Tuesday, January 18, 2011

To Ponder

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
~Anais Nin

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

To Ponder

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men."
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

To Ponder

"Life is a rollercoaster. You can either scream every time you hit a bump or you can throw your hands up and enjoy the ride."
~Unknown

Monday, January 3, 2011

Jessica's Affirmations

Oh. Em. Gee. This girl is awesome. I want to meet her. I want to pinch her cheeks. She is adorable. And she is so right.

Friday, December 31, 2010

A Great New Year's/Resolution Message from Daily Om

Your Wellspring of Energy
A Stress-Free Home

No matter where you live or what type of home you live in, taking care of your dwelling is also caring for your soul.


Sometimes our lives are so busy that we treat our homes as if they were impersonal places that we merely pass through. But we can make certain that our homes truly feel like our sanctuaries by taking the time to tend to them like gardens, which need care in order to offer us the beauty of their blooms. When we take the time to treat our homes like beloved treasures, we can shift their energy from being merely places to being wellsprings for the replenishment of our energy.

Consider that homes are the outer reflections of those who live within. If we feel that the current appearance clashes with how we'd like to see ourselves, it can keep us from fully allowing our light to shine. Updating our homes to reflect our inner landscape need not involve massive redecorating or a large outlay of money. Small things can make a big difference, like simply moving items so that we constantly gaze upon the things we love the most, liberating the treasures we've hidden in our closets, using our best dishes and making small repairs. Organizing and cleaning is a no-cost way to remove chaos from our homes and introduce more calm. Lovingly rejuvenating our personal space can become a creative project that increases the flow of good throughout all aspects of our lives and increases our feeling of connection. We can give old things new life by donating them to charity, opening space for newness to enter. Removing stress from our homes can be as simple as putting our bills into pretty boxes and choosing a specific time to deal with them, or removing clutter so that we and our energy can move freely throughout our space.

Simplifying our space lets our imagination and energy roam free. We can choose to prioritize our homes, making them the true heart of our family's activities. Then we are free to focus on what really matters—time to ourselves, to share with loved ones, and to replenish our energy so that we have more to share with each other and with the world.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

From Daily Om

The Gift of This Journey
Why We Don't Remember

Most of us come into this life without memory of our prior life so that we focus on the life we are living now.


Many of us wonder why we do not remember who we were before we were born. We wonder what it was like to be a soul without a body and what it will be like to be one again. Many of us have a strange sense that we do remember, as if we did experience a bodiless existence, but we can't quite recall the details. We may remember feeling as if we were flying, or as if we were just incredibly light and unrestricted in our movements. Still, most of us do not recall anything in detail about the time before we incarnated into a human body.

There are many possible reasons for this deep forgetting, one of which is that remembering would probably impinge upon our ability to fully commit to this life. Experiencing life on earth without any memory of an alternative existence allows us to be here completely, and that is what is required in order for us to learn much of what we must learn here. Most of us are not meant to spend our time here preoccupied with concerns beyond the realm of this lifetime. Instead, it is our job to occupy our bodies and our planet with a fullness that would not be possible if we were constantly aware of another, and extremely different, realm of existence.

There is no doubt that life on earth is difficult in ways that life outside of a body is not. As we modulate our energy to move into a body, our consciousness changes, and this is a necessary change. Forgetting other levels of being protects us from a confused and divided experience. Soon enough, we will be back where we started, so thinking too much about it now is a bit like being on a fascinating journey and spending the whole time thinking about going home. It is more in alignment with our purpose here to be fully present in the gift of this journey, unreservedly offering our energy to the experience we are having right now.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Just Funny

Normally, I'm not into cats as much as I'm into dogs; but this video is hilarious. A friend of mine on Facebook posted it. This is my Christmas present to you!

