Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Time Well Being


A long, long time ago in a far off land my best friend was a boy named Michael who lived up the street. We were both around 6 or 7 years old and we loved playing together. 

I recall sitting in the ivy under the big oak tree with big pillows stuffed under our broadly stripped cotton shirts and mom serving us lunch as we played at being Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. We also collected rudimentary fishing gear while wearing those unstuffed shirts and spent many lazy days catching snapper off a pier in the sound. 

We configured and re-configured race tracks in Mike's basement. And much to the chagrin of our older sisters - we played at being spies, learning how to be stealthy, sneaking up to eavesdrop on their older-kid-doings in the fields at the end of our street. I think that was the only time we were actually quiet!

We climbed trees, road bikes, caught frogs in window wells and butterflies in nets. We mixed potato chips with our Bazooka bubble gum as we watched the Wizard of Oz while propped up on our elbows on pillows on our bellies close to the TV set. Back then it was a real event because the Wizard of Oz only came on once a year! And as I recall this event also signaled the coming to the end of "summer time."

"Summer Time" was not only a season, but a quality of time. It was  when we generally enjoyed enjoying life. It was when school let out and we readily cast ourselves a drift to do NOTHING and loved every moment AND it's unfolding. There were no expectations of accomplishing goals or making the grade. We just got up with the day and made it up as we went along.

We were off the clock when we were in it. We were in summer time. We are now in summer time. We are well. We are just well... well... BEING.

How will you spend your summer time this year?

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Monday, June 16, 2014

Father's Day or Listen Up!



Although I did not speak with my dad this Father's Day, the day itself was filled with great experiences. I unexpectedly joined in on a terrific workshop called 'Your Spiritual Tool Kit'. Then I enjoyed an impromptu lunch with a friend at my home where we fixed up scrambled eggs with feta, smokey hash browns with andouille sausage & a side salad of oranges and peaches.  Just happened to have HB left over from house guest visit and those peaches really needed to get eaten!

A scheduled meditation class took me to lovely downtown Apex in the early evening. Apex is much like my own drowsy little downtown 'cept even more quainter with its brightly colored awnings and new restaurants behind old store fronts. 

The day finished up with me babysitting for some friends so 'mommy' could take 'daddy' on a date. As I left my friend's  home I was filled with so much love for my friends, their two children and the world.

Driving home I took stock of the day. I felt so much Gratitude. Gratitude I was able to give a tiny gift of a night out, Gratitude for an illuminating workshop and Gratitude for the fun lunch with a friend. How had all this come about?

Seems my life has been moving away from goal-setting toward just allowing things to unfold. This wonderful day is proof as it was less planned and more just lived. I showed up, was present for it and there it was!  

This is so-not-how-things are supposed to work. In the material world in which I grew up we were supposed to set goals and work hard to achieve them! Things were concrete and scheduled and arranged to make sure everything went according to plan. Well what are my goals? I just don't have any right now. Is this OK? Am I being lazy or careless? I need to get busy...don't I? 

I have been living these questions for the last couple of days. 

Then some answers just showed up for me this am. Funny how that happens? The following amazing words inspire me - with greater depth and breadth than I can express - to stay with my present path. They give me permission to "just allow" some more. They are encoded below. Just click on them and they will be revealed!

How curious are you about living a new paradigm?


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Monday, June 9, 2014

Don't Be Alarmed II



A poem written at a time of strong feeling is a good thing…for me. It expresses itself so I can get on with the day. 


Gathering Light

In my mind I took a walk
To my heart

Then let go
And stayed there a while

I slipped gathering light
And fell in love

This to shall pass
Don't be alarmed
All of it is fleeting.

To live passionately 
Is to die peacefully


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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Don't Be Alarmed


Don't be alarmed. A poem written at a time of strong feeling is a good thing...for me. It expresses itself so I can get on with the day. This to shall pass.

Desolation

Parched, cracked and dry.
Formidable aching crunches me into tiny pieces like sand.
Alone, without, encumbered, unfrequented and grief stricken.
Near the rim of Death deserted flowers survive.

Quarterly it rains and hope saves seeds for safe keeping.
But no blossoms bloom here.
Desolation and dust insubstantially drifting
denying life.

Coming to my rescue 
the rain of my tears.
Healing slowly,
slowly, slowly, S-L-O-W-L-Y.

How do you move from Darkness to the Light?

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Sunday, June 1, 2014

Happiness is a Choice


"Happiness can be cultivated" says Shawn Achor, author of Before Happiness. He calls it Happiness Hygiene and says it is as essential to living as brushing our teeth and eating right. Here are 5 Two Minute Happiness Drills which Achor's research has proven to actually have the power to make us happier people. His work challenges us to do one or more of these drills for 21 days in order to experience the real difference for ourselves.

Shawn says these practical changes in our behavior are happiness building blocks. These practices allow us to see more meaning in our lives thus increasing our happiness. Which in turn creates an experience of deeper and more enduring joy... for ourselves and others. That's right, Shawn says as we care for our own Happiness Hygiene there exists the real possibility it will spread to those around us.

So here are the 5 Two Minute Happiness Drills that may change the world! Or just make you smile more often. Either way - this is "good stuff making!"

1. SAY ALOUD three NEW gratitudes when you awake each morning.
2. MOVE your body in fun mindful cardio activity - OK this one wants about 10 - 15 minutes!
3. SIT in stillness or meditate - quietly watching your breath for 2 minutes does count!
4. SEND A THANK YOU note, email, or call to someone you know.
5. WRITE a detailed recollection of a happy moment from last 24 hours for just 2 minutes.

If you are like me --- looking at implementing yet another regular routine can feel daunting.  Well suck this one up & GET HAPPY DAMN IT! It is only two minutes... and we need you on our team! 

Too rough?

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