The past year has been a difficult one, filled with transition and change. As I move through to the "other" side I found myself asking the other day...just how did I get here?   This question, did not come from a place of "inquiry",  it was not connected to a desire to "learn, stretch or grow",  rather it was my personal resistance to being in unfamiliar territory accompanied by pain and suffering.  

On this particular day I threw myself a "pity-party."  It looked something like; flashes of anger, isolating from friends and family, watching old movies and eating comfort food.  At the end of this day (yes it was an entire twenty-four hours!),  I had not even closely come to resolving the question of "how did I get here"?  Life is not a linear path, we can dream and make plans, but if we hold onto our dreams and plans as the only acceptable outcome, then as human beings we are bound to suffer.  

It is the process of grieving, letting go and acceptance that is my path to renewal and opening my heart to what life now has to offer.   Part of this process may be to experience a "pity-party" now and again... I do not condemn myself for being "weak" or going to a place of anger and resistance...it is a human response,  but on the other side...the more compelling inquiry for me is "how do I gracefully accept what is?" Joseph Campbell a mythologist and writer once said  "We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us." 

So here's to letting go, accepting what is and living each moment with a sense of grace and gratitude!

I thank all my friends, colleagues and family for their patience, understanding and support...I am blessed to have you in my life.

 

I have been reminded lately that while others offer me wonderful "counsel" and "guidance", the conscious act of making a decision when difficulty arises falls on only one person..."me".   Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote:
"Whatever you do, you need courage.  Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.  There are difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right."
I have learned over the course of my life that none of my decisions are ultimately "right" or "wrong", they are part of a process of growth and development that challenges the very concept of who I think I may be.  If I believe someone's assessment of my life, if I allow their opinions to make me "wrong" then I negate my innate wisdom. 

It takes great courage to listen within, to trust that I really do know what course of action I should take...that the only "approval" I need is my own.  I may not know or understand how my life will unfold...or the why's to what lies in front of me, but the inner landscape of my being is the place I need to return to in times of challenge.  It is my sanctuary and where my "knowing" resides...and it is from this place of "knowing" and "being" that I can find peace in whatever pathway I choose. 

The lotus flower is a favorite of mine for the simple fact that it starts as a small flower down in the mud and muck...it continues it's growth toward the light...moving upward until it bursts into the surface and opens into a magnificent flower.   It is a symbol of awakening in both Hinduism and Buddhism, and for me it is a reminder to keep trusting my inner journey.  So I leave you with a picture of it and yes...yet another Emerson quote:
"What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you." 
Namaste

Each day of connection with a loved one is a rare gift.  As we grow and change, our connection with others also shifts.  W. Somerset Maugham once wrote, "We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person. "

While I resonate with this, I think that there is more to be said:  It takes courage and willingness to work on ourselves to be open to loving another through all the changes of life.  Relationships are not static, and the gift of love is that we can embrace our own and another's change with courage, compassion and an open heart. 

When we find ourselves resisting our own or someone else's changing nature, it is an opportunity to look inward.  While not always easy,  the process is rich with personal growth and an increasing ability to create an ever deepening intimacy with yourself and your loved one. 

So today...just for a moment...celebrate your capacity to love and be loved in the changing moments of your life...honor the courage and conviction it takes to get up each morning and begin anew again!

Since ancient times, the solstice has been honored and celebrated with great fanfare across all cultures and religions.  Today's solstice is particularly amazing, for not only does it officially usher in winter with a promise of retreat, renewal, solitude and the gradual opening to new possibilities, (each day from here on in gets a bit longer by 1 or 2 seconds!) today's solstice coincides with both a full moon and a total lunar eclipse which occurred in the wee hours of this morning! 

Whether you believe in the power of eclipses, the full moon or celebrate the Solstice...clearly we are experiencing an amazing moment...a trifecta that has not occured since 1638 nor will it occur again until 2094.  A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks the sun's rays from the face of the moon. The moon is then fully in the shadow cast in space by the Earth. 

Beginning with a shadow cast on the shortest day of the year and culminating in a full and illuminated sky from the full moon, we are from a mystical perspective nestled in the yin/yang of our lives with a capacity to clearly see our shadow selves, illuminate our inner wisdom and shift into this season with new insights for our own personal growth and healing.

Enjoy the celebration!

