time for reflection and reassessments, and a challenge to grow more deeply in many aspects of my life. Change and growth are never easy, but they are, as John Henry Newman once observed, the only evidence of life...

I stand on a stairway leading me to heaven and a state of Grace - my head spinning from many suggestions given to me by a friend today about directions I can begin to take - and things to do to better utilize my gifts. And so, in the aftermath of creating space and cleaning house, opportunities come knocking as I release what no longer serves...

Grace is everywhere. It makes its presence known in every experience we have, as I, myself, experienced in these words read this morning from a poem by David Whyte:

"But what would it be like
feeling the tide rise
out of the numbness inside
toward the place to which we go
washing over our worries of money,
the illusion of being ahead,
the grief of being [left] behind...
rising from such a depth?

What would that be like...
moving down the roads
among the thousands swimming upstream,
as if growing towards arrival,
feeling the currents of the great desire,
carrying time toward tomorrow?"

And I ask myself, what would it be like to climb the stairways and ride the roads, the waves, and currents of grace, always inviting a deeper expression of who we are? Practices - be they yoga, meditation, Lovingkindness, affirmations, kayaking - all enable us to listen more deeply to the sweet harmony of Grace calling to us and singing deeply in our hearts.

Endings, always lead to new beginnings. And it is time for that again in my life...

On a walk with a friend today, we marveled at many parallel experiences, the impact some recent astrological events have had in our lives, and our decisions to move in different directions, both in our relationships to others, and in our work. We affirmed each other for listening to our intuitions, for decisions taken, insights acted upon, and for having the courage to move into new ventures. We were vessels of Grace to each other and for each other, on a delicious early September stroll...