Awakening to the Dance

AWAKENING TO GOOD HEALTH

Posted on February 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

“To enjoy true health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will come to him.” Buddha

I wanted to write today about the connection between body and mind and good health, but when I read back over a previous post, “Body and Soul As One,” I decided to repost it because, at the moment, I feel it says everything I want to say. When we love ourselves, we take care of all parts of ourselves: body, mind and soul. And when we are ill, we need to take care of the mind, body, and soul. Even science is now proving this connection exists.

The Body As Container For The Soul

One of the problems I’ve often had with traditional religion is the way it describes the body as a lesser part of our being. The body is, after all, the container for our soul. If we didn’t need it in some cosmic sense, we wouldn’t have it. At this stage in our spiritual journey, we are experiencing a physical life because we need to learn lessons we can only learn by being in a physical body.

If we embrace the idea of wholeness or oneness, then we have to acknowledge that all parts of ourselves are sacred. Living in a body offers us infinite opportunities to learn. As a child, I had many illnesses including one that left me with a heart murmur which I out grew by the time I was twelve. I missed those early carefree years of life that others remember with joy. What I remember is lying in bed alone reading and designing paper doll dresses, feeling weak and shy and inadequate when we played softball at school and never learning to ride a bicycle. I remember having a friend or two but never feeling part of a group because so many group activities were too strenuous.

Awakening The Body And Soul

As a result of this childhood experience, I developed two interests: good health and creativity which I later developed through dance and writing. Staying healthy became a priority in my life. As a young adult I began to search for the answers that would allow me to become stronger and stay in good health. My love of dance was not just about expressing myself creatively. It was about building muscles on my skinny frame to become strong. It was also about the mind/body connection. Having rejected traditional religion by this time, I found that dancing brought me joy and touched my spirit. At times, dancing was transcendent, my body seemed to fall away and I was all spirit.

Each physical challenge has been a teacher. Around 1976, I studied with an amazing dancer, Erick Hawkins during a summer dance program at American University. Having studied Eastern philosophy and anatomy and kinesiology, he had created a modern dance technique that trained the body gently, working with the pelvis as the center of the body, and teaching us to respect our own bodies.

Hawkins in El Penitente, 1930s (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But that summer, I was in distress, and despite Hawkins’ peaceful way, I made a decision I would regret. I injured one foot simply walking across campus, adding more pain to the tendinitis slowly healing in the other foot. I was in a dance company and had a performance coming up. We were short on dancers; I couldn’t disappoint the director. So, I demanded that my doctor give me cortisone shots which he did, going against his own better judgment.

When I danced, my feet were numb; I couldn’t feel the floor, but somehow I got through the performance. Afterwards, as I rested and healed over several weeks, I realized I had committed a terrible act of aggression against myself. I’d somehow crossed a line I’d never crossed before and was willing to abuse myself in order not to disappoint others. This was clearly a signal that something was very wrong with my thinking. I realized at that moment that I couldn’t stop thinking about the reverence with which Hawkins treated the body even in training. As I thought about Hawkins and the reverence he had taught us to have for our own bodies, I realized he had been my spiritual teacher that summer.

Loving Ourselves With Good Health

This experience made me realize that I needed to learn to love myself. I had created unnecessary suffering and my soul ached. Dance taught me about one aspect of taking care of my body, but other experiences taught me about a healthy diet. When I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I found a doctor of integrated medicine who taught me how to use food and supplements to heal. What I learned from him has continued to serve me well over the years to support my immune system, keep my blood sugar level, and sustain a level of energy that creates a feeling of well-being.

It is difficult to enjoy life when we don’t feel well, and while it is important to take care of our minds and soul, taking care of the body is sacred work too. To deny the body’s needs is just as detrimental to our well-being as ignoring our spiritual or emotional needs. Although I am middle aged, I’m actually healthier than I’ve ever been, and I believe that is because, in addition to taking care of my spiritual life, I have cared for my body, this precious container for my precious soul.

Do you want life to be a dance or a drag?

