Aligning with Grace

  If you are anything like me, you are probably easily triggered. By the silliest of things. Some of mine are: The noise my hard of hearing husband makes in the morning as I am trying to meditate. Or, towels that are not folded "correctly." Or, the overflowing neighborhood cars parked in front of my house. I'll fret over a hypothetical situation like - what if a workman is coming.to repair something that happened overnight? Where will he park? We all have thoughts and concerns that fill our minds - many of which we can't control - and others which we simply want to control all of the time. Sometimes I remind myself, that NO ONE appointed me Master of the Universe! A hard reality to swallow! But the reality is, that the things that upset us most about others are things we harbor within ourselves that need our attention and that we need to change. In other words, others hold up a mirror to where we need to do our own work to further our growth. A couple of days ago, as ...

You have probably heard the old adage, "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken." This is so true, but so hard to wrap our brains around because we often do not believe that we are enough - not good enough, not smart enough - well, just not enough... But we are. Why? Because each one of us is an irrepeatable spark of Divine Light. No one like us has ever been, or will be again.  Read that again. So I say to you: Be bold. Be brave. Be you! This morning, I read this wonderful quote: "The way you treat yourself is one of the few things you control in life. There’s no reason to be anything but kind to yourself, in both your speech and your actions." Toni Bernhard, “Self-Care in an Uncertain World” So yes, you are you - unique in every way. Notice your self talk. Treating others well begins with us treating ourselves well. Go out today - and every day, and simply, Be Bold! Be Brave. Be Beautiful. Be who you are and BE that well! Be YOU! Supportive resources wait for you here...

On this day of August 8th, often called the Lion's Gate, because the numbers of the day are 8:8, there is supposed to be a special energy that permeates the day and allows for creativity and change. I don't think it matters whether you believe in this or not. I think you can choose to see this day as one of change or transformation. But then, I sincerely believe that all days can be that, if we invite that change and transformation into our lives. One of the easiest ways to do this is by formulating an affirmation that is relevant to our circumstance, and then repeating it over and over again, until it becomes our reality. Mostly, the affirmations should benefit us on a personal level, but they can also have an impact on a global level as well. When we change. The world changes too. You have have heard the adage,  "Change your mind, and change your life."  I would also add this:  "Change your life and you change the world." Here is a wonderful affirmation fo...

  IT IS ACHIEVABLE! 6/27/2023 0 Comments   Recently I came across this wonderful African word - "tinogona." It simply means, it is achievable. We do not have a similar word in English. It often amazes me, how in other cultures and languages there can be tens of words to designate unique qualities or aspects of emotions such as love or things like snow - but English is not really that kind of language - perhaps it is more precise than it is nuanced. Tinogona - it is achievable - is an incredibly hopeful word - at least to me. It seems to convey encouragement and positivity and the belief that anything can be possible. There is a certain solace and comfort to that. Take a moment to consider your greatest and seemingly most insurmountable challenges in this moment of your life. Close your eyes. Hone into the scene. Then imagine a different outcome from the one you have been playing out in your mind. See the situation resolved with ease and grace. And perhaps, a solution arises i...

I have the power to change. Read that again. I have the power to change. To change what? EVERYTHING! But first of all, I have to power to change myself - and the direction of my life. Because I can make choices. I can change what I allow into my energy field, what I focus on and dwell on - what I read - who I spend time with. Even the direction of my life. Yes, especially that. I can end what does not serve and always begin again. Every single day. The list goes on. Even well known figures like Nelson Mandela and Viktor Frankl who were incarcerated, have written about what enabled them to survive. It was ultimately about changing their thoughts and seeking and finding meaning in their lives. You may not believe you have the power to change. I'll be honest and tell you that at times, I don't either. But we can "change" that by converting our long held beliefs into a simple mantra: I have the power to change. Commit to saying this to yourself several times a day for a w...

  I bless you. Yes, you... We ALL can use a blessing. This is the second practice that I wanted to share with you. Start with someone you love, someone who matters, someone you care deeply about or are grateful for. That one will be easy. Maybe there are a few people you want to send blessings to - people you know who may need it right now. Then, I am going to suggest you move on to people in your life that are most challenging. Start with one. And maybe add on another person tomorrow. Maybe you will have to stay with the first person for a few days. Or a week. Or a longer while. But do so. You might just find your hard feelings toward that person melting away. You may become more compassionate towards them and their circumstances. Keep working at it. Then, consider people you read about or hear about who may need a blessing. You will change over time. And you may also find that the ones you are blessing change as well . Are you willing to give it a try? Let me know how it goes and...

  Let me let you in on a little secret: I begin each day with a blessing... After opening my eyes, I give thanks for another day of living. And then I bless the day. It is gift that is denied to many. And so, I begin my day with gratitude as well. And that gratitude leads to my blessing the day and thus it informs and colors how I experience and process my day. This day will never come again. It is irrepeatable. Unique. It has never been before and will never be again. This day will come wrapped in other blessings and gifts and challenges. If you are open to whatever the day brings and you know that it is for your highest good, you will be able to get it through it. If you are indeed open and accepting of the fruits of this day, you may find that it flows with ease and grace. So the question is: How will you meet this day? How you do, will determine its outcome. The choice is ours to experience it as a miracle or something else.  ​How is this so? Because in the end, we choose ...

Life gets busy sometimes. Life gets in the way. WE get frazzled. And overwhelmed. But all we have to do when we are feeling that way, is to simply STOP! Yes, stop! Stop whatever we are doing. And just breathe! I once read, that the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh recommended that every time we came to a Stop sign, to see it as an invitation to become more mindful and to breathe, rather than perceiving it as a nuisance. And when you think of it, everything is about perception. We see things as WE are. So teaches the Talmud. So today, as you go about your day - running errands - or on your way to and from work - remember to  STOP! JUST BREATHE! And ENJOY the moment! We can never know how many of them we have left, so let's not take life for granted! Just breathe and enjoy THIS moment - for THIS IS the only moment you have, whether you are on your computer, your phone, or simply spinning your wheels and running around! I invite you to ...