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November 19, 2013

Vegetables – Food For Your Soul

I’ve still got the founding fathers on my mind…

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are big fans of Thomas Jefferson. Over four and a half years ago we chose to adopt a vegan diet, which means we do not eat any animal products whatsoever. We were thrilled to come across this quote from one of our heroes! I am reminded just how lucky we are to have dairy free condiments for our vegetables these days. We are blessed to have made this choice when it is so easy to eat delicious amazing whole food with wonderfully tasty combinations that don’t include the use of any animal foods. We don’t need animal food to eat well.

Over the past few years when people are inquiring about the reasons why and such, many times someone will say to my husband, “Man, sorry about that, that sounds terrible.”…or something similar. I love how he responds. He gets quite enthusiastic and talks about how exciting it has been to try something different. He goes on and on about how we ate the same things for years and with this change we got to figure out what tastes good to us now and embark on an entire new food adventure. He tells it as a fun and thrilling story. He is a great example of — it’s all in how you look at it. Love him for that and much more!

For me personally, I could go on and on about why we made this choice…it started for one reason and morphed into too many to count. If people ask, I do love to share some of those reasons. As it has become completely familiar and normal to us over the years, I realize that there are many unexpected outcomes from making this lifestyle choice. The biggest one I feel is very close to my heart and means a lot to me, but it may sound strange to others…I feel much more open to life and much more in touch with my heart and able to understand and embrace things in a deeper way. I actually feel that eating life and whole foods rather than having death on my plate has changed how I live in the world. I love this quote from Jefferson, it makes me imagine his food choices somehow shaping who he was in the world too. For some reason it thrills me.

Wishing us all plates full of life!

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November 15, 2013

Seeing The Greatness Around and Within Everyone and Everything

We just returned home from a magnificent trip to Washington D.C. I am feeling particularly grateful for many things we saw and experienced there. I would love to share some of the specifics that touched me and my family, but overall, I must say that I left with deep reverence and immense gratitude for the great many people who have gone before us making great choices and leaving behind great examples of what courage, honor, integrity and good character look like.

When I was researching homeschool and picking the method that would work best for my family, I knew that the Thomas Jefferson Education and classical methods resonated most deeply with me. I knew the benefits of studying great people throughout history so that when it comes time to make choices in your own life, you have great examples to draw from. I knew how our Founding Fathers were educated and how I wanted to use that model with my own children. I went to D.C. with plenty of knowledge about the great people I had studied and read about. I left with much more than that. As I left Washington D.C. and thought of all I had experienced there, a deep sense of gratitude for having been there and experienced glimpses of the history of our nation hit me hard. We saw a lot and visited many historical places and the feelings that these places ignite within is really quite amazing. As I continue on the journey of my own growth and evolution and that of mentoring and inspiring my two students as we educate at home, I am certain that the most important thing is the content of our character and that truth far outweighs the importance of the scope of our knowledge.

Knowledge is changing in our world today. Everyone can access it. The answers to everything are at our fingertips. I don’t rest on this fact, we have quite challenging academic goals and schedules. But, I know who we become is of far greater importance than what we become. What we can do with our knowledge and what kind of choices we make with it matter much more than how much we possess. I am so grateful that we have chosen a path that allows us to devote ample time to studying the greatness that has been demonstrated before us. I believe that we all have greatness in us. We all have that spark of the Divine. Some have nurtured it more and made it easier to see. Some have quietly gone about living from that place and some have shouted it from mountaintops. I am so thankful for those that have left signs of their Divine spark for us to see so that we can be changed for the better by knowing about them. I am thankful for the quiet ones too. It is quite meaningful, heartwarming and fun to study great people making great choices as I nurture my own spark and inspire my little students to do the same.

A few highlights to share…

We went to Mount Vernon and saw George Washington’s home and plantation. For me, this was the highlight of the visit. This man was amazing. As we are reminded of some of his greatest moments like the defining moment of the Revolutionary War – Washington crossing the Delaware River, we get a deep sense of the fact that this country would not exist without him. Then, remembering that with his success, the people wanted to name him King and he would have nothing of it, wanting to create something far better…we are reminded just how different this country would be if not for his character. He did so much to make this a great country, and even more important, he was not swept away by his power. He stepped down from his leadership roles various times throughout his career, setting an exemplary precedent for those to follow. The experience of seeing the plantation was meaningful in so many ways…it gives a true glimpse of what it was like to live back then. While taking in the life of this remarkable man, we still had to walk through the quarters of the slaves and grasp the dark side of history as well. I left with deeper gratitude and profoundly greater respect for this American hero. That night the children listened intently while I read to them from George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company and Conversation which he copied at the age of 15 and spent the remainder of his life abiding by. As they listened so closely it struck me that the assignments they take part in about developing one’s character may have that same lasting effect on their lives…a mother can hope.

