Aligning with Grace

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...

Pause. Breathe. Practice self care. That seems simple enough - right? Almost too simple. But I can't think of a better way to start my day. Or, a better way to get it back on track if the train of my life has derailed. In fact, just last night I was talking to a small group about something similar. I told them how I start my day. How I take two hours for a morning practice. I know. That sounds daunting. But I didn't start there. I started with ten minutes. Then twenty, and after I retired I added more time as I found myself more comfortable with it all. This time includes breathing, affirmations, mantras, asking guidance from a litany of saints and beloveds on the other side, tapping, spiritual reading, offering blessings, and doing Lovingkindness, and not in that order. Some days I spend more time with fewer things. I let my inner guidance select the morning rituals. But other days, I linger in silence, with eyes closed, and a hot cup of coffee in my hands. Yes, coffee. I used...

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 ...

  Today is a glorious spring day where I live. I marveled, on my morning walk, how blessed I am to be able to step out of my home and access a myriad connection of pathways through meandering green spaces and parks. And yet, I am also very aware of the many tribulations we are facing in the world. Still, to commit to seeing beauty and goodness in the midst of all that is not well, is for me - a choice, a need, and an imperative. I also know that many of us live in difficult and challenging circumstances, fording a constant stream of anxiety and fear. How could we not? Just look around... And yet, there is more to see as well... We can focus on the fear and the steady diet of negativity the media feeds us - or we can choose other staples for our diet. We must also feed our souls... But, how to do that? I can only share with you some of the things I am currently doing. For example, I am limiting the content of news I am consuming. Recently, a dear friend of mine and I spoke of becomi...

One of my favorite morning practices is  Lovingkindness , which is very powerful and is sourced from ancient Buddhist teaching and practices. There are many things I like about this practice. ​First of all, it is  SIMPLE . Secondly, it is  TRANSFORMATIVE . The more you do it, the more you will notice things shift around you - only because the shifts are occurring within you first. If we  CHANGE , the world also  CHANGES .  Yes, it is as simple as that. But the thing is, we have to constantly work at changing ourselves. It is the essence of human nature, and of Buddhist teachings as well. Buddhists teach about the impermanence of all things. Nothing lasts forever. Many of us have heard the old adage, " The only constant in life is change ." But in order to change, we must be willing to open our hearts first, and then subsequently our minds. But I believe all change begins in the heart. We could become disillusioned by all the violence in the world - the cons...