We have a choice and it’s an important one. Caring for our bodies makes it possible to do things that feed the soul like walking in the forest, dancing until dawn or jogging through the early morning air with your daughter. What are you willing to do to make your body and soul one?

AWAKENING TO ALL THE LOVE

Posted on February 13, 2013 | 2 comments

“Love is a state of Being. Your love is not outside; it is deep within you. You can never lose it, and it cannot leave you.” Eckhart Tolle

Malaprop’s Book Signing

When I think of love, I have to remind myself that it comes in many forms. There’s the romantic version with roses and champagne, kisses and hugs. There’s the long-lasting, deeper love that allows one to accept and solve the real problems that always arise in life and stay together over time. There’s the love of friendship and community, of being there for each other for fun and support. There’s the spiritual love that puts us in touch with something greater than ourselves, greater than anything we can find on the physical plane. There’s love of mankind that motivates us to become involved with helping those who have less than we do. There’s also the self-love that allows us to accept ourselves, be the best we can be, and see our mistakes as learning opportunities, not has a reason to condemn ourselves.

A Different Valentine’s Day

Last Friday, I read from my memoir Awakening to the Dance: A Journey to Wholeness at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville. It felt like Valentine’s Day, for the room was full of friends, acquaintances and strangers. Some were there just to support my writing efforts; some were there because they were curious about the story; others were there just because we love each other. Robin, who introduced me, made me sound like a celebrity. The audience was wonderfully responsive and asked great questions. It was fun to use my dramatic skills to interpret literature publicly – especially since it was my own creation, and I could see immediately the audience’s response to what I had written.

Surrounded by Loving Friends

Among my friends were several who have seen me through all kinds of challenges, especially the most difficult one, two years ago, when a love relationship ended. The pain overwhelmed me, but the constant flow of warm hugs and kind words helped me remember who I really was—a loving and loved woman. How they put up with my tears and lengthy sad stories I don’t know—actually I do know—they are incredibly loving people. Even if they thought my book was horrible, which they don’t, they would have come to this event because they know how much it took for me to complete it and put it out into the world. And they know that I hope that what I’ve learned will help someone else create a happier life.

Real Love Connects With Spirit

When I read Eckhart Tolle’s quote on love, I started searching for some articles and videos to share. In some of these writings, he points out that our love is often ego-based, but it is real love only when the transcendent becomes a part of it. He says, “Love becomes a source of suffering when the transcendental is missing.” Hmm.…So I’ve gathered some articles and videos by him because I think his work is so important for us to understand.

I’ve also written a lot about love this year and if you missed any of these posts, I’ve listed them for you. So, instead of doing a new post, I want to ask you to do this: look over the links below, trust your intuition, and when you feel drawn to one, look at it. It may be just what you need to hear today.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Remember we are all lovers. We don’t need anyone to complete us although it is always nice to share our love. Let the love within you fill your day. You are Love!

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Consciousness, Eckhart Tolle, Friendship, Love, Oneness, Self-love, Spirituality, Wholeness

AWAKENING TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Posted on February 6, 2013 | 3 comments

“Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama.” Miquel Ruiz

Are you a responsible person? How do you define responsibility? Do you communicate compassionately and take responsibility for what you express?

Responsibility Comes From Within

The theme of responsibility seems to be surfacing in my life this week. We often think of responsibility in terms of the exterior life: supporting ourselves financially, not telling lies, or doing what we say we will do. That’s all very important because what we do externally is a sign of who we are at a deeper level.

I attend a couple of discussion groups and the topic for the one I attended recently was the second of Don Miquel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. This book is a wonderful guide to living our lives and I highly recommend it. The second agreement is “Don’t take anything personally.” Needless to say, this aroused a lively discussion.

The Emotional Source of Our Conflicts

It also reminded me of so many experiences in my life when, at the time an event was occurring, I could not see how I was part of creating a conflict. For example, a friend and I, who are members of group, had a very unpleasant disagreement over whether a particular meeting with a guest speaker would take place at his house or mine. The event had been scheduled weeks in advance for my house.