I often say of George Washington that he was one of the few in the whole history of the world who was not carried away by power. — Robert Frost

John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, we are approaching the 50th anniversary of this moment in our history. The Newseum, one of our favorite museum stops had a wonderful exhibit that helped us take a deep look at his life, presidency and his death. This man did a lot for this country and the world and he gave his life for it. It was a blessing for us to be in our nation’s capital while this historical date was being honored.

I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House — with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. [Describing a dinner for Nobel Prize winners] –John F. Kennedy

Speaking of Thomas Jefferson… standing at the Jefferson Memorial and taking in the magnificence of it and the feeling that accompanied being there is really hard to put into words. What a wonderful moment.

As our tour of Washington D.C. continued and we found ourselves explaining things to the children and reminding them of historical events, it was lovely to piece our history together for them like a puzzle. Some good things happened, followed by some very sad things, then more greatness and shinning examples, with sprinkles of darkness and tragedy, soon to return to triumph and honor… all shaping the world we live in today.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. — Abraham Lincoln

Whatever you are be a good one. –Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s life is a lovely piece of our historic puzzle to explain to children… I particularly enjoy explaining his religion he mentions below.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a remarkable being. To stand near the memorial dedicated to him and to read his words on the inscription wall was taking in a very special picture of a man and knowing that you must learn more. Much more indeed. That man was filled with so much love.

“Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” (18 April 1959, Washington, D.C.) — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am indeed very grateful for the meaning and reverence that our trip to Washington D.C. inspired in me. As I settle back into life at home I realize that, for me, D.C. is simply a place that makes it easier to spot the greatness. It also makes us remember the tragedy, but it fills you with the greatness. I believe that if we look deeply into any place we can find greatness and we can celebrate it, we can study it and we can emulate it. We can see it in people who don’t see it in themselves. We can help more people see it. We all have that spark in us and we must nurture it and carry it well. We can choose what we see in others and we can see greatness. The more we can see it, the more we can be it. The more we can be it, the more we can spread it. Wishing us all the grace of seeing the greatness that is around and within us today and always!

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November 7, 2013

Cultivating a Poetry Practice

As detailed in my previous post, after learning all about Coach Wooden, I read and studied all of his work with a voracious appetite to learn and a grateful heart for the spirit and gift I had discovered. The thing that Coach expresses first and foremost in most of his work is his great respect, love and admiration for his father, Joshua Wooden. As you read Coach’s work, it is quite something to hear about his childhood on the farm and the many life lessons he encountered there. His parents were a great example of exemplary character through hardships and all life brought their way. It was quite meaningful to have a glimpse into another time with such amazing people working so hard without complaint.

One of the great things Coach shared was about his father reading to his children at night. He grew up with no electricity, plumbing, or conveniences. For their entertainment, his father read to them by the light of a coal-oil lamp. He read them a lot of poetry and Shakespeare and more. In Coach’s own words he says, ” The poetry Dad read to us when we were kids instilled a love of reading, English, books and knowledge.” He also recalls, “Dad reminded me often, ‘Johnny, you’ll never learn a thing that you didn’t learn from someone else.’ Good books help us do that.”

When Coach graduated from grade school, his father gave him what he called The Gift of A Lifetime...it was a little card that had a very special verse on one side and a list of “Seven Things to Do” on the other side. He eventually called the seven things “Dad’s Seven Point Creed”… When his Dad handed him the card, all he said was, “Son, try and live up to these things.” In Coach’s humble way, when sharing about these things, he says he wishes he could say he lived up to them. He says he tried. I think we can all see how he more than tried, he soared. He lived up to his father’s Seven Point Creed and he brought it to so many in a time when it is so needed.

