Aligning with Grace

Advent - a Time for Giving and Receiving Joy Joy is one of the greatest gifts that we can have and we can give - not only at this time of year that naturally invites it and elicits it - but in every other season as well! "Joy is prayer -  Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you catch souls. She gives most who gives with joy." - Mother Teresa "Never miss a joy in this world of trouble... that's my theory! Happiness, like mercy, is twice blessed: it blesses those most intimately associated with it and it blesses all those who see it, hear it, touch it or breathe the same atmosphere." - Kate Douglas Wiggin Feel joy, and spread joy. And remember, that ancient Egyptians could only cross over to the next life if they could affirm that in that lifetime, they had indeed found and received joy.... (A Repost) www.meditationsimple.com

The sun rises and unveils a brilliant blue and cloudless sky... The crisp coolness of an early June morning takes my breath away,,, Two cardinals sit on my deck bistro chairs facing each other and I imagine they are chatting happily... It is as if all is well with the world, but I know that it is not... And yet, all is impregnated with the Presence of the Divine... I KNOW it - as all mystics know and feel this in their bones. Thus, I have never - and could never question or doubt what I feel is more real in my life than most things... I walk and pray and pray and walk - open to the insights and messages I receive from my guides on the Other Side of the Veil... They come every time - because I invoke their presence and ask for their guidance. In the words of Yogananda I beseech them to: "Lead me from ignorance to wisdom, From restlessness to peace, And from desire to contentment." I reflect on the state of the world, the divisiveness, the hatred and v...

"Be who you are, and be that well." ~ Francis de Sales And truly, how can we be anything but who we are? As a child, I was once asked by a nun who was also my teacher, what I wished to be when I grew up. And I simply responded, "A saint." Of course, I had no idea what that meant, but somehow I felt enamored by the lives of the many martyrs I read about. Today, I ask myself, "What was I thinking?" But what I really think I meant, was that I was seeking a life of wholeness. I wanted to be the best person that I could possibly be, and in my childish understanding, I thought those people were saints - people who truly became the best human beings possible. Implicit in my understanding was a sort of perfection, that of course, I know now - does not exist. "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." ~ Matthew 5:48 Even so, we strive for something that at times seems elusive. Can it really be attained?  James Martin, SJ, in h...

Yesterday, was one of those special days that could not have been planned. And perhaps it was such a good day, because I chose to experience joy! Twenty-nine years ago on the first of June, my son was born, who just happened to turn 29 himself. I looked forward to having dinner with him and his girlfriend later in the day. But in the morning, I drove to a dear friend's house, to pick her up and head out to her church to hear her own gifted child sing. This lovely young woman studies music in college and I've had the privilege to see her evolve musically during the last decade. Just as I turned into my friend's driveway, I noticed the clock turned 10:17. This was the exact time my son was born, 29 years to the very minute! And the radio was playing a musical piece by Suzanne Ciani, titled "Mother's Song," that I had first heard in the 80's in a documentary about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Later on, during my drive home, I marveled at these beautiful...

There are times in life we travel alone. And there are times we follow in another's footsteps - or someone follows in ours... Years ago, while I was in my twenties, I visited a contemplative community for a silent retreat in their cloistered monastery. I came armed with a few spiritual texts and blended into the rhythm of the nuns' lives, participating in as much as was possible - most especially in the chanting of the Liturgy of the Hours - which I found both daunting and a satisfying rich and spiritual feast! I was housed in the novitiate wing, by then empty, in a cell where Mother Teresa of Calcutta had spent the night once, as she passed through town. I was told by the nuns that the next day, they were amazed to find that the room had been left untouched. She had not slept in the bed - and had either slept on the floor or prayed all night. The only thing she asked for had been a bucket of water. I felt the energy of Mother Teresa's presence deep into the silent ni...

"With the opening of the New Year, all the closed portals of limitation will be thrown open and I shall move through them to vaster fields where my worthwhile dreams of life will be fulfilled." ~ Paramahansa Yoganada With the ending of this year, and the beginning of the next - to concur with a New Moon - we plant the seeds for new beginnings, as in this coming year of 2014... The last couple of years have been very difficult for so many. There have been seemingly insurmountable challenges for many loved ones. But I am amazed at how so many souls have been able to traverse these experiences with love, and humility and grace. It has been a great gift to me and a lesson for my soul... Every year brings with it the invitation to grow, and to deepen our relationship with the Divine. It invites us to heal what must be healed, to take on - and let go - and to accept what we cannot change. I like to light votive candles at sundown that last for almost a week - ...

Painting is like meditation... Painting IS a meditation! I have spent the last few days painting walls, with a few more left to do... This morning, as a new basement door and storm door were being installed, I took a few mo ments to carefully inspect the painted walls and note the spots I had missed earlier this week, as I mentally reflected on my work. What I realized, as I painted, is that I am attracted to this endeavor because of its meditative qualities. It is an activity that is solitary, and one which requires both practice and concentration, if one is to become "better" at it. Earlier in the week, when I began the project of painting the upstairs hallway, I did not know if I would complete it in a day. And it did not matter. I gave myself totally and wholeheartedly to the task at hand. Later on the second day of painting, I posted this as my status on Facebook: "If you concentrate and surrender, you are in the flow and become one with the painting and...

We have begun our journey into Holy Week with its sacred themes of surrender and unconditional love among so many others - and the commemoration of another sacred journey - that of Passover, which begins this evening... Spiritual traditions converge once again, dancing into each other, as they have for centuries, offering us an opportunity to reflect on all that unites us - rather than that which may separate us... I surround myself with meditations and reflections from various sources, and have spent Lent reviewing and immersing myself in entries posted during this sacred season in recent years, finding gems and kernels of wisdom interspersed here and there, that once more touch my heart profoundly and manage to speak again so deeply... Perhaps nothing is truly ever new under the sun... The same struggles surface again and again in my own seemingly small and insignificant life. But once more I re-learn and am reminded - that there is nothing truly small and insignificant in any li...

