This is dedicated to you…I love you! :)
(Thank you for the lovely art and card…I’m so proud of you! xo!)April 18, 2013
April 18, 2013
THE FOUR AGREEMENTS
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using words to speak against yourself or gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don’t Make Assumptions
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. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.
From The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Photo source: Nomads hunting with golden eagles in Mongolia (awesome!)
April 18, 2013
ATTRACTIVE THOUGHTS
Certain Thoughts Are Too Attractive To Just Let Pass By….
The personal sense of self is made up
of a whole bunch of thoughts
that attention has held on to.
Certain thoughts are too attractive
to just let pass by
and so attention holds on to them,
chews on them, elaborates on them.
And because attention has given itself
to a thought in this way,
the thought sticks around,
it becomes part of the personal self,
of who you think you are.
It arises
and you identify with it.
Because you identify with it,
it comes back
and you identify with it again
and in this way it strengthens.
It is constantly reinforcing itself in this way
as a personal sense of who you think you are.
April 17, 2013
THE REMIX
April 16, 2013
WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES
There are sometimes those moments when tragedies seem to happen all at once in different parts of the world. Despite lives lost in casualties of war (at home and abroad) on a daily basis, there are some events that take over the media’s attention due to the sheer number of casualties or non-sensical nature of the event. Most recently, the horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon (4/15/13) and the devastating earthquakes in Iran (4/9-16/13) are in focus. One event a force of nature, another based in man-made terror. How to process such suffering happening to our fellow man? This is a difficult question with as many answers as there are souls.
What I do know is that tragedies are an unfortunate aspect of life…just as joy is present to counter sorrow. Tragedies wake us up to the inherently fragile nature of life and remind us that we don’t have forever. We realize that we…or someone we love…could have been involved in that tragedy and gone from our lives forever. Or possibly that we lost someone in the event and are unable to process the fact that we are no longer able to express our love to that person.
In the event of the Boston tragedy, there are persons to hold accountable for the crime…there is the possibility for deep seated anger and revenge for those who have caused this devastation. For the victims of the Iran earthquake…there is only nature…there is no person to blame…one can only rebuild. Tragedies cannot be rated…one is not more tragic than another. However, what differs is how those affected move forward. One can blame, weep, or assist…it is always a personal choice.
The beauty within the tragedy (for there is yin within every yang) are the individuals whose hearts catch fire…those who leap to help their fellow man/woman/child…those who refuse to be immobilized by despair, knowing that there are those in need…knowing that they can do something to help.
Whether you choose to donate blood, financial assistance or volunteer to help victims of tragedy, know that there is always something you can do to help. My hope is that you will put actions behind your prayers and love sent to help those around you that need it. Hopefully this tragedy will also wake you up to the realization that there are always those around who need your help. As this site seeks to assist particularly children who are affected by homelessness and abusive situations, I would be remiss in not pointing out that these tragedies are a daily reality for some. Whether you donate or volunteer for an hour a week, you can put your love in action and change someone’s present and future.
This is my open letter to you…my secret hope is that your heart will catch fire and you will find opportunities to give to those in need and just do it! (Thank you!)
Photo source: heart catching fire (fire breather)
April 16, 2013
NO RELIGION
I belong to no religion.
My religion is Love.
Every heart is my temple.
– Rumi
Photo source: lovely young girl blowing bubbles outside of a mosque (Jerusalem)
April 15, 2013
GOOD TIME SPENT
How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.
-Spanish proverb
Photo source: fun :) (children in Bali)
April 14, 2013
SAGE ADVICE: SEEKING PRINCE CHARMING
DEAR SAGE: I really appreciate your inspirational posts…and I know that you don’t deal strictly with relationships, but I have a love question. I’m desperately seeking my Prince Charming and the fairy-tale marriage and children but it never seems to work out right! What do I need to do to get it right?! Please help.
DEAR SEEKING-PRINCE-CHARMING: Thank you for your support of the site! And I love your question! I would actually say that love is really at the heart of all of my posts! Whether it’s love for oneself or others, the message is always intended to be about love, for that is what really matters most. With that being said, I probably have not addressed romantic relationships very directly, so I am happy for your question! Now you get a chance to see how I really feel! ;)
Essentially, I believe that a person accepts the love they think they deserve. So the first step is to love yourself as much as possible (I mean this in a non-arrogant way). In that way, the love you have spills over and you want to share it with others and you will not accept being mistreated. Loving yourself manifests itself through increased confidence, a happy disposition, acknowledging and appreciating others, and acts of service (I always recommend volunteering! 1 hour per week can change your life more positively than the person you are helping!) You will enjoy the beauty of nature more and have a deeper connection with art, music, and poetry. Your life will take on a new flavor when you increase your love for yourself…and you will begin seeing others as holy and beautiful manifestations of the Creator, who are all worthy of love (indeed, many suffer needlessly because a perceived lack of love that is actually always present!).
Now as wonderful as this sounds, it can create challenges when it comes to identifying Prince Charming! By giving love in abundance, you will be given love in abundance. Therefore, you must discern compatibility more carefully. Understanding that every great guy you meet is not necessarily meant to be your husband is important…it’s okay to have great guy friends! You must raise the level of your standards so that you are choosing to spend your time with the kind of guy that you would want and trust to raise a family with in the future. I happen to be a fan of stylish heels and I’ll share with you a bit of “girlfriend” advice I’ve given my friends: keep your heels and standards high!
It’s difficult in this day and age, but it’s important to take your time and really get to know the person. Though the initial dates can be great fun, there is a big difference between three dates and what you will learn about the person in three to six months and beyond! I don’t know if there’s any magic formula about time, but the more you can spend with the person and get to know them before committing, the better! That way you are more sure about the kind of person you are getting involved with.
When you are living a life of love…and living a life you love…I feel sure that the right love will find you without you having to do anything but be yourself! But you have to be available for that love! If the relationship turns out to not be right for you, I hope that you will have the courage to love yourself enough to move on (remember, you don’t have to — and should not — accept a relationship that is harming you!), knowing that the real Prince Charming is out there looking for you too! All of the time, until the point of meeting each other, is spent preparing you both for each other…so don’t despair! Things really do happen for a reason even if you can’t yet understand it. (Keep in mind that God could be preparing you for something better or keeping you from something worse!)
YOU are a beautiful, intelligent and completely unique emanation of the Creator! YOU have been blessed with a tremendous capacity for love! Past relationships were for learning and are best left in the past. You can’t change the past and should not blame yourself, so remove that weight and free yourself to move on and accept the wonderful love you deserve! I’ll be looking out for the future wedding invite ;)
Love and light,
April 14, 2013
INCOMPLETE INFORMATION
There is a Sufi story told by Rumi which goes like this:
Two beggars came to the door of a house. One was immediately satisfied, and given a piece of bread. He went away. The second was kept waiting for her morsel. Why? The first beggar was not greatly liked; he was given stale bread. The second was made to wait until a fresh loaf was baked for her.
This story illustrates a theme in Sufic teaching — that there is often one element in a happening which we do not know…yet we base our opinions upon material which is incomplete. (The Sufis, Idries Shah)
—
The issue with determining if some situation or result was a blessing or a curse is that we never have the complete picture. Something we viewed as a curse could end up being a blessing. Or some situation that we view as a curse could have been a blessing for someone else. Something good could have come out of the situation that we may never realize.
This is why opinions are often faulty. Judging right and wrong is always dependent upon who is doing the judging. Place less weight on the thoughts and emotions of yourself and others which constantly change, while maintaining faith and patience. And above all, do not believe everything you think ;)
Photo source: the story of a beautiful little girl named Poonam