Number four on the list was, “Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.” Coach certainly did that. His love of books and reading started those nights listening to his father reading. When I learned of this in his various retellings of it, it hit me deep and it changed me. I thought of my own little ones and my heart tugged and I remember feeling, “Oh, how I wish we lived in a time when we could do this.”…next thought was something like, “Duh, we can do this now.” Mad dash to the computer to order poetry books and our family poetry nights began…

We have kept with family poetry nights over the years and we have practiced in various ways. At first we would rotate turns and let each family member lead the reading and discussion. Whoever’s night it was would read the poem and then we would all discuss what it meant to each of us. It was delightful to hear how we would each interpret things in our own way. It also helped us to understand each other better and see things through the eyes of our loved ones. We went through a stage of everyone reading each night, as we discussed several poems or at least listened to several. We began to crave going deeper into just one or two poems again, so we returned to assigning nights. Sometimes the kids are so enthusiastic, we read more. We are going with the flow of it now.

Our family poetry practice has been a great gift in our lives. Poetry cannot be read quickly, you must slow down and give it your full attention. It speaks to the soul. It brings meaning to our days. We are by no means poetry experts, we simply follow our hearts toward what speaks to us. It has led to so many wonderful works, discussions and experiences. Often when we’re out in the world, one of the kids will see something that reminds them of a poem…they will begin reciting it and excitedly experiencing life in a deeper way. It is miraculous. The poetry doesn’t just stay in the house with us where we practice it…it lives with us all the time and blesses us constantly. We love reading poetry from all corners of the world, it connects us to more than our lives here. We have been blessed by poetry in our lives in countless ways.

As the years of our poetry practice are adding up, I can truly see just how much it has added to our children’s lives. It makes them willing to look deeper at things and try to understand that which isn’t immediately obvious. It has also developed their love of reading and learning in so many ways. For my husband and I, it has been equally amazing. Cultivating a poetry practice was new for us both and it has been the most delightful gift. The poems have a way of finding us. We have been exposed to so much more than we expected. We will keep this family practice alive in our home and hearts as long as possible and continue to cultivate it and go deeper and deeper into our practice. We are grateful for this gift!

Wishing you a life full of poetry!

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November 5, 2013

One of The Great Blessings In My Life…Wooden Wisdom

Coach John Wooden passed away on June 4, 2010. That day was a life changer for me. We happened to be sick that weekend and uncharacteristically had the television on, allowing us to see some of the coverage…I am so thankful for that. I was deeply touched by what I learned about this amazing man that day. I haven’t written all that much about Coach Wooden here yet because every time I think about putting my feelings into words, I get a kind of terrified feeling. I think it is because I fear that I could never quite express how knowing about what he did with his life has affected mine and that of my family. Even now, I sit here with tears starting to form, a sick feeling in my stomach and a lump in my throat. What is this? I don’t really experience this with my writing, I am willing to share and be open about just about anything… Fear is a ridiculous illusion that tries to stop us from so many things, so I will just bulldoze right through it. Wish me luck please!

As I sat there learning about Coach Wooden that day, I was stunned to see that someone like him had existed. There was so much more to the story than the man who had coached basketball so successfully. So much more. I SAW LOVE! I think it stood out because it was all men talking about this man and they were just so completely raw and open and loving as they recalled what Coach had meant to them and what knowing him had done in their lives. The coverage included a little about his great love for his wife who had passed away many years before. We saw that he had written her a letter every single day for twenty-five years since her passing. We saw some of his Pyramid of Success. We saw so much, but for me I wanted to know much more. I had to.

I decided to read everything I could get my hands on that Coach had written. He has many books out there. I devoured all of them. I would never be the same. This man knew what success meant. He began thinking of it back in high school when his math teacher asked his students “What is success?”… Coach never let the question go, he worked on his Pyramid of Success for thirteen years. He lived it and he devoted his life to teaching others how to live it as well. His pyramid is something my family has studied since we discovered it and we will continue to do so for years to come. Coach’s definition of success is this–

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming. –John R. Wooden

Here is his Pyramid of Success:

I could attempt to explain all that the Pyramid and all of Coach’s work mean to me, but I know that it really can’t be put into words. It is much more than words. I will just say that I think it is very strange that they put his books in the sports section at the book stores. He taught about much much more than sports. He taught about life and he lived as an example.