Last week I spoke to a friend whose husband was diagnosed with late stage cancer.  It is at times like these that I am called to remember that each day is a precious gift...each moment is all we have.  While I have much sadness I am grateful for the reminder as well.   Kent Nerburn wrote..."None of us is promised tomorrow.  Today in all its beauty and sadness and complexity, is all we have.  This light we see maybe the last such day we have on earth.  There is no certainty, beyond the fact that one day we will have no tomorrow, and that it is not our to know when that day will be."  So I share this with you in hopes that we can all pause a moment, take stock of our lives, connect to what is truly important and live accordingly.  If this was your last day ... how would you live it?
Peace & Blessings,
LisaAnn

Tonight (Dec. 1) is the beginning of Hanukkah, and as I think about the season of lights, I am also aware that it brings out the best in people.  Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Diwali, Loy Krathong, the Winter Solstice or another I have not named...this is a time for illumination, hope and extending our hearts.   

We have the unique opportunity to bring consciousness to this season.  All of us want to feel safe, loved and worthwhile. While we carry these desires with us throughout the year, somehow this season offers us more intentionality.   It becomes easier to take time to be with those we love, to extend a hand to those in need and touch into compassion, forgiveness and our longing to heal the suffering around us.  While some of us may not recognize how an act of kindness, a smile, an encouraging word can ease another...in every person there is a world...and an opportunity to offer a bit of light, hope and love. 

As we wake each morning between now and years end, let us connect to our desire to make a difference in one person's life.  It may be in the form of a simple act...opening a door, helping someone with a shopping bag, thanking the cash register person, letting those you love know how they make your life easier...your heart will be lighter and joy will flow through.  It is infectious!

I leave you with a lovely quote by William Penn

"If there is any goodness I can show, or any good I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  While many of us have the good fortune to have family and a roof over our heads, there are many who are alone, suffering and in need.  While we may carry them in our hearts and prayers.  Today take an extra moment to still yourself...connect to your heart and extend a wish and prayer for all those who are alone, suffering and in need.  Our hearts intentions have a way of creating a new reality.

For me, while I will not be volunteering my time, I will be making a special donation on-line to my favorite charity as part of my Thanksgiving Day ritual.   I encourage all of you to think about making this part of your day as well.  In these days of tight resources and funding cuts even 1 dollar helps these organizations continue to serve .... and don't forget all those loving animals in shelters and needing homes too!    Have a lovely and grateful day!  Love, Peace and Blessings    LisaAnn

While some may not like the word "prayer", my personal definition has less to do with a belief in God or Spirit than it has to do with a deep connection in my heart and soul that often ends up with a feeling of superb gratitude, an earnest request on behalf of myself or another that is released into the universe...or simply that great sense of peace and love I feel each time I silence myself, connect with my breath and "pray".  So with Thanksgiving approaching, I began to think about how to celebrate, and I was reminded of a quote by Meister Eckhart:  "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. "  I just love it! 

So a simple suggestion to for both myself and you...take time this week to connect to all that which you are grateful for.  Then offer a sincere "thank-you", whether it be for a specific act, or simply for the importance a special person has in your life.  Do this with as many people as you can!  The very act of "thanking" someone is not only a prayer, but also a blessing you bestow on someone.  As you thank and bless another, so are you blessed.  Have a lovely week my friends and thank-you for encouraging me to write and share from my heart.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote:  "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."  

We are all interconnected in profound ways... some we understand, some we do not.  When we feel compassion for another it is because we are fully present to our own heart, longings and our human suffering.  We can understand and share in another's pain and need because we have the capacity to access our own. 

So whether we are sincerely extending our hand, ears and/or hearts to a friend, lover or stranger; in the simplest of acts; caring a grocery bag or opening a door for someone, volunteering time at a food bank or hospital, running an errand for a sick friend...each moment we serve another we are nurturing our own hearts and minds as we heal ourselves and a small piece of the world. 

I am always looking for wise words and quotes to remind me of the importance of counting our blessings and living mindfully in the moment.  So it was perfect timing for me to come across a quote by the late Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross:

 "There are dreams of love, life and adventure in all of us.  But we are also sadly filled with reasons why we shouldn’t try.  These reasons seem to protect us, but in truth they imprison us.  They hold life at a distance.  Life will be over sooner than we think.  If we have bikes to ride and people to love, now is the time. "  

Remembering to seize the moment by showing appreciation to someone you love; spending a quite intimate moment with your life partner; taking a walk or bike ride; cooking a scrumptious meal for yourself and/or your family and friends; or whatever brings a smile to your face, helps us to enhance our daily lives by living from our hearts and experiencing the beauty and grace of the moment.  So take a copy of this quote... put it on your computer screen, bring it to work, share it with a friend, or post it on the door you leave your home by...and remind yourself that you can choose to live for today by seizing the moment...Enjoy!