Monday, December 27, 2010

To Ponder

"If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking."
-Proverb

Friday, December 24, 2010

My Favorite Christmas Songs

I actually don't have any CD's of Christmas songs. Well, except for Mariah Carey's Christmas CD which I bought in 1995 or something and is rattling around in my parents' house somewhere.

Anyway . . .

So I thought I'd share my Christmas song favorites. Depending on the year, I might be pining for Christmas as early as November 2nd and as late as December 10th (this year). I should also point out that the version of the song is just as important to me as what the song is. Not all versions are created equal! Who wants to hear 98 Degrees sing Silent Night? Not moi.

Here are my favorites, in no particular order:


"The Little Drummer Boy"
I really, really like the classic version. I looked high and low for it on YouTube but couldn't track it down. I love this song because I remember as a little girl really loving the story in the song. I imagined myself as the drummer boy playing for Jesus and thought about how amazing that would really be. I also to this day imagine that when it says "I played my best for him" that is a metaphor for my life. I do my best to make God proud. Yeah, that usually makes me cry. But what doesn't make me cry, right?

The Crosby/Bowie version is acceptable. I also like the Bob Seger version. This video is particularly fun because this house has their Christmas lights synched to the music. You'll just have to see it to see what I mean.




"O Holy Night"
Oh, man. This song can bring the crocodile tears out of me depending on my mood. Especially if it's Christmas Eve, maybe driving back from midnight mass or something. Whew. The key to a good version (for me) is the strength of the following lines:

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices


If the singer has a powerful voice at that point, that's usually when I lose it.

I couldn't find a version I really liked, but this version is pretty good.



"Gabriel's Message"

This song is haunting. They used to play it on the radio all the time when I was a kid, but now I pretty much never hear it. Give it up for YouTube! And Sting! I particularly really appreciate songs like this that actually take the written word and put it into music.




"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
Andy Williams version. Is there any other version anyway?




"The Christmas Song"
Nat King Cole. This song is Christmas.



"White Christmas"
Bing Crosby.


"Baby It's Cold Outside"
I wish this version could be embedded! This is a clip from the movie "Elf." Super cute.


"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"


"Oh Santa!"
Dare I admit that I like this song? Oh, the embarrassment. Mariah, you got me again. The lyrics are so vapid, but I can't help it. It's so damn catchy.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Thinning Veil

When we experience heightened spiritual times, such as the month of December with Christmas, this really does seem to shift things on Earth. One noticeable difference seems to be a higher number of people passing to the other side. Both of my maternal grandparents passed in early December. Celebrities deaths on Christmas day include Dean Martin, James Brown, and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few.

Some people refer to the line between heaven and Earth as a veil. This visual makes sense to me in some ways; it's a good visual way to communicate the idea that while they may be separate states, you can see into each one no matter what side you are on.

When we on the planet make a concerted effort to raise our spiritual consciousness, it helps our collective vibrational energy lift higher and higher. It seems like this heightened spirituality gives an extra boost to those who are ready to move on. In some ways, it is like a reminder that this place is our temporary home until we return to our purest form. It seems to be a bittersweet time of year, doesn't it?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

From Daily Om

Living for Ourselves
Trying to Please Others
We don't need to live seeking approval from our parents or others; this can be overcome no matter what your age.


Most of us come to a point in our lives when we question why we are doing what we are doing, and many of us come to realize that we may be living our lives in an effort to make our parents happy. This realization can dawn when we are in our 20s, our 40s, or even later, depending upon how tight a hold our family of origin has on our psyche. We may feel shocked or depressed by this information, but we can trust that it is coming to us at this time because we are ready to find out what it would mean to live our lives for ourselves, following the call of our own soul, and refusing any longer to be beholden to someone else’s expectations.

One of the most common reasons we are so tied into making our parents, or others, happy, is that we were not properly mirrored when we were children. We were not honored as individuals in our own right, with a will and purpose of our own, to be determined by our own unfolding. As a result, we learned to look outside of ourselves for approval, support, and direction rather than look within. The good news is that the part of us that was not adequately nurtured is still there, inside us, like a seed that has not yet received the sunlight and moisture it needs to open and to allow its inner contents to unfurl. It is never too late to provide ourselves with what we need to awaken this inner being.