I am grateful for many teachers in my life. Just prior to reading all of Coach’s work, I had been reading various spiritual awakening books and memoirs. I was really trying to grasp consciousness and awakening and in some cases, reading and rereading the same books again and again. Somehow Coach’s work was exactly the piece of the puzzle that I needed at the exact moment…a gift from God. It felt like my grandfather explaining life to me in understandable terms. I probably couldn’t have understood Coach so deeply if I hadn’t already been changed by awe-inspiring lessons from many before I found him though, so for that I am grateful! I think of Coach’s work as the glue I needed as my foundation to understand all the other lessons coming my way and to make sense of all that I had already learned. I believe Coach Wooden was an enlightened being among us and the best part about him was that he was so humble he didn’t label himself at all. He was just a man, doing his personal best. We are all so blessed to have his example.

For me, the Pyramid and many more things I learned from Coach Wooden’s work are my foundation. That foundation is always there for me reminding me to work hard towards becoming the best version of myself, while being open to Life in every way possible. Life is always supporting and growing and blessing us with miracles and lessons, but we are also responsible for doing the work of co-creating with it. Coach’s work brings good old-fashioned character lessons and supports us while we also tap into the moment and the flow of God’s love that is ever-present. For me, it is the perfect combination. I am so grateful for the gift of Wooden Wisdom in my life!

We love Coach Wooden’s books for children so very much. He did a great job in the later part of his life bringing his work to kids. In his last book, The Wisdom of Wooden, he shared a special picture and a great message about his children’s books. He said that the people at the company that worked to bring his kids’ books into classrooms asked him if he had ever thought about changing the Pyramid in any manner. Coach shared that when asked, he had replied, “No, except for one thing. I wish I had included the word ‘Love’ somewhere. Love is the basis for everything I do.” He was excited to share that they granted his wish by making him the picture below. You can see love in the cement holding the blocks together. It is so very special. I saw the love that day that I first learned of Coach and I will never forget it.

The pictures in the children’s books don’t have the love in the cement…he shared this in his last book. I scanned it directly from the pages of The Wisdom of Wooden. I was not surprised at all to hear that was the only change he would make. I could see on that first day I learned of him that he was a man who lived full of love and I am so grateful that he showed me what a lifetime full of love looks like.

From all the spiritual teachers I have learned that love is always the answer. I know that is why Coach mentioned this late in his life when asked…he knew deeply that love is the only answer and it is always the answer. He was and continues to be an amazing example of a life lived well and with lots of love.

I can see as I try to wrap-up this post that it would take many more words to even begin to explain my feelings for Coach. I feel that I will have many opportunities to share my feelings in the future here on Live What You Know…for that I am grateful and to you, my cherished reader, I am grateful! Thank you! Please stay tuned for many more specific lessons I learned from our beloved, Coach Wooden. For now, lets just try to remember that love is always the answer. No matter what it is, stop and flex that heart muscle and you will feel it and summon the courage to use it. You can move mountains with love. You can forgive, cherish, laugh, cry, squeeze, smile, create, build, win, lose, adore and so much more with love and that muscle we call… the heart.

Love is always the answer. Wishing you love!

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November 4, 2013

A Clear Mind

My new morning mantra…

Today, I go out into the world with a clear mind. I leave all thoughts behind.

I spotted a great quote recently that inspired it…

When I walk out into the world, I take no thoughts with me. That’s not easy, but you can learn to do it. An empty mind is hungry, so you can look at everything longer, and closer. Don’t hum! When you listen with empty ears, you hear more. And this is the core of the secret: Attention is the beginning of devotion.” –Mary Oliver

Last Monday morning, I was driving the children to an activity and I paraphrased Mary Oliver’s lovely words above sharing where I had seen them. I then naturally turned them into my new mantra. I kept saying, “Today, I go out into the world with a clear mind. I leave all thoughts behind.” Next thing I knew I was looking at things fresh and clear and miracles were appearing before my eyes. Simply from looking at them with a clear mind. The miracles are always there and God and the Divine are always ready for us to show up and see them, experience them, and BE them.

On that Monday morning before I had used my mantra, I did have things on my mind that seemed to need my attention. I even had a few things I thought needed fixing or my own interference really. After using my mantra and then truly entering the day’s activities with fresh eyes, open ears, and a clear mind with pointed attention…nothing needed my “fixing” anymore. I was simply left grateful and alive.