Then my friend informed me that he was changing the location to his house because he had invited the speaker and felt his place would work better. I was upset because I love having this group in my home and I knew it would be months before I could host the meeting again. I explained this to him, but he remained firm in his decision and I felt he was saying my house was inadequate for this event. I’ve hosted many of these events and I was rather offended by his attitude. Finally he said, “This isn’t personal.”

Communication (Photo credit: P Shanks)

When It Really Isn’t Personal

Well, it sure felt personal to me! I was looking forward to that warm, fuzzy feeling I get when people I like are in my house, and I didn’t want to put off this opportunity until spring when I would have time to host again. On the other hand, my friend is a very conscientious person who also likes to have things set up a certain way. He was the one who invited the guest speaker and he wanted to be able to control the environment in which she did her demonstration and talk. So, his decision really wasn’t about me. It was about his needs.

He and I are good friends and we talked about our feelings later and found peace about the issue. It was a learning experience for us both. But these situations often arise in life, and I’ve come to realize that when someone does something that hurts me, it’s an opportunity for me to look at why I’m upset. Is this person being unkind or am I reading something into their words or actions because they have touched on my deep wounds? Either way, I have a choice about my response.

Acting Out Of Love Is Acting Impeccably

By nature, we are all spiritual beings and capable of being loving. However, if we have been abused or unloved, we may not know how to be loving. Because I know this, when someone is mean or unkind to me, I know that it is about them, and I have a choice. I can walk away or I can try to discuss what has caused this response to understand if I have been insensitive in some way. Of course, my response will be different depending on whether this negative response is a one-time thing or on-going attitude.

Communicate With Compassion

If we accept Ruiz’s statement to not take anything personally as a guide for our behavior, we can most effectively use it to monitor our own communication with others. His first agreement is to speak and act impeccably, to be concerned about the effects of our words and actions on others. These first two agreements work well together. I think he is telling us to be responsible, think before we act, and care about the consequences of our actions, but to be aware that other’s actions are more about their feelings and ideas than ours. When we do this, I think we usually make better choices because we become aware of the whole communication circle. We can show them compassion, but we don’t have to become entangled with the drama.

This week I also attended a group that is practicing compassionate communication. We did an exercise where we listened to one person’s story and tried to hear the facts, feelings, needs, and values expressed in it, then we reflected back to the person what we heard. It seems to me that this practice fits beautifully with what Ruiz is suggesting. If we learn to listen and speak with compassion, we are acting impeccably and we are also honoring the third agreement—don’t make assumptions. We listen to what the other person is truly saying, and we try to become more conscious of how our own inner story may distort our perception of another’s story.

What Do You Put Into the Energy Around You?

Regardless of our spiritual beliefs, we are responsible for what we put out into the world, and if we accept the Law of Attraction as part of our belief systems, as I do, we know the energy of our words and actions affects the energy of those around us. How we approach a touchy subject with another can make a huge difference. If we connect with empathy and love, we can often create an understanding out of chaos. When we learn not to take everything personally, it doesn’t mean we don’t care.

How do you handle difficult communication? How does your attitude make a difference? Please Comment.

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Compassion, Inspirational, Law of Attraction, Love, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Spirituality, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

AWAKENING TO OUR DREAMS

Posted on January 30, 2013 | 1 comment

“There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why…I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” Robert Kennedy

Ciudad de Malaga al atardecer con los Montes de Africa (Photo credit: carloscASTROweb)

Have many of your dreams come true? Is there a connection between the dreams you dream at night and the desires you have when you wake? How can you use those dreams to become more conscious?

Dreams Help Us Envision New Possibilities

Wouldn’t it be great if life progressed in a straight line so that we could always see where we’re going? Then we’d know ahead what dreams would come true and which wouldn’t, and we wouldn’t waste our time struggling to make things happen that never happen. But then of course, we wouldn’t experience the joy of rich surprises and miracles that open possibilities we never envisioned.

One day after a job interview, I stood beside the fireplace in a restaurant, watching the snow fall lightly outside. I turned and he was there, stepping forward to offer me a seat. The dream had suddenly changed shape, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a mischievous smile, and we both knew life would never be the same. Although the relationship was not the dream that lasted for a lifetime, it was one that taught me I could be respected for my intelligence and could share a deeply spiritual relationship.

