tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72749802676446905662024-03-13T19:25:42.008-04:00Wandering ThoughtsWelcome to a collection of my "Wandering Thoughts". Some of these are meditations, some are observations, some are prayers. They are all a result of taking time to notice elements of nature, people, and the spiritual self. I hope that you enjoy them and that perhaps they will offer some balance and illuminuation.
~ Rob ...
Available for purchase at http://www.createspace.com/3678685Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-19607057842182858962012-12-22T08:39:00.000-05:002012-12-22T16:04:21.680-05:00<strong>Sharing Our Gifts</strong><br />
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Christmas is upon us, merely a few days away. As if on cue, an inch or so of snow has graced the ground here <span style="font-size: small;">and just a bit more is anticipated. It allows for a beautiful landscape.<br /><br />We have been rather consumed by events here at home. We have not sent out our Christmas cards and have </span><span style="font-size: small;">decided that we will send New Years cards instead while reminding people that Christmas </span><span style="font-size: small;">is a season, not just a day.<br /><br />After twenty-five years of gift giving, Frank and I have trimmed that down to a trinket or two - hopefully something edible </span><span style="font-size: small;">as we attempt to downsize our lives here.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We all know how to give the gift of a present, but it is more important to share the gifts that we were born with.<br /><br />When the holidays come around, most of us join the masses in shopping for gifts, wrapping them, and giving them away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Once we are in the mind-set that this is what we are going to do, we don’t hold back or struggle with the process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We simply give the presents we have acquired, letting them go in the awareness that they were never ours anyway. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">If we could apply some of this unquestioning generosity with our own inner resources and gifts, we might be able to give </span><span style="font-size: small;">of ourselves more freely. <br /> <br />In truth, the gifts we hold within us only make sense when we give them away. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Imagine carefully procured and wrapped presents that remain </span><span style="font-size: small;">in the house of the giver, never getting to the people </span><span style="font-size: small;">who were meant to have them. If we hold back, not knowing quite </span><span style="font-size: small;">when to share our gifts, we all lose. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Ironically, the more we give of ourselves, the more we have to offer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For example, </span><span style="font-size: small;">if we have a talent for singing but we hold it back, we sing less and have less experience. On the other hand, </span><span style="font-size: small;">if we offer </span><span style="font-size: small;">the gift of our voice to the world at every opportunity, our talent develops and becomes still greater, and we have </span><span style="font-size: small;">that </span><span style="font-size: small;">much more to give.<br /><br />The same goes for any talent, including, listening, caring, helping, driving, laughing, smiling ... the list goes on. And, just like that Little Drummer Boy, so do we.<br /> <br /> How we present our gifts can be likened to wrapping paper and ribbons. </span><span style="font-size: small;">When we truly value what we have to offer, </span><span style="font-size: small;">our presentation honors what lies inside it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We speak well of our talents and introduce them with confidence and panache. Like a performer who chooses carefully </span><span style="font-size: small;">what to wear and how to set the stage, we provide an environment that complements and enhances what we have to offer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Far from being superficial, a beautiful presentation is as much a part of the energy of gift giving as the gift itself. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All these things together - the gift, the presentation, and the giving away -make up the joyful experience of bestowing </span><span style="font-size: small;">our offerings upon the world.<br /><br />The only gifts I have to offer for you throughout this season of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Solstice are my thoughts and words, and my love and light.<br /><br />How appropriate on this day as we emerge from the darkness of winter and grow into the season of light as the days slowly grow longer.<br /><br />There is a popular song "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays", but remember ... "Home Is Where the Heart Is".</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Blessings of the Season,<br /><br />Rob</span>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-3610502320737051632012-07-14T23:11:00.002-04:002012-07-14T23:11:51.385-04:00Changes<strong>Changes</strong><br />
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Each of our lives has changed or evolved dramatically over the years.<br />
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The years may be ten, thirty, fifty or more, but the reality is that life changes and we must adapt to and accept these changes, as we plant the seeds of change early on in our relationships. These may be personal relationships or business.<br />
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I've had an office in a beautiful condominium complex where my mother lived just a short walk away until my sister and brother in law invited her to live with them in Illinois. It was wonderful to have my mother close by and stop in for a visit or for me to go to her home for an escape and spend some pleasurable time listening to stories and sharing mine. My mother's move to Illinois was the best thing for her as she is well provided for and looked after. Mothers can be a true gift, and we need to be a true gift in fair return.<br />
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My office, affectionately known as "903" is where I found my peace and where I was able to write my first book. I could sit for hours and meditate, ponder and pray. Because of a need to consolidate and downsize, I have moved my office from 903 to Fairview, our home. From my desk in the loft, I have a beautiful view of the woods behind us and I overlook our swimmimg pool, which Frank loves dearly. <br />
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I enjoy watching him swim. He is very much at peace when he swims and he returns rejuvenated and relaxed. <br />
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From behind me the morning sun lights my desk with blinding radiance through the skylights, so I've learned to not keep white paper on my desk. There's something soothing about a softly tinted parchment that makes a difference in one's perspective as well as writing. <br />
