Welcome to my blog. Here you will find whatever is bringing me joy right now.
Please join me in this spiritual agreement, from my mentor and friend, Jana Massey:
"Together we agree that everything that we think, that we say and that we do at this time will be of the highest good. And together we ask for truth, the understanding of that truth and the wisdom to use it in our lives."
Thank you.
A practice of gratitude changes our lives. As we become progressively more centered in gratefulness, we start to see the silver lining behind every cloud and we find that our challenges always become our blessings. Please enjoy these next seven minutes, opening our hearts to thankfulness.
Laughter feels so good! It releases. It relaxes. It makes us feel whole. So, why on earth do we all spend so much time being so serious? You'd think we were suffering giant afflictions most of the time. When really, the only thing we are suffering from is a lack of the habits of happiness and joy. Children laugh hundreds of times a day. Adults only a few dozen, if we are lucky. Some of us hardly laugh at all. It is as if we think we will go farther or do better if we are serious most of the time. And yet, the opposite is true. When we laugh, we loosen up. Inspirations flow while fresh and fun perspectives flood on in. Laughter frees our breath and stimulates our immune systems. It heals our bodies and our minds.
I think that when we are laughing we are sharing our souls. Laughter opens our hearts and brings us into the present. It's like we are serving the finest desert to the Universe. It occurred to me one day, years ago, that The Universe Feeds On Our Joy. And it is our job to provide that kind of nourishment to not only the world around us, but to the heavens above as well. And when we laugh out loud, we are handing out the sweetness and cream of our day. So, let yourself laugh. Remember to play. Let it become a part of your day. Frank and I literally chase each other around the house. We play, 'Catch Me If You Can.' We run and cut around the corners. We hop up on and over the bed. We grab and tickle each other and then fall gasping and laughing in each others arms. It's easy and it makes life delightful. So, play with the dog. Entice the cat with a string. Go outside and talk to the birds then laugh at yourself for trying. It's fun to have fun.
Even tough times don't have to be so bad. I have a friend who is somewhat unlucky in love. But she never-the-less keeps on trying and she shares with me some of her more colorful exploits. With only the slightest embellishments, real life becomes hilarious. Years ago, I came across a pairing of experiences and sex was paired with humor. I was young at the time and I thought, 'How could this be, sex is so serious and so intimate,' but really, when you think of it, hardly anything is funnier. The subject of men and women is always ripe for a laugh.
So, jump on in, crack up and think of how silly we all are, let it be funny and fun. It will brighten your day and lighten the days of all who are around you. Let your smiles turn to giggles and may your guffaws and peals of laughter ring through the heavens and bounce off the walls of your home.
When our energy is well tended, it rises and flows and recirculates through our bodies. During the course of our days, we often extend our energy to others. This can be a beautiful thing, so long as we learn how to disengage when it is appropriate to do so and thus manage our energy field wisely. Enjoy this short video on how to maintain a healthy energetic flow.
Our true purpose in life is not a chore, it is our greatest joy. It can also be the one thing that we hold dearest in our hearts and it might just be our greatest challenge as well. If we don't do it, our lives feel lost. If we do, it brings to us our heart's desire. Joseph Campbell said we must, "Follow our bliss." And Peace Pilgrim said that we must each, "Find our calling." Peace further advised that if we don't already know our calling, we can seek it in reflective silence. She said we need to, "Do all of the good things that you are motivated to do, even if they are only little good things, and to give these first priority in our day over all of the ordinary and mundane things that customarily clutter our human lives." And it's true, so often we give all of our good energy of the day to the things that matter very little in the long run, saving what little is left at the end of the day, for our inspirations, when we are dog tired and ready for bed. Bronnie Ware, an Australian Nurse who worked in palliative care with the dying found that among her patients the number one death bed regret was, "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, rather than the life that others expected of me."Our loved ones care for us; they love us; they want to keep us around and keep us safe. Though well intentioned, they don't want us to take risks and they speak up if we do. Ram Dass tells a funny story about his parents. He said they made it very clear to him that he should: achieve, be responsible, be successful, bring pride to them, stay healthy, and if he accomplished all of that, then he should be happy as well. But this is not a recipe for an authentic life. This is a recipe for a life lived according to the plans of others. Howard Thurman said, “Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” And when we ask, we engage the great spiritual law of asking and receiving. This will then guide us into our truest life well lived. Following our heart's desire is like a love letter of gratitude to the Universe for our lives. I've heard it said that the foundation of our spirituality is to be appreciative of the gift of life. To have fun. To play. To laugh. To see our lives as a piece of God." So, I like to say, "Stay in your joy!" It is the surest compass there is for a life well lived.