This weekend someone asked me, “Where do you fellowship?” I said, “Everywhere. I love looking for the Sacred in Everything.” This is my devotion.

Mary Oliver was right…It isn’t easy to take no thoughts with you. She was also right when she said you can learn to do it. It begins with watching the thoughts and then finding your way to quieting them. The joy is in the still, open, attention.

This morning and always, I wish you a clear and open mind to experience the miracles that are ready for you. You don’t have to take expectations with you anywhere you go or into anything you do. Sending you love and joy!

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October 23, 2013

What’s The Rush? Stop Rushing and Start Living!

Rushing through anything for any reason whatsoever creates stress and suffering and goes against the flow of Life. The truth is that “on time” is when we get there. We completely overlook the present moment and all the miracles found within when we rush or hurry in any way for any reason. When we can let go and trust that all things are happening exactly as they are meant and in the time they are meant to, we can embrace the joy of truly going with the flow of Life. These all sound like catch phrases and clichés unless we really understand what we’re turning on back on when we rush through anything. We are turning away from life and creating problems in our head.

For years I was the chronically early type to most things and would get quite stressed over being late. I rushed in my previous over-scheduled work life and I have even rushed like a mad-woman to countless mommy-and-me activities and kids’ birthday parties with my little ones simply out of the habit of doing so. Yuck. How many magic moments I rushed though makes me feel ill. Good thing I know better than wasting any energy on regrets. I made the connection some time back and realized I cannot continue creating the energy that comes with rushing. It goes against everything I am. I have been working towards new habits to reform and retrain my way of thinking that can help me slow down and flow.

I truly understand now and want to live in a way that allows me to arrive at events at exactly the moment I am meant to be there with calm pure energy that allows me to enjoy exactly what the moment has to offer. If I get my head involved in time and rushing too much, I will miss all of the sacred stuff life has to offer (everything is scared when you take the time to be with it). Truth be told, rushing doesn’t get you there any faster, just more stressed. By the time you get to the next thing, the mind starts rushing you to the next and so on. To truly be anywhere fully, you must quiet the mind created chatter that watches the clock so closely and creates reactions to it. Of course proper planning and coordinating are necessary to function in society and arrange appointments, etc., but it is possible to eliminate rushing and still keep a tidy calendar and be courteous to others.

In most cases rushing includes resisting what has already happened. Some little thing that made us later than we had hoped for, or some circumstance we really couldn’t control causes us to react in a panic and rush to get to the next thing because we think we are late or close to it. If we are late, rushing only means we’re resisting it. Resisting the moment in this way is in direct opposition to conscious living and honoring the present moment. If we resist any part of the moment, we aren’t in it. We are wishing for a new one or that the one we’re in were different from what already is. We have lost trust that there is a flow to our life and that all things are as they should be. Even when things seemingly go “wrong” we can trust that it happened for a reason.

There is nothing better than knowing you are flowing…that you are really living your moments the way you are meant to. It feels like magic and constant hugs from the universe as it sends you messages. Taking the time to figure out how to slow down is worth the effort. You can bring so much meaning and joy to your days by living the moments more fully. A few things that are helping me remember not to rush and to support a life of flowing are as follows:

I say to myself “I have plenty of time” – this little mantra when rushing wants to take over helps time lose it’s power over us…it helps me step into the timeless realm of the moment
I breathe and clear my head when I feel the urge to hurry
I remind myself that “on-time” is when we get there
Think of poetry – we have a practice we do at night (posting on this soon), it helps if you let it. You must read poetry slowly and then you can recall it and bring it to your days. I would much rather live life like a poem than a hectic whirlwind.
Meditate – you can remember the stillness throughout the day and bring it to any moment.
Invite others to the moment – I notice my little ones showing signs of my former self with hovering and waiting too early to leave or rushing to the next thing. I now have to try to help them embrace the idea that “on-time” is when we get there. Modeling is the best thing, but sometimes we have to talk about it. I am sure most of us are around people who are rushing, so it is nice to just invite them to relax and enjoy things exactly as they are without rushing to the next thing.
Saying “no” to things that don’t fit in the schedule or would cause things to be too hectic. We can design our days to align with our values of slowing down.