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Additionally, our dog Fritz and the kitten who lived at 903 seem to know when I need a moment of <br />
distraction, and they seek me out at those times.<br />
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Since I've decided to consolidate and downsize, I held a "Yard Sale" today.<br />
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Having my office in a condominum complex, with all of the rules and regulations, has been a challenge as far as advertising a sale.<br />
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I marked everything with a price tag and I brought some items from our garage at Fairview to add to the sale. It was all set up professionally - or at least impressivly, and the advertisement went in to the local newspaper -- "by appointment only". Several people phoned, but only one woman showed up. I never did ask her first name, and she purchased nothing. However, we spent about twenty minutes or so in a beautiful conversation about life. She shared her history with me and I believe that I am all the much better for that. After hearing her stories of loss and changes in her life, I wondered if she came here just to talk. One of her first remarks was that she had too much :stuff" and was looking to be rid of things. We talked for a while and she told me that she was a widow and estranged from her family.<br />
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I was sad when she left, Not because I didn't sell anything, but because I didn't pursue the opportunity to get to know her more. However, I was happy to have made that connection, and she will be forever in my memory, thoughts, and prayers. This is how the universe builds itself -- through our own energy.<br />
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Afterward, I sat outside with a glass of wine and the deer came to feed from what I put out for them.<br />
They are timid, but they are also trusting as they sense the kindness and they know that they are safe<br />
from the hunters, so they come right up to me to delight in the treats I'm able to offer to them.<br />
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I will miss that.<br />
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Tonight there were two young deer and three very small spotted fawn. They were about the size of a Chihuahua and barely able to walk.There was also a young buck whose antlers were still covered in fur. They fed for a bit and then walked away, never knowing if I would be there again to feed them yet trusting in the belief that they would always find nourishment.<br />
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That's faith.<br />
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I wondered if that young buck would ever grow into his antlers or what might become of him.<br />
When they would look up at me with seemingly trepidation, it was a moment of Namaste -- "I recognize the spirit within you."<br />
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Soon I will no longer be there to provide nourishment and human contact for them, and I will no longer gaze into their eyes from two or three feet away.<br />
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Change can enter our lives silently and suddenly. This change can be just as important as change we have worked hard for.<br />
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There exist changes which I need to make in my life, and it will have its effects.<br />
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We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we either want or need to change. Often, this desire or need leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to discover that change has taken place, seemingly without us. This can seem like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does appear to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened through the way of grace. <br />
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As modern day humans in this age of technology and busy-ness, we tend to have relatively short attention spans, and we can easily lose track of time. <br />
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We may worry about a seedling in a pot with our constant attention and watering for several weeks only to find ourselves enjoying the blooms it offers and wondering when that happened, and how we didn’t notice it. <br />
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Frank keeps a beautiful Hibiscus plant which, during the summer, lives on our front terrace off our bedroom. He tends to it daily and always tells me about how many buds are on it. During the cooler months of autumn and winter, it lives in our living room at the front window where it can enjoy the sun for most of the day, and it continues to bloom. We each see and enjoy the beauty of the blooms. However, Frank sees the potential of the plant and nurtures that.<br />
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Nature has infinite patience and stays with a thing all the way through its life. This doesn’t mean that our efforts play no part in the miracle of change, they do. It’s just that they are one small part of the picture that finally results in the flowering of a plant, the shifting of life, the softening of our hearts. <br />
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The same laws that govern the growth of plants oversee our own internal and external changes. We observe, consider, work, and wonder, tilling the soil of our lives, planting seeds, and tending them.<br />
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Sometimes the hard part is knowing when to stop and let go, handing it over to the universe. Usually this happens by way of distraction or disruption, our attention being called away to other more pressing concerns. It is often at these times, when we are not looking at the growing plant in the silence of nature’s embrace, that the miracle of change happens. <br />
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With love and light, and the miracle of change,<br />
<br />
RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-14384988471877030332012-06-04T09:57:00.000-04:002012-06-04T09:57:14.708-04:00<br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Prayer and Meditation</span><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Asking and Receiving</span><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">I have recently re-instated a "Prayer Chain" through my church, Trinity Episcopal in Mount Pocono. We reach across the nation and as far as Mexico City. Not so bad for a tiny little church hidden in the middle of the woods.<br /><br />Our Prayer Chain is powerful and complete with loving people who pray with strength. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Prayer and meditation offer us unique opportunities, and each can be a powerful tool. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Prayer and meditation are similar practices in that they both offer us a connection to the divine, but they also differ from one another in significant ways. Put simply, prayer is when we ask the universe for something, and meditation is when we listen. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">When we pray, we use language to express our innermost thoughts and feelings to a higher power. Sometimes, we plumb the depths within ourselves and allow whatever comes to the surface to flow out in our prayer. At other times, we pray words that were written by someone else but that express what we want to say. Prayer is reaching out to the universe with questions, pleas for help, gratitude, and praise.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><br />