Manifesting A Dream May Be A Mysterious Path

Life is a spiral dance, weaving steps we know and steps we don’t know—a journey that takes us through shadows and sunlight. There are the dreams we dream and the dreams we don’t dream—the ones we bury along the way because our parents tell us they can’t come true. Then one day, we are standing on a stage as the lights come up and our hands begin to strum a guitar or the words of Shakespeare pour from our lips, and we cannot even remember where this moment began. But somewhere, sometime, it was a dream, an image in our souls that was caught on the wind and carried forward through time, materializing despite all obstacles.

As a child, I wanted to be a doctor and help Albert Schweitzer heal the lepers in Africa, but after struggling with high school chemistry, I gave up the dream of being a doctor and going to Africa. Forty years later, in the early morning of a July day, I stepped off an airplane onto African soil. In that moment, my life changed. I became a citizen of the world. I could never have dreamed of the path that led me there.

Each Dream, Even The Dark One, Is A Gift From Spirit

Each dream is a gift from Spirit, whether it is a conscious dream or an unconscious one. It leads us to places we never dreamed of going or never thought we could reach. Other dreams may serve a different purpose and may create the illusions where we hide from what we cannot bear to see. Other times dreams are demonic and rip the illusions away, spiraling us into the darkness of our own depth to find the real answers.

For years, I read New Mexico Magazine, feeling drawn by some powerful force to go there. When I was almost healed from chronic fatigue, it became clear that I needed to live in a dry environment in order to complete the healing. A friend invited me to house sit with her that summer in Albuquerque. Once I was there, I could not leave. The Native-American culture and art fed my soul. Then, I found the perfect teaching job right away although it was almost time for school to start. It all seemed like a dream come true.

But this was the land of enchantment, and what appeared to be magical, within five years, fell apart. I lost my job, my friends, my spiritual community, my security and all my illusions. Stripped to the core by following a dream based on illusion, who I really was continued to emerge. I began to write and discovered a strength and spiritual balance I had never known.

Dreams May Be Profound Spiritual Guides

Those dreams that come in the night, wrapped round with symbols and mystery, may very well hold the answers to the problems in our lives and lead us to the light. Carl Jung, the famous psychoanalyst, said in his book Man and His Symbols, “The general function of dreams is to restore our psychological balance by producing dream material that re-established, in a subtle way, the total psychic equilibrium.”

Deutsch: Carl Gustav Jung (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After my divorce in 1976, I felt unhinged without a job or money. The grief and anger I felt overwhelmed me. Then one night, I dreamed I was standing in a plaza with a pool in the center. A green ladder rose upward and across the pool and into the upper floor of a several story building on the far side. At the base of the ladder I stood with a young man and a blond-haired woman in a red dress, a version of me that had appeared in other dreams. We performed a ritual, breaking the bread the woman had baked. Then the man left, and the woman began to climb the ladder, beckoning to me. Despite my fear, I followed her.

When I awoke, I realized the dream was telling me exactly what I needed to do. My choice to climb the green ladder was a sacred act. I needed to follow a spiritual path that would lead me to a higher consciousness. Because the arch led over water, which symbolized emotion, it was also telling me to move beyond just reacting emotionally. The dream told me how to heal.

There are the dreams we choose to dream and the ones that come to us unexpectedly. Weaving through our lives with joy and mystery, they are one of Spirit’s greatest transformative gifts. May you dream well tonight.

What dreams have provided you with important insights? Please comment.

For a more in depth understanding of the value of understanding dreams and how they provide guidance in your life, read my book Awakening to the Dance: A Journey to Wholeness.

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Carl Jung, Consciousness, Dreams, Inspirational, Manifestation, Self-awareness, Spiritual Journey, Transformation

AWAKENING TO OUR JOY WITHIN

Posted on January 23, 2013 | 1 comment

“Find the place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” Joseph Campbell

How do you create joy in your life? Do you feel it because something good happens to you or does it well up inside because of something you do?