Note – the whole idea behind the no-rush shift assumes that we are doing our personal best in many areas and not at all interested in using the slowing down excuse for being late and making others wait on us, etc. I am sure this goes without saying, but just a reminder to always do our best to plan enough time not to rush.

Wishing us all the ability to shift to a slower pace that allows us to give our fullest attention to whatever is right in front of us now…listening better, looking better, touching life and everything around us more fully, seeing more deeply, understanding completely…embracing our true nature. Now. Sending you joy and love!

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October 15, 2013

Perseverance…Just Keep Going…

It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein

If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking. ~Buddhist Saying

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer. ~André A. Jackson

At our house, we love Super Soul Sunday on Own, it is a spiritual practice for us. We quit watching TV several years ago and made an exception for this wonderful program…it has proven to be a great choice. It is a lovely way to see God in a variety of forms and ideas…a beautiful tribute to the Universal Oneness we can all benefit from understanding. We get excited for new episodes. Recently we watched endurance swimmer Diana Nyad talk about her life, her journey, her beliefs, her determination, her recent swim from Cuba to Florida and more. She shared a piece of herself with Oprah and her audience in a very moving way. Oprah enjoyed it so much that she made it a two-part episode that continued this past Sunday. I must admit that when I first saw the topic the week prior to it airing, I wasn’t as excited as usual…I just didn’t feel connected to it and it didn’t seem like I would relate to it so much. Well, I was wrong. Very wrong. It was relatable to me in a deep way.

I had seen the headlines of Diana’s swim from Cuba to Florida and never really bothered to read the story or details of it. Now I know the story and I am a better person for having heard it and a grateful person for having heard it straight from her. Long long story really short – she swam 110 miles in 53 hours straight at age 64 on her fourth attempt. After hearing all the specifics of the challenges of swimming in the ocean (like jellyfish stings) and trying to wrap my mind around doing anything for 53 hours straight (even lying on my bed), the whole idea just seemed a bit crazy and kind of like a strange dream to chase for a lifetime. That feeling didn’t last long.

Diana has an intense personality. She is a force. You can feel her when she talks and in my experience, something deep inside me connected to that spirit that showed so clearly in her. It really is hard to put into words, but I felt it big time. I was riveted and deeply moved. My whole family was. There is something beautiful about people who are trying to be the best version of themselves and willing to work really really hard to do it.

Afterwards, my eight-year-old daughter and I were talking about her dream and her perseverance. We were walking through the house gathering laundry as we casually discussed what it meant to us. We were talking about the swimming part of it and all she encountered, it seemed really really scary to my daughter. I tried to explain that you take that example of perseverance and you put it in a form that relates to your life. Without thinking of it, I blurted out what my Cuba/Florida swim equivalent is. I explained that for me, what I am the most passionate and feel the most drawn towards and consider to be the most important thing in my existence is living in consciousness as a permanent state. That is, transcending egoic states of mind and truly existing deeply in the present moment. This may sound strange to some people but this is my truth. Living in this way is the most important thing and will transcend and bring harmony to life and relationships all around me.

I have been on this journey of trying to live what I know for quite some time. I fall down all the time. I react. I take things personally. I resist what already is. I fall below thought and just check-out with mind numbing distractions of various sorts, knowing this doesn’t bring real joy. I always get back up and keep going. I can admit that I failed and I don’t have to be mean to myself about it. I can apologize to those I may have hurt or annoyed and tell them I know I can do better and I am not those choices. Learning to be kind to yourself in your failure is a gift. Still learning to receive that gift. Getting better.

It is strange that watching a swimmer with a completely different type of dream and experience could connect to me so deeply. I know why it did — It is the same story we all have. I am grateful to Diana to have shared her story in a way that allows me to be able to consider those 53 hours and what it took to keep going. I will think of it often as I keep going. Many times this week, I caught myself right before I may have fallen into an old reaction or thought pattern and I felt deeply that now was the moment to choose to live all that I know. I was able to sit in whatever was causing discomfort and not let it become me. I could observe and stay true to who I am and what kind of person I want to be. In life there are countless opportunities to continue to make that choice. I am that choice, not the other things that sometimes interfere with my deeper self. Maybe someday soon I can live 53 hours straight without any thought chatter or egoic reasoning or reacting…just simply BEING. The only time to do it is now. I AM that choice.