<br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Meditation, on the other hand, has a silent quality that honors the art of receptivity. When we meditate, we cease movement and allow the activity of our minds and hearts to go on without us in a sense. Eventually, we fall into a deep silence, a place that underlies all the noise and fray of daily human existence. In this place, it becomes possible for us to hear the universe as it speaks for itself, responds to our questions, or sits with us in its silent way.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Both prayer and meditation are indispensable tools for navigating our relationship with the universe and with ourselves. They are also natural complements to one another, and one makes way for the other just as the crest of a wave gives way to its hollow. If we tend to do only one or the other, prayer or meditation, we may find that we are out of balance, and we might benefit from exploring the missing form of communication. There are times when we need to reach out and express ourselves, fully exorcising our insides, and times when we are empty, ready to rest in quiet receiving. When we allow ourselves to do both, we begin to have a true conversation with the universe. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">I wish you times of speaking and time to listen. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">With Love and Light, <br /><br />Rob</span><br style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-54353443003354023262012-05-23T13:49:00.001-04:002012-05-23T13:49:05.324-04:00Rainy Days<br /> <br />We have enjoyed a very mild winter here in the Pocono Mountains, and now it is spring.<br />The arrival of spring has brought about quite a few rainy days. Clearly these days have brought life to the flowers and the trees, as well as the weeds! However, these rainy days tend to slow us down and therefore can also be interpreted as a signal to slow down and contemplate life.<br /> <br />The simple miracle of water falling from the sky has been interpreted in many ways by many cultures. In various areas of the world, rain has been viewed as a nourishing gift, given by well-pleased deities. <br />
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Rain has also served as a symbol of emotional cleansing and represented the unending union between earth and sky. Consider as well the cleansing nature of tears.<br /><br />Today, rain is often seen as an annoyance, something to be borne doggedly while attending to one's usual duties. But the arrival of one or more rainy days can also be interpreted as a signal to slow down and, once again, contemplate life. When Mother Nature darkens the sky and causes drizzle to fall, freshly opened buds close and many animals settle into their nests for a period of repose. We can honor rainy days by following the example put forth by the flora and fauna around us. Even if we must or choose to venture out into a shower, we can still slow down and appreciate our connection to nature. <br /> <br />A rainy day spent indoors can be wonderfully uplifting. <br />
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As the rain pours down, we can fill our homes with light, sound, and comfort so that we can fully appreciate the loveliness of being snug and dry during a downpour. Or we can settle into the warmth which also exists within the darkness.<br />
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A sheltered spot like a covered porch, sun room, or window seat can provide us with a wonderful vantage point from which to meditatively observe raindrops as they make their descent to earth. <br />
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Also, the pitter-patter of rain on a rooftop or car window can be a therapeutic and soothing sound,<br />
one that reminds us that while the unforeseen will always be a part of our lives, we should never forget that nearly every cloud that comes into our lives will have a silver lining.<br /><br />With love, light, and drops of rain,<br /><br />Rob<br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-22139891190396307522012-05-08T03:24:00.000-04:002012-05-08T03:24:02.080-04:00Supporting Your Spouse<br />
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In one week and one day, Frank will celebrate a benchmark birthday.we will soon after celebrate twenty-four years together. Fifty-one days after that we will celebrate twenty-four years together.</span></pre>
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That gives me one year to save up for a trip somewhere for our twenty-fifth!</span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is natural in a marriage for shifts to take place, and these can be navigated smoothly with open communication. In our case, I have always been the provider and Frank has always been supportive of my career and tended to the homestead, as well as to me.
Throughout the course of a successful marriage or long-term commitment, the two people in the relationship may shift in and out of various roles. For example, I've gone from a successful career to becoming a starving author while attending classes for a real estate license, life insurance license, and theological studies. I never thought that, as I approach the half century mark in my life, I would become a full time student! However, life changes, and we must be supportive of one another if we are to survive as couples or families. And sometimes roles change.</span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">For example, one person in the couple may support the other person going back to school. </span></pre>
<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">In order to do this, he or she steps into a supporting role, setting aside certain goals or aspirations in order to provide a stable base from which his or her partner can launch forth in a new direction. There are many gifts of learning inherent in this role - from having the opportunity to embody a nurturing stance to feeling the pleasure of seeing a loved one thrive. When our partner expands his or her horizons, ours expand, too, and we gain access to a world that would otherwise remain closed to us.</span></pre>
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However, there is also much to be said for having a turn to be the one stepping outside of our space, perhaps taking time to attend to our personal healing, spiritual pursuits, or other interests. In order to maintain balance within our relationships, it’s important that we address these issues each time one person steps into a supporting role so the other can try something new. When we are conscious about acknowledging that one person is bearing a bit more of a burden so that the other can grow, we stand a better chance of making sure the ebb and flow in the relationship remains fair and equal.