External events Create Joy

For years, I experienced joy as a mysterious feeling that burst forth from within me because of an event in the outer world. When I was in a play in college, I was given a role where I was the center of attention for a few minutes delivering a very funny monologue. I was ecstatic when I discovered I could make an audience laugh. Generally, I wasn’t a very funny person in my real life.

When I was chosen to dance with a modern dance company, I was filled with joy. My dream had come true. It’s true that my hard work took me to the place where I was good enough to be accepted, but it was someone else’s decision that stimulated my feeling of joy.

A man and a woman performing a modern dance. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What if we could feel joy whenever we wanted to? What would that feel like?

Internal Joy

It’s wonderful that we can feel joy about the good things that happen in life. But there is a deeper practice and a deeper joy to be found within. There are some days when I have no idea why I feel joy. I just do. Some mornings it just wells up from within the moment I rise to consciousness. I don’t remember having a particularly good dream, and I don’t have any exciting plans for the day. In fact, it may happen on days when I have to clean house and that isn’t a task I particularly enjoy.

Following Our Passion Creates Inner Joy

So, what causes the joy to appear? I think there are two answers. For some time now, I have been following my passion for writing. When we are doing what we love to do on a regular basis, it raises our vibration and energy level. We have something to look forward to. We are doing something that is satisfying at the soul level and it connects our deeper self with our outer life. We feel whole, we feel complete. We feel confident we are on the right path. Even ego feels peaceful.

If, despite the fact that we are following our passion, we are consumed with worry about whether we will succeed at this venture or doubt whether we deserve such good fortune, we need to understand that our negative thoughts will, no doubt, sabotage our success. They will lower our energetic vibration.

Passion flower (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Creating Temporary Joy

We can temporarily lift our vibration by doing things that make us feel better. A little dark chocolate will usually give me a lift or going outside and listening to the birds sing. Reading some inspirational quotes may help or reading from Oneness by Rasha. Sometimes cooking a nice meal will do it because I’ve reached the point where eating healthy is an expression of self love. But when we become mired in these negative feelings despite the good that is present in our lives, there is something missing at our core that we need to repair.

Creating Joy At Our Core

There is a deeper joy we can experience. The joy that seems to well up from nowhere or for no reason comes from our connection with Spirit. Only in the last few years have I come to understand this. There were many steps on my journey to this place of comfort and wholeness. First, I learned to release my psychological fears. Through learning to meditate, I started to learn about mindfulness. After I learned that our thoughts create our emotions, I learned I could decide what I wanted to feel about my experiences.

The Joy of Acceptance

But the greatest lesson was learning acceptance—to accept what is, to accept not knowing the answer, to accept that Spirit will guide me to my highest good. I had to learn to surrender to Spirit what I could not solve, knowing that I would be guided to what was best. And out of releasing my need to control everything, joy emerged. It often wasn’t the joy of exuberance I felt at twenty-five or even at fifty-five. But it was a soft, sweet, calm joy and it felt like love, and I realized that, in surrendering, I was stepping into a level of trust with Spirit and my deepest self that I had never known before. This time, the joy I felt originated within me. I could choose to feel joy regardless of the external events of my life.

It is this deeper joy that can heal all pain and create security when we feel uncertain. It is part of the core of our spiritual selves. May you find the path that will lead you to this place of joy. It is within you.

What is the source of your joy today?

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Acceptance, Awakening, Going Deeper, Inner Awareness, Inspirational, Joy, Spirituality, Surrender

AWAKENING TO OUR WORLD COMMUNITY

Posted on January 16, 2013 | 4 comments

“If you want to make peace, don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” Desmond Tutu

English: Sunday morning sermon delivered by Greg Barrett, author of The Gospel of Father Joe: Revolutions & Revelations in the Slums of Bangkok. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What have you done this week to create peace in your heart, your family, or your community?