Find a way. ~Diana Nyad

There is an evolutionary impulse that wants to assist us in our growth and towards what we are meant to do. It takes a lot of stillness and spaciousness to access that place that can guide us. It doesn’t have to be difficult to persevere. It can seem incredibly hard when we fall away from the impulse of the flow of life, but the flow is always waiting for us to return to it. We can choose it at any moment. It is true that we aren’t really headed to a destination…it is the journey and it is full of millions of opportunities to continue to persevere.

Wishing us all the space to embrace perseverance towards whatever we may feel drawn to. Sending love!

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October 6, 2013

From Status Quo To Status No

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have a little saying I love to say to myself and to my friends…or anyone who will listen really. I say, “Don’t should on anyone and don’t let anyone should on you.” If someone is discussing another’s choice and wants me to agree with their point-of-view or comment in some way, I like to say, “I don’t like to should on anyone and I don’t enjoy others should-ing on me.”

Sometimes it feels like there is an awful lot of “should-ing” in the air. It all makes judging others and comparing ourselves so easy. The technical term for what it brings is what we call “yuckie energy” around our house. Truly, if you are judging yourself or others or just commenting on what someone should be doing or running dialogue in your mind that tells you that you “should” be doing something, it feels yuckie and it spreads.

Over four years ago, we made the choice to switch to a vegan diet and remove all animal products from our plates. It was scary and strange and brought about all kinds of expected and unexpected results. As I look at my life since making this choice, I notice that it was the first time I really chose to go against the status quo and make a big life change that would make some people uncomfortable. My reasons for a vegan diet are many. It started with a choice to read a book called The China Study. From that one choice, many followed. I kept researching and trying to figure out what made sense to me and what I wanted for my family, etc. I read and read and read and the reasons mounted. We jumped and went completely vegan overnight. I am so grateful!

Obviously this had a major impact on us in the nutrition department and our health and how we live, etc. What I can now see is that this choice to figure things out for myself and make the best choice for me and my family without worrying or being influenced by what those around me will think (okay, I did worry some at the beginning) changed our lives in many more unexpected areas as well. This change allowed us to embrace that practice in many more areas of life. I think this first jump into trying something so completely different from the way we used to live opened us up to life more and made it possible to make other important choices for our lives. We began making huge steps toward charting our own course.

Clearly, we’re not the first vegans and we are super fortunate to make this choice at a time when it is so easy and becoming much less out of the norm. Even in the years since we started, it has changed a lot (or maybe we did). We think its normal now. Ah, normal.

We have gone on to making many more choices that don’t fit the status quo. We chose to homeschool/unschool our children a few years ago and that one made vegan seem simple. Except, now that seems normal too. In the beginning, it seemed like explaining these choices when someone asked was important and worth the time. I would be sure to give the most eloquent, educated sounding explanation I could muster. Now, it’s just normal to me. I really don’t need to go into these choices much, except to say that we’re happy and it works for us. If people are sincerely interested or curious I love discussing all the details of both issues, but I don’t feel the need to make them interested or try to convince them of my point-of-view. It feels nice now. It feels like being comfortable in your own skin.

I love researching things, implementing new lifestyle choices, trying new things, basking in the unfamiliar…I love taking bits and pieces from all I see around me and creating my own world with my own design…some borrowed, some new, some tweaked. In the beginning of my newfound willingness to make big choices with big change, it felt like people thought I was judging their choice by sharing my own. I don’t really notice that feeling anymore. I may have felt it because I was judging on some level…it is nice to see that slip away. I remember just not wanting people to judge me. At this point, I don’t really notice any wasted energy going into worrying about what others think. I’m just being me. It feels great…not always a walk in the park of course, but it feels like home.

I love my choices and I love everyone else’s choices too. I love sharing why I made mine if people are interested, but I no longer think mine are better. I do like to encourage people to find their own way…but I won’t tell them they “should” do that. I just like to share that it feels free and wonderful! When I was a little girl, I was afraid of everything! Truly! Even butterflies! That seems so long ago. I am grateful for learning to listen to all the messages that come our way to take us from fear to love and open us up to becoming more of ourselves. Now, the thought of following along and doing things because I “should” is the only thing that sounds really frightening to me and butterflies aren’t scary anymore…they are a magical message about change!