The most important part of this process is open communication in which each person has a chance to express how he or she feels and come to an understanding about the roles they have agreed to and when they expect them to shift. </span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Each time a dynamic shift occurs, a ceremony of acknowledgment can lend an air of distinction to the moment. This can be a simple dinner date at home or an elaborate ritual, depending upon what works best for us at the time. Perhaps the most important thing is expressing gratitude to the person in the supporting role and encouragement to the person moving in a new direction. </span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">When the flow of feeling and communication is mutual and open, a healthy closeness develops that allows each person in the relationship to have a turn at each of these important roles. It is then that we build our relationship in maturity through absolute love and commitment. </span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">With love and light, </span></pre>
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<pre style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Rob</span></pre>
<br /><br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-63904468043887491452012-04-14T03:55:00.003-04:002012-04-14T04:52:16.903-04:00Moving Mountains<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Keeping Things in Perspective</b></span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Recently, I have been deluged with prayer requests.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">In fact, there have been so many that I have not been able to focus on my own personal concerns. That is fine for me as I believe in care for others first. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Thankfully I have Frank to keep me in balance with that and remind me that I do need to tend to our life together here at the top of Mount Pocono as well.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">When someone asks me to pray for them, my typical response is "Prayers ascend from atop Mount Pocono".</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">It almost sounds as though prayers ascending from a mountain top are better from those from a valley, although I don't subscribe to that train of thought at all.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">However, we do have certain perspectives.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">From the top of a mountain, we are able to witness life from a different perspective, bringing us a new awareness.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Mountains have always captured our imaginations, calling us to scale their heights, to circle and worship at their feet, and to pay homage to their greatness. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Granted, Mount Pocono has nothing to compare with the Rocky Mountains or the Himalayas, but it maintains its own history as a break-away from a glacier as it moved south from Canada during the end of the ice-age.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Mountains can be seen from hundreds of miles away, and if we are lucky enough to be on top of one, we can see great stretches of the surrounding earth. As a result, mountains symbolize vision, the ability to rise above the adjacent lowlands and see beyond our immediate vicinity. From the top of the mountain, we are able to witness life from a new perspective. Cities and towns that seem so large when we are in them look tiny. We can take in the entire landscape with a single glance, regaining our composure and our sense of proportion as we realize how much bigger this world is than we sometimes remember it to be. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Mountains are almost always considered holy and spiritual places, and the energy at the top of a mountain is undeniably unique. When we are on top of a mountain, it is as if we have ascended to an alternate realm, one in which the air is purer and the energy lighter. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Many a human being has climbed to the top of a mountain in order to connect with a higher source of understanding, and many have come back down feeling stronger and wiser. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Whenever we are feeling trapped or limited in our vision, a trip to our nearest mountain may be just the cure we need.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">There’s a reason that mountain views are so highly prized in this world, and it is because, even from a distance, mountains remind us of how small we are, which often comes as a wonderful relief. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">In addition, they illustrate our ability to connect with higher energy. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">As they rise up from the earth, sometimes disappearing in the clouds that gather around them, they are a visual symbol of earth reaching up into the heavens. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Whether we have a mountain view out of our window or just a photograph of a mountain where we see it every day, we can rely on these earthly giants to provide inspiration, vision, and a daily reminder of our humble place in the grand scheme of life. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">After all, humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it's thinking of ourselves less.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Mountains are also often viewed as obstacles and take on a negative connotation. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">In these instances, they seem overbearing. These would be our own mountains of grief, sorrow, troubles, and despair.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Can we move those mountains?</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Yes. One rock and one shovel at a time, carefully spreading what we remove so as the share the burden of the weight of the mountain and being careful not to build another one behind us and on top of others.</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">So, the next time that something </span>insurmountable<span style="font-size: 100%;"> appears in your path, grab a rock from it and a shovel of soil, and pass it along for someone else to help level that mountain - and do the same for the person in front of you. </span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">With love and light from atop Mount Pocono,</span></span><br /><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Rob</span></span>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-58216371589812045352012-04-07T20:50:00.005-04:002012-04-07T21:13:04.758-04:00New BeginningsI'm writing this during the simultaneous occurence of the Christian celebration of Easter and the Jewish celebration of Passover.<br /><br />These events take place during springtime as Mother Earth renews herself and all of Creation springs forth in newness, fullness, and gladness of life.<br /><br />We often take this time to freshen our homes, our bodies, our minds and our spirits. However, we can choose to start over at any moment. There is no need to wait for a new year, a new season, a new month, or a new week. There are times in our lives that lend themselves to starting something new.<br /><br />The beginning of a new year, finishing school, changing a career, or moving to a new home.These all are times that turn our minds to fresh starts. Their advantage is that they bring with them the energy of that event, creating a tide of change around them that we can ride to our next shoreline.<br /><br />However, we can choose to start anew anytime. In any moment we can decide that a bad day or a relationship - be it personal or professional - that has taken off on the wrong foot can be started again.<br /><br />It is a mental shift that allows us to clean the slate and approach anything with fresh eyes, a fresh mind, and a fresh expression of our thoughts. <br /><br />We can make this choice at any time.<br /><br />Starting anew is most powerful when we focus our attention to what we are choosing to create. <br /><br />Giving all of our attention to the unwanted aspects of our lives allows what we resist to persist. <br /><br />We need to remember to leave enough room in the process of new beginnings to be kind to ourselves, because it takes time to become accustomed to anything new, no matter how much we like it.