Spiritually Inspiring Talk

Last night I was mesmerized by Greg Barrett, a Pulitzer-nominated author who spoke about his latest book, The Gospel of Rutba: War, Peace, and the Good Samaritan Story in Iraq. This is the story of how Rutba, a rural desert town in western Iraq, rescued three American peacemakers during the Shock and Awe bombings of 2003. Not far from the Jordanian border, the peacemakers’ taxi careened off the road and crashed. One of the occupants was very seriously injured. A truckload of Iraqis found them and took them to a small clinic in Rutba where the hospital had recently been destroyed by American Bombs. Despite the destruction and lack of supplies, the Iraqi doctors saved the men’s lives and refused their money. The Iraqi’s only request was, “Tell the world.”

Seven years later, despite warnings from the American military and the Iraqis that they would probably be killed, the peacemakers returned to help the town heal. Greg Barrett accompanied them. They refused to carry weapons and when the Iraqis discovered their intention for returning, they welcomed them as brothers and sisters.

English: US Marines cook kabobs for Iraqi patrons on the streets of Al Qaim (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Love Heals All

This story is just another example of how, when we choose to act out of love and peace, we can heal the divide between us. Seeing the love of humanity that Greg Barrett exudes reminds me how important it is for us to have the courage to reach out in whatever way we can to those who are different. We must learn to see “the enemy” as humanity.

Respect Cultural Differences

In the discussion after the talk, my favorite story was the one Greg told about the dinner the peacemakers and Iraqis had together on the return trip. Knowing that the Iraqis ate their food with their hands, scooping it up with pita bread, the Americans followed that custom out of respect for their hosts. There was no interpreter and they did not speak each other’s language. After they began eating, the Americans looked across the table at the Iraqis to make contact. What they saw were the Iraqis eating their meal with utensils. Both sides smiled at each other and burst into laughter.

What more can I say? Well, I can only say I hope you will visit the book website and Greg’s blog—he’s a wonderful writer and a thinking, caring human being. He’s on a book tour, sharing this story to open minds and connect us all, and he’s trying to raise money to do a documentary on the story. Maybe you can help.

Hearing Greg’s story has inspired me and I hope it will inspire you too. Namaste.

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Greg Barrett, Inspirational, Iraq, Oneness, Peacemakers, Respect, Spiritual Journey, World community

AWAKENING TO AN OPEN MIND

Posted on January 10, 2013 | 5 comments

“Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” Buddha Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni

English: Henry_Ossawa_Tanner_-_The_Annunciation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How do you feel about new ideas that appear in your life? Do they frighten you? Do they offer you a new perspective that broadens your thinking?

Re-evaluating Your Life

As I mentioned last week, I don’t make resolutions any more, but I do think about the New Year and what I hope will happen during it. I try to notice what I may be hanging onto that I really need to release. As I evaluated all of this last week, I realized that I mainly want to continue on the track I’m on now—writing and promoting my book and speaking. I feel a real passion for it, but I also realize each year offers its own challenges, and I want to be open-minded about what comes my way so I can learn the lessons and expand.

New Information Opens the Mind

I had an experience during Christmas week that really brought home the need to be open. My brother showed me a painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner called “The Annunciation.” I was drawn to it because Mary was depicted in a way that grabbed my attention. As the angel Gabriel appears to her, she looks like an ordinary young woman, sitting on her bed, pondering an important decision. Virtually all the pictures of Mary I’ve seen depict her looking angelic and other worldly. Perhaps this is why I never felt drawn to her when I was growing up and attending a traditional Christian church.

When I commented on how different this Mary looked, my brother pointed out that this was the moment when she had to decide if she were willing to become the mother of Christ. I was surprised. “You mean she had a choice?” I asked. “I never knew that.” Perhaps I’d just forgotten after all these years or maybe I had never been presented with this version of the story, but it made a huge difference to me.

Spiritual Awareness Inspires and Expands Us

As I stared at this painting, for the first time, I sensed Mary’s humanity. She was no longer a mythical character to me, but a vital, intelligent being who had to make an unprecedented choice, one that would take her on a very challenging journey. “There’s a story there,” I thought, feeling chills run up my spine. I don’t know what the story is that I will write, but this experience opened a new door for me.