There are many ways to create a safe container for ourselves so that we can turn within and shine the light of awareness there. We may join a support group, go to therapy, or start a practice of journaling every day for half an hour. This experience of becoming is well worth the difficult work that may be required of us to get there. In whatever process we choose, we may feel worse before we feel better, but we will ultimately find out how to live our lives for ourselves and how to make ourselves happy.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

From Daily Om

Nothing Big Required
You Are Enough

You are enough the way you are. It isn't everyone's path to do something big for the world, all is important.


Most of us have the feeling that we are here to accomplish something big in our lives, and if we haven't done something that fits the bill we may feel as if we are waiting. We may feel incomplete, or empty, as if our lives don't yet make sense to us, because they don't line up with our idea of major accomplishment. In some cases, this may be because we really are meant to do something that we haven’t yet done. But in most cases, we can let ourselves off the hook with the realization that just being here, being ourselves, is enough.

As we live our lives in this world, we share our energy and our spirit with the people around us in numerous ways. Our influence touches their lives and, through them, touches the lives of many more people. When we strive to live our lives to the fullest and to become our true selves, we are doing something big on an inner level, and that is more than enough to make sense of our being here on this planet at this time. There is no need to hold ourselves to an old idea in the back of our minds that we need to make headlines or single-handedly save the world in order to validate our existence.

We can each look within our hearts to discover what is true for us, what gives our lives meaning, and what excites us. We can release ourselves from any pressure to perform that comes from outside of our inner sense of purpose. Staying in tune with our own values and living our lives in tune with our own vision is all we need in order to fulfill our time here. Our lives are a process of becoming so that we cannot help but cocreate; being who we are, responding to each moment as it comes, we can trust that this is enough.

Monday, December 20, 2010

To Ponder

"He is the wisest who seeks God. He is the most successful who has found God."
~Paramahansa Yogananda

Friday, December 17, 2010

Does it get any better than this?

This is Joni Mitchell singing "Both Sides Now." She first came out with this song in 1970 and then revisited it in 2000. It's fascinating to compare the two. I find it so interesting that she had the wisdom to write/comprehend the ideas in 1970, yet it seems that by 2000 she's actually lived what she is talking about and you can hear the weight of wisdom in her voice. It's gorgeous.

I'm really not surprised that her middle name is Joan. She is fierce. I bet she could teach me a thing or two about unapologetically being who I am.

If you're too busy to listen to both versions, get a grip. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Haha! No, but seriously, I hope you don't feel too busy to listen to both. But if you do, listen to the 2000 version.

1970


2000

Thursday, December 16, 2010

God Speaks via Katy Perry

So, as you know, I love music. As you also know, I spend a whole lotta time in my car. Correlation?

So as I was driving back to my hometown for a family funeral (more on that later), I was having one of those great moments where life just hits me and I have a nice good happy sad cry. I actually have some of my best meditations in the car.

So anyway, I was asking God to guide me, and the next thing you know this little diddy comes on the radio. I was reading a Buddhist philosophy book, and there was an excerpt about the Dalai Lama. He was talking with some western yogis, and they asked the D.L. what to do with students who had trouble loving themselves. The D.L. was surprised. Westerners don't love themselves? What? Why? A lack of self-love seems to be a problem unique to the Western world. And being a Westerner I suppose, I struggle with self-love, too.

So who cries at Katy Perry? This girl. Who gets messages from God via Katy Perry? This one right here. But seriously, if God could write us all a love letter, it would go something like this.

"Firework"
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

What Really Matters on Judgment Day

So first, let me say that I really don't believe in the traditional concept of judgment. From my experience, when we die we are not ushered in front of God and given a judgment decree. In fact, the only judgment seems to come from ourselves! It appears as though we go through our own lives with the careful watching of Angels and helpers, seeing what we did well and what could have been different or better.