<br /><br />There is no need to become difficult or judgemental on ourselves if we don’t reach our new goals instantly. Instead, we acknowledge the forward motion and choose to reset and start again, knowing that with each choice we learn, grow, and move forward. <br /><br />Making the choice to start anew has its own energy. It’s a promise we make to ourselves. This type of forward momentum creates a sort of vacuum behind it, pulling toward us all we need to help us continue moving in our chosen direction. <br /><br />Once the journey has begun, it may take unexpected turns, but it never really ends. Like cycles in nature, there are periods of obvious growth and periods of dormancy that signal a time of waiting for the right moment to burst forth.<br /><br />Each time we choose to start anew we dedicate ourselves to becoming the best we are able to be.<br /><br />We can begin to improve our overall physical well-being by first starting to notice not only our thoughts, but our reactions to our thoughts as well. The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes. We often find ourselves thinking a certain way, knowing that this thought may be creating trouble for us yet we find it difficult to stop. <br /><br />For example, many people have the experience of becoming ill at the same time every year or every time they go on a plane. They may even be aware that their beliefs impact their experiences, and so they continue to believe they will become ill, and then they do. <br /><br />Sometimes we feel as though we need to suffer illness, be it physical or mental - such as depression, in order to process something or move something through our bodies. However, we often suffer at the hands of our own minds and become ill, or feel exhausted, because we don’t make the effort to galvanize the power of our minds in the service of our physical or mental health, which is one of its most important functions. <br /><br />We really can use it to communicate to our bodies and our minds, yet we often regard the two as separate entities that have little to do with one another. Knowing this, we have the power to create physical health and mental health, simply by paying attention to the tapes running in our minds.<br /><br />Once we hear ourselves, we have the option to let that tape keep running or to make a new recording.<br /><br />Frank often tells me that it's "time to weed the garden".<br /><br />By this, he means that it is time to cleanse ourselves of the negativity, impurity and distraction of the weeds we have allowed to thrive within us. It is time to cull the gardens of our homes, our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. We harness the power of the mind in our defense when we choose supportive, healing words that foster good health and high spirits. All we need to do is remember to tend the field of our mind with the attentive and loving hand of a master gardener tending the flower beds and gardens of our lives, culling out the weeds so that the blossoms of springtime may come to fruition.<br /><br />The beauty of life is that we don't need to wait for spring in order to begin our spiritual garden. Perhaps it's time to dig our hands into the soil and plant our future.<br /><br />May your garden be fragrant and fruitful.<br /><br />With love and light,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-6260388273551578592012-02-23T00:34:00.003-05:002012-02-23T00:58:22.534-05:00<pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We're Stronger Than We Realize<br /><br /></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Very often our anxiety gets to the better of us.<br /><br />Often this is for valid reason, but there are times that we permit this to happen as we are almost always stronger and more capable than we believe ourselves to be.</span></pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Our capacity to cope successfully with life's challenges far outstrips our capacity to feel nervousness. Yet in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to an event that we believe will test our limits, we can become nervous. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">While we may have previously regarded ourselves as equal to the trials that lie ahead, we sometimes reach a point at which they near and our anxiety begins to mount. We then become increasingly worked up, until the moment of truth arrives</pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We are almost always stronger and more capable than we believe ourselves to be. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Anxiety is not rational in nature, which means that in most cases we cannot work through it using logic as our only tool. Reason can help us recognize the relative futility of unwarranted worry but, more often than not, we find more comfort in patterns of thought and activity that redirect our attention to practical or engaging matters. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Most of us find it difficult to focus on two distinct thoughts or emotions at once,but we can use this natural human limitation to our advantage when trying to stay centered in the period leading up to a potentially stressful situation. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When we concentrate on something unrelated to our concern - such as meditation, prayer, deep breathing, visualizations of success, pleasurable pursuits, or exercise - anxiety dissipates naturally. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Meditation and prayer are also useful coping mechanisms as they provide us with a means to ground ourselves in the moment. This can provide us with a focal point wholly outside of our own sphere.<br /><br />The intense emotional flare-up we experience just before we are set to embark upon a challenge is often a mixture of both excitement and fear. </pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Once we take steps to eliminate the fear, we can work with embracing the excitement with confidence.</pre><pre style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We may find it difficult to avoid becoming worked up or anxious about our situation, but our awareness of the forces acting on the supportive side of our feelings will help us to return to our center accept that there are few hurdles we will face which will ever be as high as they at first appear.<br /><br />With love & light,<br /><br />Rob<br /><br /></pre>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-47847617710238697532012-02-15T14:51:00.002-05:002012-02-15T15:22:44.472-05:00The Wisdom of the Owl in Our Darkness<pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br />The night before last, Frank turned on the television in our bedroom at 1:00 a.m.<br />That woke me and, once awake, I have trouble returning to sleeping.<br /><br /></pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I remained in bed and thought that I saw an owl perched outside our window. I was not certain if it was an owl and we have many birds that gather outside our window. Frank counted twenty doves the other morning. I decided to retreat to my Wine Room, which is where I read my prayers, and I first noticed a figure of an owl that I have atop the curtain rod next to the wine cabinet.</pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I thought about the renewed interest in owls since the Harry Potter craze and I pondered my own fascination and interest in owls.</pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">For as long as humankind has recognized animals as teachers, wise men and women have recognized traits worthy of respect in both wild and domestic creatures. </span></pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The cultural and spiritual significance of certain animals transcends geographical boundaries, unifying disparate peoples. Not so the majestic and mysterious owl, which has over many millennia served as the focal point of numerous contradictory beliefs.</pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Though owls have been regarded with awe and fascination, they have also inadvertently served as agents of fear. Since owls are nocturnal, human to owl encounters tended to occur at night and likely when the bird was swooping silently down to earth to grapple with prey. Yet even as some shied away from the owl, calling it an agent of darkness, others recognized the depths of awareness in beautiful owl’s eyes. </pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><pre style="white-space: normal; "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Often owls are understood to be patient messengers, bringers of information, the holders of wisdom, and capable of seeing the unseen.</span></pre>In the classical Greek tradition, an owl could often be found perched on the shoulder of Athena, goddess of wisdom, while owls could ward off bad luck in Roman lore. </pre><pre style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span ><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;">It is in Native American mythos, however, that the owl attains its own unique identity. With their keen eyesight, it is believed that they can glance into the soul to discern meaning and motive, and they are totems of truth. Unlike our distant forebears, we may never encounter an owl in the wild, but we can nonetheless internalize the wisdom of the owl by attuning ourselves to its most venerable qualities. Fully integrating the insightful abilities of the owl into our own spiritual existence is a matter of considering how we might open ourselves more fully to the wisdom that can be found in the larger universe. </span></span></pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Should we find our efforts blocked as we attempt to comprehend and commune with the owl, we need to remember that it was not always revered as an icon of wisdom. </pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">This creature of the night has overcome many prejudices in its long association with humankind. To reveal those hidden elements of the self that impact our lives for better or for worse, we must often make our way through the darkest parts of our souls as if we are the nocturnal hunter in order for us to overcome prejudice and obstacles.</pre><pre style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">There is indeed darkness both inside the self and outside the self. However, like the owl, we can transcend the darkness by drawing nourishment from the insights we receive once we penetrate it and allowing ourselves to shine as clearly as the eyes of an owl.<br /><br />May your true heart shine through the eyes of your soul with the wisdom of the owl.<br /><br />With love & light,<br /><br />Rob</pre>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-55931318956156759612012-02-04T01:15:00.004-05:002012-02-04T02:18:46.551-05:00The Maps of Our LivesWe recently discovered that we have lost our GPS.<br /><br />We're not certain if it was removed from our vehicle by someone or if we relocated it from its usual indoor residence while decorating the house for Christmas.<br /><br />Either way, we have been forced to return to tapping into our memories in order to find our way out of the driveway.<br /><br />Just the other day, I drove a friend home from our shift serving at our local food pantry and became lost leaving her community. I didn't mind being lost as I saw it to be an opportunity to explore, and I knew that I would find my way eventually. So I just enjoyed my ride.<br /><br />I did consider what my partner Frank had said about how we will have to return to paper directions until we either find our GPS or purchase a new one. I could have <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">referred</span> to the directions I keep in my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">BlackBerry</span></span>, however, I tend to prefer to rely upon instinct.<br /><br />Typically, most of us have an internal sense of direction and this brought me to my decision to explore. However, this also brought to mind a good friend of mine who is entering seminary.<br /><br />David is infatuated with paper maps of any sort. Upon seeing one, his eyes light up as those of a child and his attention is often lost to the map.<br /><br />Thinking of his journey in life causes me to reflect a bit upon my own insistence to travel without specific direction, but rather to allow myself to wander and trust my instinct.<br /><br />When we learn to attune ourselves to our inner compass we follow a map that only we can see ... our own path.<br /><br />All the major spiritual traditions serve the purpose of offering us a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">road map</span> to guide us on our individual journeys to enlightenment. These <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">road maps</span> are made up of moral codes, parables, and, in some cases, detailed descriptions of mystical states.<br /><br />We often study the fine points of a particular narrative in order to better understand ourselves and to seek inspiration and guidance as we travel along our journey.<br /><br />In the same way, when we plan a road trip, we carry maps and guidebooks in an effort to understand where we are going.<br /><br />However, in either situation, the path we choose has a life of its own.<br /><br />While maps are helpful, they can only take us so far. There is just no comparison between looking at a line on a piece of paper and driving our own car down the road that line represents.<br /><br />Some of us prefer following maps, while others among us are always looking for new ways to find our destination.<br /><br />In relation to our spirituality, the only reliable compass lies within us.<br /><br />The maps and travelogues left behind by others are great blessings, full of useful information and inspiration, but they cannot take the journey for us. When it is time to merge onto the highway or pull up anchor, we are ostensibly on our own.<br /><br />Strange weather patterns, closed roads, and traffic jams arise in the moment, out of nowhere, and our maps cannot tell us what to do.<br /><br />We can take refuge in the comfort of a local Inn by the side of the road, persevere and continue forward, or turn back altogether. The decision is entirely up to us.<br /><br />Maps are based on observations from the past and we are living in the present, so we are the only true experts on our journey to enlightenment.<br /><br />We may find that the road traveled by our predecessors is now closed.<br /><br />We may feel called to change direction entirely so that the maps we have relied upon no longer apply.<br /><br />It is at such times that we learn to attune ourselves to our inner compass, following a map that only we can see, as we make our way into the unknown territory of our own enlightenment and journey through life.<br /><br />With love & a map-light,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-29604147800542055162012-01-28T03:43:00.001-05:002012-01-28T03:48:38.314-05:00<pre style="text-align: -webkit-auto; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b><i><span>The Wisdom of Surrender</span></i></b></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Very often, resistance equals persistence.Resistance tends to strengthen the energies it attempts to oppose us by giving them power and energy to work against us.<br /><br />We all know the feeling of being repeatedly haunted by the same issue, no matter how we try to ignore it, avoid it, or run away from it. </pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">This might come as a need to tend to loved ones, pick ourselves up in order to move past experiences which harmed us, or a call to arms -- be that for country or for our faith.</span></span></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Sometimes it seems that we can become rid of something we don’t want by simply pushing it away, in the manner of which we sweep away the dust and dirt from our sidewalks, lest the filth and debris enter our homes or shops. We build thresh-holds in order to keep away the silt.</pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">However, most of the time, the more we push away the silt the more it returns with the motion our our broom.<br /><br />There are laws of physics and metaphysics which explain this perceived phenomenon.<br /><br />This can be summed up as "That which you resist persists".<br /><br />This "law" exists in physical motion, emotional reaction, and spirituality.</span></span></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">Through human nature we tend to resist our strengths, and it is only through resistance that we can physically build and grow the very muscles of our bodies.