I immediately thought of a friend of mine who is a devout follower of Mary although she isn’t Catholic. Perhaps I had glimpsed part of what has always drawn her to Mary. But most importantly, I have a new perspective on this subject that has opened my mind in a way it was never open before.

Art Offers A New Perspective

That’s the beauty of art too. As Edgar Degas said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” When I look at a painting or experience any of the fine arts, I am taken out of my own mind for awhile and into the heart and mind of another, and that allows me to see in ways I never have before. At a deep level, it changes my perspective if I give myself totally to the experience.

The Class of Dance by Edgar Degas (1874) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Frankly, I was very surprised by my reaction to the painting of Mary. I don’t usually feel moved by religious art. I often admire the artist’s technique, but again the subjects are often so ethereal that my mind, not my heart, is moved. Maybe I’ve been missing something and my lack of interest in organized religion has created a block I don’t know is there. But I think one of my intentions for the New Year will definitely be paying more attention when I catch myself quickly dismissing something or someone. A second look never hurts.

Just a reminder: I’ll be reading and signing Awakening to the Dance: A Journey to Wholeness at Malaprops Bookstore, Asheville, NC on Thursday, January 17 at 7:00.

Have you gained any new perspective lately? Please comment.

Notes on comments: I’m getting huge numbers of spam and don’t have time to check through them all to look for legitimate comments. But if you comment from a business site that sells a product (other than books or service related to my blog post), you are automatically put in the spam folder. I have to approve people who comment for the first time, and I only approve comments that relate specifically to a post. It may take me as much as a day to approve a comment. I welcome all genuine comments.

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Awakening, Awareness, Expansion, Fine Art, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Inspirational, Open-Mindedness, Spirituality

AWAKENING TO NEW INTENTIONS

Posted on January 2, 2013 | 5 comments

“A good intention clothes itself with sudden power.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you make New Year’s resolutions or set intentions for the following year? Is there a difference in them and how does that affect your life? Do you usually follow through with what you set or intend?

Resolutions or Intentions

I used to make New Year’s resolutions and I saw them as goals for the year. Often I worked very hard to achieve them, but encountered many blocks along the way that delayed the achievement or made it impossible. Then, when I was unable to meet the goal, I felt bad about myself.

A few years ago, I gave up making resolutions and started setting intentions. For example, my intention was to publish my book by the end of 2011, but that didn’t happen. Because I’d never published a book before, it took much longer to edit and prepare it than I anticipated. I could have published it and met my goal, but the book wouldn’t have been as professional as I wanted it to be, and part of my intention was to make it as professional as possible.

Do You focus On An Aim Or Course Of Action?

The definitions of resolution and intention are interesting. Resolution means a course of action decided upon or firm determination. Intention means an aim that guides action or a course of action one intends to follow. The difference is subtle. A course of action sounds like a plan. We know what we want to achieve and how to achieve it, but an aim that guides our action indicates an underlying reason for whatever we are going to do.

While it is true that intentions alone don’t lead us to accomplish what we wish, they are an important guide when combined with action. My experience has been that the steps I need to take to a goal may change as I travel the path, so if I’m stuck on doing it a certain way, I may overlook a much better choice. What keeps me on the path, though, is the intention.

Our Word Has Spiritual Power

Ernest Holmes, the author of Science of Mind and the founder of that philosophy, says, “Just what is meant by ‘your word?’ It means your conscious intention, your conscious direction, your conscious faith and acceptance that, because of what you’re doing, the Power of Spirit will flow through your word in the direction you give.” So in creating an intention, we are setting “our word” in motion in the universal flow of energy. Once we put it out there, it can draw to us what we need to accomplish our goal.

Intention (Photo credit: turahbird)

Combine Intention and Action For Results

This doesn’t mean we don’t take action. It means we start taking the steps we know to take and stay open to what shows up. We stay focused on the intention. For example, my intention in writing a blog post every week is to share what I know so that it may help others. So that people know when to expect the post, I write it every Wednesday, but writing it on another day doesn’t affect the intention. So there may be variations in the path to fulfill one intention.

One of the most typical New Year’s resolutions is to get in shape; yet, most people stop exercising in two months and gym memberships plummet by March. I suspect many people set goals in this area expecting unrealistic progress. Maybe focusing on an intention would work better.

