Life is what it is no matter who you are or how you have planned to live your life. Two weeks ago I blogged about my comfort zone and today I am writing about being blown out of it. No literary exaggeration here. Friday morning I was blown out of my comfort zone. I went to the dentist because of a very small chip that I discovered on the back of a front tooth. I felt completely numb during the ride home. Not really knowing it then, I was in a state of mental and emotional shock. It was milder than it would have been even a few years ago. Deep inside there was and is a calmness emanating from the depths of my being, from my very soul. I was facing major dental work on four front teeth not just the one front tooth with a chip in it. My teeth are not quite as old as I am because I had baby teeth first, right? These things happen as teeth age. I can do this. I'll just call my financial advisor for help with the smart way to proceed. Right? I can do this because it is what is...

It is cool enough to open my windows this morning. A gentle breeze lifts the window covering in the bedroom and it is quiet and still. I rise early and have done so all my life. Most mornings, I begin propped up in bed for prayer and meditation. Once fully awake and up, I brew a delicious cup of tea and take it into my yard. The only neighbor awake is the hummingbird who has taken ownership of the feeder on my porch. He is waiting for me to refresh its contents and I do so as my tea water is heating on the stove. He sits patiently while I have my tea and set my intentions for the day. He will feed when I go inside. He prefers privacy and guards "his" feeder with diligence and ferocity throughout the day. I love him!

As the morning unfolds, I remember the almost full moon outside my window last night. It's "voice" held my attention and, this morning, I am filled with anticipation of its presence tonight...the September 2021 full moon. I grew up hearing that full moons were...

Yes, the past 19 months take their toll even though, during this time my meditation practice has deepened and I have come to know stillness of mind and heart to depths I never imagined possible. I just pulled out a collection of poems I wrote many years ago. Some touch me today that I would like to share.

I meditate and Spirit whispers comfort:

     Love yourself

          every curve

          every valley

          every peak

     You are Light

          given form

     You are Love

          given life

     You are Beauty

          yet unspoken

     Love yourself

          gently

          tenderly

          sweetly

     Love yourself

       ...

Within us is a Life Force Energy that gives life to and sustains our mental, emotional, physical being. We are not just a body, a heart, a brain. 

Why does the body breathe? Why does it stop breathing? Not every body stops breathing due to injury or disease. And what about those who live into their 100's with full mental capacity and an older but not ill body?

What is this Life Force Energy that is at the very core of our human existence?

Religions ancient and new seek to define  this for us and to offer practices that bring us understanding, peace, and answers to what comes after this human life. Life Force Energy has been called the Soul, the Spirit, the True Self. I have and do use these terms. Even as I do, I find words/language incapable of truly revealing the essence and depth of spiritual truth. My own journey has & does include a variety of experiences and practices. On any given day, I grow still and ask mySelf "What do I need right now?" This...

Let me begin by saying I definitely do not have all the answers; I do have a few suggestions that work for me - most of the time.

World events are absolutely overwhelming right now. It doesn't seem possible to have this many crises at once....and then add in personal challenges that may be even more difficult to process. However, only deep denial would allow anyone to ignore it all completely. For those of us who are empathic and/or live from an inner state of love and compassion, this experience can be exhausting mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I can feel many of you saying, "You can say that again!!" Ok, I will:     For those of us who are empathic and/or live from an inner state of love and compassion, this experience can be exhausting.

Here are my suggestions:

Meditate - Every day and however many times a day you feel the need. During the first 7 months of the pandemic, I faithfully meditated for 30 minutes every morning. I also did 5-15 minute meditations...

Many years ago, The Serenity Prayer became a part of my life. It reminds me that I cannot fix or change everything that disturbs or challenges me. It shows me the power of surrender based in wisdom and the power of faith based in experiences that called into question all that I believed and everyone I trusted.

 The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the

things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can.

And the wisdom to know the difference.

The ability to accept what I cannot change can be an intense challenge and it is truly the only path to serenity...

Though laughter helps immensely as well!!

Just this morning my daughter-in-law called me about a mixup in our schedules. For some reason the entire situation hit us as funny - because we had to own our still somewhat inefficient brain functions that resulted from recent world history. We could not stop laughing at life and ourselves. 

My comment, once I caught my breath, was "Oh my gosh, we need...

My granddaughter, Hannah is now in 2nd grade. She went to school this morning for the first time since her school closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. My grandson, Beau, starts pre-school in a few weeks. It is an exciting time that is also filled with times of anxiety and fear. Not an easy time for their parents either. She was home-schooled last year and thank goodness her mom had the nerve - she is not a school teacher. She is a mother who will go to great lengths to be sure her children are safe and have what they need. Of course, she and my son self-quarantined as most of us did. This morning was the first time Hannah had seen children in a group (all masked of course) in almost 18 months. They sent me a video & she was smiling & excited. She waved from the steps of the school & then she froze. Her teacher knew a lot about her already because Hannah's mom had emailed with her. She is shy and sensitive & "new" is hard for her...really hard.

Her mom...

Seven years ago I relocated to a new city and state. Once I recovered mentally, emotionally, and physically from the transition, I began to desire friends of similar age and like mind. I met a woman who told me about a meditation group not far from where & lived. After contacting the leader of that group, I gathered my courage and determination and I ventured into an unknown neighborhood, in an unknown town, to join people I had never met. My heart pounded as I got dressed and prepared to leave. Walking into a room, not knowing anyone, has always been a challenge for me.

As the daughter of a military man, the wife of a military man, and eventually as a single-again woman, I have relocated over and over again throughout my life. This experience of walking into rooms of strangers is not new to me. It has never become easy or second-nature to me, however, because part of my fundamental nature is shyness. I also am extremely comfortable being alone. I know the value of...

The first yoga class I attended after moving to Burbank, CA was at Yoga Blend on MagnoliaBlvd. It was recommended to me by my daughter-in-law,  as well as a fellow yoga teacher, and a new friend who was my neighbor at the time.

I had been doing my own practice but there is nothing that compares to taking a class and experiencing the energy of a like-minded group. I did not know a single person in that room but we all came seeking the gifts of hatha yoga. We all came equipped with a mat, a body and mind, and a breath.

I came away feeling like my body was my own instead of some tight, stiff vehicle that had carried me around but didn't feel like me. I could feel where the muscles stretched or worked. There was a sweet tenderness that let me know my practice released pent-up toxins, tightness and emotions. Once home, a cup of soothing mint tea steeped on the kitchen counter for me to sip after blogging. I ended that day with a quiet evening, preparing...

I cannot say I am totally happy with myself in this  moment. I am having too many times when I react to life instead of responding. It has been many years since this behavior has come from me and it is confusing and frustrating. My voice always reveals what I am feeling so it isn't possible for me to hide this from others. I am being just as impatient with myself as I have been with others. I am being gentle & forgiving with myself as I remind myself to be kind to me first. With others, I apologize & I truly make an effort not to do it at all...I am not always successfully. It is embarrassing to say the least. I have precious friends and an amazing family so I receive understanding and forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself but mainly I just want to stop doing this!!

Sharing this in my blog is difficult and necessary for my own growth and spiritual progress. I teach and lead meditation. Others turn to me for understanding, support, and guidance. What...