<br /><br />Resistance training is how we grow from that proverbial ninety pound "weakling" to the muscle bound hero.<br /><br />Resistance strengthens our physical muscles and bodies in the same manner of which it strengthens our metaphysical energy and spirit.<br /><br />On the obverse, resistance keeps us from learning more about what we resist.<br /><br />In order to fully embrace and comprehend and ideology, theology or perception, it is absolute that we must open ourselves to the energy which we explore.<br /></span></span></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">If we fail to do so, we fail and we become ignorant of the lessons which the universe yearns to yield to us.<br /><br />In our Wine Room, each corner and angle is protected by a statue of a monk.<br /><br />I was taught that this must be done as I researched the construction of this little room.<br /><br />Some statues are rather tall and built of stone.<br /><br />Some are tiny and rather whimsical.<br /><br />The point is that, in this tiny space which was built for private meditation, there are many.<br /><br />There is a Tibetan story of a monk who retreats to meditate in a cave only to be plagued by demons.<br /><br />He attempts to evade them by all means ... chasing, running, fighting, hiding -- anything to be rid of the demons.<br /><br />You can imagine the horror he endured.<br /><br />Exhausted by the battle, he lays down all that he held to battle the demons and surrenders himself.<br /><br />The demons disappeared.<br /><br />Do you see?<br /><br />There was no hand-forged sword on earth that could defeat the demons. The only manner in which to be rid of them was to surrender.<br /><br />However, this monk did not surrender to the torment of the demons. He surrendered to his faith.<br /><br />Now, this is a story, and the wisdom earned here must be applied with practicality.<br /><br />It is not the intention of our life's universe to place ourselves in the pathways of harm or foolish intent.<br /><br />Bur rather, this story speaks of how, in essence, our demons are inside of us.<br /><br />What plagues and pursues us, what prevents and prevails us, exists on an inner level and has the ability to manifest itself in many different ways in our emotional environment.<br /><br />This manifestation takes place in the way that we treat the people in our lives, the way we treat ourselves, and the way that we respond to exterior situations. These may be community,</span></span></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">local, political, national, global ... the plague can become consuming.</span></span></pre><pre style="font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; ">However, it is nowhere near all "doom and gloom". Once we become aware that this perception of manifestation is merely a perception and that it exists only within the limitations of our minds and not our souls, we can then embrace the reality that these expression which haunted us were merely reflections of the fears that lived within ourselves.<br /><br />Once we surrender to our faith, to our belief, we become strong.<br /><br />With faith comes strength. With strength comes bravery. With bravery comes strength in faith, and therein lies courage.<br /><br />And with that, the more demons that plague us disappear in their weakness, and the more courageous we become.<br /><br />With love, light, and an uplifted sword in my heart,<br /><br />Rob<br /><span><br /></span></span></span></pre><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-57094810614944888862011-12-31T13:04:00.003-05:002011-12-31T13:13:05.937-05:00New Year's Resolutions<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I was fortunate to share a friendship with an enigmatic young man named Thomas </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">during a very special period of my life. </span><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">It was a time of change, growth, </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">and overcoming challenges for me.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">Thomas taught me many things during our days together, and this time of </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">year reminds me of one particular interaction we had.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Now that you are becoming more aware," Thomas said, "you need to begin to </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">set goals for yourself so you don't lose the momentum you have built."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Like New Year's resolutions?" I asked.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"That's an interesting idea," he smirked. "Let's do that."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">By then I was used to his cryptic responses, so I knew something was up </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">because of the way his eyes sparkled as he let out an impish laugh.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Tonight, make two lists," Thomas continued. "The first is a list of all </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">the New Year's resolutions you WANT to keep, and the second is a list of all </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">the New Year's resolutions you WILL keep. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">Write the WANT List first, and </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">when you have exhausted all of your ideas, then write the second list on </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">another sheet of paper."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I went home and spent several days working on the two lists. The WANT List </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">felt overwhelming at first, but after a while I got into writing all the </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">things I had always wanted to do if the burdens of life hadn't come in the </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">way. After nearly an hour, the list swelled to fill the entire page and </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">contained nearly all of my ideas of an ideal life. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">The second list was much </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">easier, and I was able to quickly commit to ten practical resolutions that I </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">felt would be both realistic and helpful.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">The next time I saw Thomas, he said "Tell me about your two lists" as the </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">familiar smirk crept onto his face.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I replied "The first list contains all the things I SHOULD do if I completely changed </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">my life to be the person I always wanted to be. The second list contains all </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">the things I COULD do by accepting my current life, and taking realistic </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">steps towards the life I want to lead."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Let me see the second list" he said.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I handed him the second list, and without even looking at it, he ripped the </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">paper into tiny pieces and threw it in the nearby trash. His disregard for </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">the effort I had put into the list annoyed me at first, but I quickly calmed </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">down I began to think about the first list in a different light. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">In my </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">heart, I knew the second list was a cop out, and the first list was the only </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">one that really mattered.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Now let me see the first list" he ordered.