Aligning with Grace

It is a difficult time to witness what is happening on our planet... The sorrow, the suffering, the violence the pain... This morning I woke up with this short, lovingkindness practice on my lips: "May our hearts overflow with compassion." The only solution possible to all that is happening is greater Love. Greater compassion. I believe it is the foundation for everything else: greater insight, understanding, and practical solutions. This is all I am going to leave you with today. Let us all practice it and embody it, to shift the energy on this planet. "May our hearts overflow with compassion." For more practices to support you on your journey, visit:  www.meditationsimple.com

I took this picture in Dachau last year. It was such a haunting experience and I have thought of my time there over and over again. It was profoundly moving. And while the focus of that trip was something totally different - this is what I think of the most and it is what haunts me. A friend of mine told me her father had been held there. I cannot imagine what that must have been like. Since then, I have read many books on the need for ancestral healing and how the wounds of one generation are passed on to the next and the next... I felt compelled to thank the guide I had for teaching countless others about what happened in that camp, so that we would never forget. I asked myself then, how could this have happened? But the truth is, I knew. And we all know. And yet it continues to happen. Like many, I am profoundly affected by what is going on in Israel and Gaza. I am also very concerned about all of this escalating into something much bigger. I have many friends who are Jewish. And I ...

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...

Today's entry is very simple. It is summer in one part of the world and that invites us to live in greater simplicity. In another part of the world, it is going into winter, and that invites introspection and one to slow down as well. Either way, the season invites rest. Are you too busy? Feeling overwhelmed? Then rest! Take time to: REST. REFLECT. AND REPLENISH. That is what I am doing right now.  Last night I gave myself permission to let go of tasks and goals I had set out for the year. It felt instantly freeing. Instead, I thought to myself - "Let's just see where things go. Let me be open to whatever presents itself." So yes! Just: REST. REFLECT. AND REPLENISH. If you don't take time to rest, you can't reflect. And if you don't have time to reflect, you won't be able to figure out what you need to replenish - and make your life better, more peaceful, and joyous.  It's really that simple. Try it! Want some tools to help you on your journey? Che...

Are you one of those persons always in motion? Always trying to get from point A to point B? Have you spent most of your life acquiring things - degrees, trainings, certificates, collectibles?  Is life always about "more this" or "more that?" Is it about traveling to every state or as many countries as you can? Or learning more languages? Or getting better at a game - a sport - or something? Are things always a means to an end? We spend a lot of our lives working towards something. But what I am coming to realize more and more as I get older is - that it's not about the destination. It's always about the journey. Now, looking back at my life, I am seeing more deeply that "less is more." If I could do some things again - I'd certainly acquire less. Now, I am consumed with establishing a more zen like life - with less material things - less striving - and less "to do" things on my list. But it's not easy. There is the continual matt...

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...

Recently, I heard Marie Forleo,  the marketing guru, speak about a mantra she uses that is life-changing for her.She was able to reverse all sorts of situations, attitudes, and outcomes, by simply by saying to herself, something like: "I don't do overwhelm." The key is to implement the words at the beginning of the sentence:  "I don't do..."  and then finish it with whatever speaks to you in a particular moment or situation. I immediately asked myself, what would speak to me in this moment? What do I want to most let go of right now? I had an instant response: "I don't do fear." I went around repeating this mantra over and over again, particularly in anxious moments, and I found myself slowing down, becoming more calm, and being able to handle situations that normally paralyze me. "I don't do fear." What speaks to you? What do you need to let go of? Where do you need more strength? Simply say to yourself -  "I don't do .....

Do the work that you came here to do and let go of the rest. What do I mean by that? One can easily get overwhelmed by all that is going on in the world and consequently in our individual lives as well - overwhelmed by what we see going on in the the macrocosm as well as the microcosm. We may be especially overcome by not be able to control either one.  Or, can we? I am not implying that we should drop out of life or not work at all in the traditional sense. We all have our responsibilities and obligations to meet in this life. But, I believe that we can make a difference in both the larger world around us - and the smaller world of our immediate lives. We can have a profound impact on both. How? By being the best person we can be. By doing the work that we came here to do. And the best part is, that it's never too late to start. Each of us is a unique expression of Divine Love and by striving to become the best that we are, we can make a difference. Each of us has a unique role to...

There is no perfect practice. Read that again. There is no perfect meditation. Yes, read that again... Your practice is YOURS. It is unique. Your practice springs from the depths of your soul - your spirit - your heart. It is what you make it be. It is what nourishes you. What speaks to you and nourishes you - does not necessarily work for me. And that's okay. Because we are unique expressions of Spirit - of God - of the Universe - of Divine Love. We can certainly enrich each other's lives by sharing our practices or techniques that work for each other. For example, my friend Mary Davis at  Every Day Spirit  has her routine and I have mine. But we like to share them and talk about them. There are some things she does that I don't do at all. And guess what? That's okay! What works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for someone else. You getting the dr ift? I have a friend named Joe who plays golf practically every day. I know nothing about golf - except for wha...

Walking is a practice. Who knew? It can be a spiritual practice as well as a sacred time for the soul. Going for a walk can be a time to replenish your spirit, soothe your mind, and allow for your creative juices to flow. I often get so many amazing insights on my walks I can hardly wait to write them down! This beautiful spring morning, as I went on my walk, I admired the lushness all around me: green lawns, flowering dogwoods and redbuds - fresh on the heels of the majestic cherries in bloom recently. The birds were chirping all around me - having a party - cardinals, robins and a pair of blue jays, joyfully flying from tree to tree.   Why do I say that walking is a practice, and perhaps a sacred one at that? Because taking a walk is an invitation to dwell in the present moment. And that, is simply, the only time there is, and the only time we have. It is an invitation to experience mindfulness. Rather than rush through our day, we might find ourselves slowing down, and stopping ...

  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...