Important note – I am super grateful to those people who feel strongly about sharing the reasons for their choices and helping others make the same ones. We all hear messages in different ways and those using their voices to bring change are an important part of how we all learn and grow. I am grateful to those that follow the message to speak loudly about certain things!!! Someday I may speak loudly about my choices, but for now, it seems my soul is telling me to quiet down and BE a bit more. Still happy to share, just in a quiet and open to life way. Actually, quiet is much more challenging for me…so it must be what I am meant to work on at this point in life.

Sending you love and wishing you the courage to chart your own path and listen to your soul…not in a “should-ing” way…just a loving way.

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October 1, 2013

The Wisdom, Kindness and Courage To Celebrate The Joy and Success of Others

When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter.
As you see him you will see yourself.
As you treat him you will treat yourself.
As you think of him you will think of yourself.
Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself
or lose yourself.
–A Course In Miracles

As I learn and grow I marvel at just how connected we are to each other. It really is amazing and awe-inspiring to try to grasp just what truly connects us and to what extent we are connected.

This week I have been feeling so very grateful for that fact and at the same time a bit sad from the longing it creates in my soul. As you realize this truth and try to go about your business in this world it can sometimes feel difficult to function in environments that just don’t seem to understand what we’re looking at when we see each other and what is happening when we judge or compete with each other. It can feel so brutal to see the many ways we create the illusion of separation.

I no longer feel sadness for me when I know someone doesn’t want to hear good news or share in my joy, I feel sad for them and I long to reach them and show them the beauty of celebrating each other. I want to help people connect to the world around them and everything in it in a more meaningful way. I think this desire came naturally from wanting to connect to it more myself. You figure out that you cannot walk that path alone…we must go together. How we choose to see, think of, feel about and treat each other is how we choose to live and how we choose to be with ourselves.

I know the answer is always love and I must give to the world that which I feel it is lacking. I want to celebrate everyone and truly care about their joy and well-being. I know deeply that I share in any success or joy anyone may experience. I will choose to see the good that is in all of us and to be the space for others that allows them to feel it and see it in themselves too. I will choose not to recognize what judging or competing looks like, I will simply be the space that welcomes joy and love and comforts others. I will see the connection we have even when others can’t see it…maybe my seeing it will help them see it too.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
–Henry David Thoreau

Having this space to connect with followers, visitors and fellow bloggers comforts me so much and helps with the longing of my soul to feel the connection we all share. For that, I thank each and every one of you so very much! I am truly grateful!

Wishing us all the wisdom, kindness and courage to celebrate the joy and success of others today and always! I pray I may live what I know today! Sending you love!

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September 24, 2013

Nurturing The Souls Around You…Including Your Own

Daisies
by Bliss Carman (1861-1929)

Over the shoulders and slopes of the dune
I saw the white daisies go down to the sea,
A host in the sunshine, an army in June,
The people God sends us to set our heart free.

The bobolinks rallied them up from the dell,
The orioles whistled them out of the wood;
And all of their singing was, “Earth, it is well!”
And all of their dancing was, “Life, thou art good!”

These days I know the importance of understanding that our peace comes from within. We cannot depend on what is going on around us to bring us the peace, love and connection to life that we seek. We must find it within. Having said that, I am learning that even though it is up to us to find it within, it is still important to acknowledge and understand how the souls around us are there participating in our soul journey as well. There is a oneness that is happening around us. We each have our individual soul and that individual soul is also part of the one soul. We have so much power within and we also connect to the souls around us at the same time.

The people around us are there for a reason. Those closest to us that are sharing their lives with us and that we have chosen to share our lives with are there to be cherished. With how busy our lives have become and how many things we have coming at us at once, it is important to remember to make soul care a priority. It is so healing to shift the focus to really building each other up and nurturing our souls. When we nurture the souls of our loved ones, we nurture our own. Sometimes it takes a shift. Life is busy and routines can set in. Taking the time to really show our loved ones how much we value them is good for them and good for us at the same time.

Sometimes, being a good spiritual partner means letting the other person work things out and grow through things on their own. Sometimes, being a good spiritual partner means being that soft comforting place and providing extra love and attention. Always, being a true spiritual partner means balancing the two. And, of course, love is always the answer.

Love those around you a little bit extra today and always. Let them love you back a little bit extra…even as you grow. Ask for what you need and give what you most want.

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