After I stopped dancing, I walked regularly to stay healthy, but I was living in New Orleans where it rained often and I couldn’t walk outside. Sometimes it was too hot. Finally, I got sick of my own excuses about why I wasn’t walking, and I bought a treadmill so I would never have an excuse not to exercise. This worked. I also realized I need variety and get bored doing the same thing every day. Some days I hike or walk outside. Some days I walk on the treadmill and read while I exercise. Some days I just walk rapidly in the house. I have also taken yoga and tai chi and dance classes. So my intention is to stay healthy and that requires that I get some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week. Being open about it helps me to do it regularly.

Keep Good Energy Flowing

So if you’ve made resolutions or intentions, I wish you well with them. Be devoted to what aim guides your action: better health, relating in a more loving way with others, developing new job skills. Keep moving forward, but stay open to new possibilities, and know that staying positive about even the setbacks will keep the good energy flowing to assist you.

Happy New Year! What are your intentions or resolutions for the year? Please comment.

Related Articles: I highly recommend that you set aside time to view this video: Wayne Dyer – The Power of Intention (video), Like Clouds Without Rain, Life Has A Crush on You, Spiritual Reading, Ernest Holmes (audio)

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Posted in Inspirational Posts

Tagged Ernest Holmes, Faith, Inspirational, Intention, Life Path, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Resolutions, Spirituality

WE ARE ALL ONE

Posted on December 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

May your holiday be filled with peace, love, and joy!

AWAKENING TO RELEASE ILLUSIONS

Posted on December 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

It is“ only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are without any self-deception or illusion that a light will develop out of the events by which the path to success may be recognized.” I-Ching

Once again, we are in that time of year when the darkness passes into the light at the Winter Solstice. It is a deeply spiritual time when many religions focus on significant rituals and holidays. This year we are also approaching 12-21-12, a time of transition when we and the earth will move into a higher consciousness.

This Is The Beginning, Not the End

This date is significant as the end of the Mayan calendar, but the Mayans do not see it as the end of the world. In order to understand it’s meaning, I ask that you view the video “The Maya Talk About 12-21-12.” To find it you will have to scroll down the page.

Find Love For All In Our Hearts

In this special time, let us put aside the presents and make time to release the negativity from our lives so that there is room for the light. Let us reach out with love to all those around us. Forgive those we feel have hurt us. It is more important now than it has ever been for us to remember we are all human, no matter how different we may appear. The only separation that exists is in our minds, and we can choose what we think.

Take this time to look at your life. What illusions are you harboring? What are you denying on the surface, but deep within know is true? What changes do you need to make? We are all points of light if we choose to be and if we choose to be, that light may take us into a world of love and community. What will you contribute?

Release Our Fears and Express Our Light

More than ever we need to remember this:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It is not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Release your fear, open your heart, express your light in the world to empower all you meet. We are at the beginning of something wonderful! We can change the world.

Peace, Love, and Joy to you all!

Awakening to the Dance

AWAKENING TO GOOD HEALTH

“To enjoy true health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will come to him.” Buddha

AWAKENING TO ALL THE LOVE

“Love is a state of Being. Your love is not outside; it is deep within you. You can never lose it, and it cannot leave you.” Eckhart Tolle

AWAKENING TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY

“Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama.” Miquel Ruiz

AWAKENING TO OUR DREAMS

“There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why…I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” Robert Kennedy

AWAKENING TO OUR JOY WITHIN

“Find the place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” Joseph Campbell

AWAKENING TO OUR WORLD COMMUNITY

“If you want to make peace, don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” Desmond Tutu

AWAKENING TO AN OPEN MIND

“Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” Buddha Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni

AWAKENING TO NEW INTENTIONS

“A good intention clothes itself with sudden power.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

WE ARE ALL ONE

May your holiday be filled with peace, love, and joy!

AWAKENING TO RELEASE ILLUSIONS

It is“ only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are without any self-deception or illusion that a light will develop out of the events by which the path to success may be recognized.” I-Ching