Furthermore, it seems that what matters most is our intentions, not necessarily the results. Let me give some examples.

Let's say that after a lifetime of working in homeless shelters and hospitals, Peter passes on and greets the angels in heaven. As they sit down and examine his life, Peter realizes that the only reason he worked at the homeless shelters was to get some free food and flirt with some of the staff. He will be forced to examine his conscience and be honest with his intentions.

Similarly, let's say that after a long life Molly passes on and is looking at her life with her angels and friends. At the age of 25, she had hit a little boy with her car and killed him, and she feared this very moment would haunt her forever and send her to hell. But once she gets to heaven, she is surprised and relieved to hear that since it was not her intention to kill the young boy, she deserves no kind of punishment. In fact, the only punishment she will endure is the punishment that she decides to put upon herself. Surprised that the only one berating her is herself, not God, she can release her sadness and grief.

So I try to use this same principle with myself every day. Do I want to help someone for purely altruistic reasons? Is there anything I am trying to gain from it? This should be our only critique of ourselves. If our hearts are in the right place, we can't punish or celebrate ourselves for the results.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Spotlight/Gift Idea

As you may know, I love all things Indian. Indian food, Indian music, Indian design . . .

So when I ran across these, imagine my excitement! Punjammies are handmade in India by women who are safe (recused, escaped, released) after a period of forced prostitution. The company helps by providing a job with a fair trade wage, financial support for holistic care, and deposits into a savings account.

Plus, hello, these are gorgeous! I think they would make a great pair of sleep pants or just lounge-around-the-house pants.

Monday, December 13, 2010

To Ponder

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
-Sydney J. Harris

Friday, December 10, 2010

An Actual 3am Epiphany

A few nights ago, I was meditating on my own fears. I was practicing mindfulness, where the objective is to observe our thoughts. In its purest form, after observing the presence of a thought, you're supposed to let it go. But being my analytical self, I couldn't help it; I just had to figure out what was up with my crazy monkey brain.

So first what I noticed is that I have a fairly strong concern with getting consumed by other people's feelings. I think this has come from years of being an energetic sponge, taking in the emotions of my environment. It's only increased over time, and now that I'm aware of it and how devastating it can be when negative emotions take hold, I am always conscious of my environment. In some situations, my internal chant is something like, "God shield me; God protect me."

I was thinking about what an exhausting process this is and that something doesn't seem quite right with it. I also believe that God is a loving energy that flows through every person, and therefore we are all connected and all the same. Our physical separation may make us believe that we are all separate, but in fact we are all one; this makes sense with the idea that I can be easily affected by the emotions in others.

Then I realized that maybe protection isn't needed; instead, I must work to see the God in every person I meet. Rather than putting up my energetic shield the moment I meet someone, praying for protection and shielding, I should instead hold the intention to see God in the person I meet. So now I'm trying this. With every soul I meet, out in the world, or through a meditation, or through a visualization, I practice "seeing" the God inside them with my third eye. Then, I visualize their God energy getting stronger and stronger until it fills their entire body; I do the same with myself. And in the final piece, I visualize that our energies meet.

So instead of every meeting with a person being a "clash of the energies" and a fretful prayer for protection, it is a union of the God energy. Fear, neutralized. God, realized. This process allows me to silence the fearful voice of my ego that is terrified at an energetic takeover. And once again, this whole process proves that love (ie God) wins out over fear all the time, every time.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

How to Meditate by Jyotish Novak


This book was assigned to me in preparation for my meditation teacher training in March, and I'm really glad that it was. Not only is it written clearly and is an extremely useful guide, I am always telling people to meditate, but I haven't had many great resources to recommend. This book explains the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical benefits of meditation, and also gives some techniques to use. Very solid read.