There are times in this life, when we are taken care of... There are times in this life, when others take care of us... Life is truly an endless dance of giving and receiving... There are times when we are in great need of prayers, of support, of unconditional love - and the caring of selfless souls who spill out the very essence of their souls for us, touches us profoundly... There are times when we are the ones doing the spilling - as we respond to those in need - be they loved ones, or perfect strangers... St. Francis of Assisi once wrote, that in giving we receive... Mother Teresa of Calcutta urged everyone, to give until it hurt... St Jeanne de Chantal taught that we cannot always do great things - but we can always do small things with great love... And I have come to realize, my place in this life is not to make a big splash - but to go about my work quietly, allowing my interior life to flourish and blossom... Jesus taught that we are to love one another as God ...

I took a lazy jaunt down to the river later in the morning after teaching. It was one of those breezy mornings where the cool air wafted in through open windows while we practiced and it made savasana even more delicious. It was very windy down by the river, and I observed the river's undulating waves and reflected on what it means to go with the flow. I watched a couple get their kayak ready to put into the water, but it was not one of those days I would consider going in. You'd have to do a lot of work to get anywhere - unless you were willing to go with the flow... When we are in the flow, we are very present, and mindful, and accepting of what is. While I was at the river, a young man sat slouched on a bench to my side, very much absorbed with his iPhone. Not once did I see him look up at the breathtaking scenery around him. Later, I went for a walk, and another man just as absorbed with his device - practically collided into me. I wondered when he would look up to see wher...

The animals continue to speak... Today, it was two ants demanding my attention - one crawling on me down by a river that was swift, turbulent and muddy from the recent rains. The other one followed me to the car, and then promptly hopped on to my steering wheel to follow me home... An ant symbolizes patience, order, and discipline... "The ant teaches you how to become the architect of your life. The greatest success comes with persistence. The ant shows you how to work with others. Ask yourself it you are making things harder than they need to be. Are you being patient with your own and others' efforts? Using discipline, you can lay a foundation for success." These are very interesting insights to consider, because during my drive to the river this morning, I reflected on what may be nascent opportunities for me to offer a retreat or workshop on yoga and prayer. I also thought about marketing and self-promotion - and how uncomfortable I am with all of that. And then, the ...

What is your way? Which way do you walk? What path do you follow? I receive this in my inbox, and it seems so appropriate. I reflect on its deeper meaning for me: "I walked this way, I walked that way, and then I walked MY WAY." We have begun a new month, and I continue to receive messages from everywhere, and everything. I will share more about this in my next entry... On the first day of this month, I lost the last of my great aunts, and the youngest of my beloved grandmother's sisters. She truly walked her way. She lived life on her own terms. And her way, like my grandmother's, was the way of love... She touched lives near and far that cut across all levels of class or racial distinctions. She was beloved by many, and my own memories of her are very fond... In fact, her grandchildren and great grandchildren, simply referred to her as "Love." Not "Nonna," not "Grandma," but "Love." Quite a testament to any living soul! And to...

Every year, I wait for one very special day: The day in between the Mahasamadhi of Paramahansa Yogananda and that of his own guru, Sri Yukteswar, just separated by a mere day... Yogananda's Mahasamadhi is on the 7th of March - and Sri Yukteswar's, is on the 9th. I like to think that Yogananda left his body to be with his own teacher and master on his day. I can imagine the party they had, and like good friends, imagine they stayed up all night getting caught up in each other's lives! (Not that they really needed to do that!) A mahasamadhi, is the "conscious exit" from the body and a particular lifetime by a great being when his or her task is done. It is something that all great gurus and lamas in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions strive to attain, by living a life enriched by dedicated spiritual practices. It is said, that on the day of a great being's mahasamadhi, they are more present, and the attention they give to prayers and special requests is ampl...

"Love said to me, There is nothing that is not me. Be silent." ~ Rumi I read this quote a few days ago, and it was perfect in every way. It defined my weeks, and defined my days, so far this crucial year of 2012. And, it even showed up in my theme during my first week back to teaching yoga. Since the holiday season ended, I have had the wonderful and delicious opportunity to make a slow re-entry back into daily activity, and I am grateful for the many wonderful opportunities to slow down. To be still. To enjoy solitude. And to be silent... There have been cold days when I visited a wind-swept river or walked among barren trees in prayer. And even once, on that rare day, when snow flurries came down as well. There have been many moments of reflection. Punctuated by goal setting. Days of assessments made - with one day flowing seamlessly into the next. I began my first week of classes by working the First Principle of Anusara Yoga - "Opening to Grace," as I usually d...

In 1998, I read two books that significantly shifted my perspective about the body and my understanding of consciousness. These books were, Hands of Life: An Energy Healer Reveals the Secrets of Using Your Body's Own Energy Medicine for Healing, Recovery, and Transformation , by Julie Motz, and The Heart's Code: Tapping the Wisdom and Power of Our Heart Energy, by Paul Pearsall, PhD . Let me explain why these books have remained seminal works on the shelf where I keep the books I consider most influential. Julie Motz is an intuitive healer who worked with Dr. Mehmet Oz , back in the day when he was just a heart transplant surgeon and Oprah had not "discovered" him. At that time, Motz worked closely with Dr. Oz, in the operating room, "dialoguing" with both the "exiting" organ, and the new one being received. Motz reveals in her book, how the "out-going organ" and the body are saddened at their parting of the ways so to speak, and the ...