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I handed him the first list and held his gaze for several seconds, waiting </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">for him to begin reading the page. After an unusually long silence, he began </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">to crumple the paper into a ball and once again tossed it into the trash </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">without looking at it.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"What did you do that for?!" I couldn't hide my annoyance or frustration any longer.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">Thomas began to speak in a quiet and assured voice. "What you SHOULD or </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">COULD do with your life no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">this day forward, is what you MUST do."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">He then drew a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">me.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I opened it carefully, and found a single word floating in the middle of </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">the white page:</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Love."</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">I still have that piece of paper.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">And so, I offer you my love and I wish for the new year to bring you a </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">loving life of quiet balance as you encounter each new day.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">As for me, I'll be looking back at this past year with fondness and gratitude </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">for having you in my life.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">With love & light,</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">Rob</span></div>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-52905063212647583472011-11-16T18:21:00.002-05:002011-11-16T18:34:53.896-05:00Throw Away Your Scale !<pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I weigh myself every morning. The weight doesn't change.<br /><br />Some days I'm happy that I haven't gained. Other days I'm upset that I haven't lost.</pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Either way, it is not an accurate barometer of our general health and it serves as a tool toward obsession.</pre><pre style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;">No matter what our weight, we can use the cues from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we are.<br /><br />I've always said that "age is a man-made concept and we are only as old as we believe."</span></span></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In the same manner, health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures ... weight.</pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We check our scales daily to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When we throw away our scales, we commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within our bodies and within our minds. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">It is logical to examine how we feel while considering our health. A strong, fit, and well-nourished individual will seldom feel heavy, bloated, or fatigued. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">If we have concerns regarding our weight, we need to remind ourselves that at its proper weight, our body will feel buoyant and agile. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Movement becomes a source of joy. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are all easy to do because our joints and organs are functioning as they were meant to. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When we are physically healthy, our minds will also occupy a place of well-being.</pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Mental clarity and an ability to focus are two natural traits of whole-self health. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Surprisingly, promoting this type of wellness within ourselves takes no special effort outside of satisfying our hunger with nourishing, wholesome foods and moving our bodies.<br /><br />The numbers we see on the scale, while nominally informative, can prevent us from reaching our healthful eating goals by giving us a false indicator of health. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We will know when we have achieved true health because every fiber of our being will send us signals of wellness. </pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When we choose to listen to these signals instead of relying on the scale, our definition of well-being will be uniquely adapted to the needs of our bodies and of our minds.<br /><br />Live love & love life,<br /><br />Rob</pre>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-6437030193194166492011-11-15T00:43:00.004-05:002011-11-15T01:19:23.526-05:00Who Am I ?The question of who we are is a seed that can bear much fruit if given the chance to unfold and grow.<br /><br />At some point in our lives, or perhaps at many points in our lives, we ask the question, “Who am I?”<br /><br />It is at such times that we are looking beyond the obvious. We look beyond our names and the names of the cities and states from which we came or from where we call home. We begin to look into the layers beneath our surface identities.<br /><br />We may feel the need for a deeper sense of purpose in our lives, or we may be ready to accommodate a more complex understanding of the situations in which we find ourselves.<br /><br />Whatever the case, the question of who we are is a seed that can bear much fruit.<br /><br />It can send us on an exploration of our ancestry, or the past lives of our souls. <div><br /></div><div>It can bring us to our calling in our spiritual life or it can call us to take up writing in a journal in order to discover and uncover that voice deep within us that seems to know the answers to a multitude of questions.<br /><br />God.<br /><br />That voice can draw our attention so deeply inward that we find the spark of the spirit that connects us to every living thing in the universe.<br /><br />One Hindu tradition counsels its practitioners to ask the question over and over, using it as a mantra to lead one inevitably into the heart of the divine.<br /><br />While there are people who seem to come into the world knowing who they are and why they are here, for the most part the human journey appears to be very much about asking this question and allowing its answers to guide us on our paths.<br /><br />So when we find ourselves in the heart of unknowing, we can have faith that we are in a very human place, as well as a very divine one.<br /><br />“Who am I?” is a timeless mantra.<br /><br />The internal question of "Who am I?" leads us home. It leads us into the part of our minds that finally lets go of questions and answers and finds instead the ability to simply be.<br /><br />With love & light,<br /><br />Rob</div>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-34555264072026811882011-11-10T11:40:00.004-05:002011-11-10T14:26:56.926-05:00Finding Freedom in No<pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">I have trouble saying "No" to anyone.<br /><br />Even when I want to say no, I say it in a way that people understand it as a yes.<br /><br />"I'll think about that."<br /><br />"That sounds like a good idea, I'll see."</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">"I'll get back to you."</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Granted, those are very weak ways to say no, but that's just me. This causes endless days of anguish for me as I try to work my way out of an invitation or a request and it drains me of positive energy.</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">My partner Frank takes a different approach. He simply says "NO!" and then goes on with what he's doing - or not doing!</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">I must admit that I find it amusing when he says it the way he does - even when it's directed at me - but he looks you directly in the eye and says it with a smile. I know that the response comes from his heart and brings peaceful settlement to him.</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Saying no to somebody when we are used to saying yes can be challenging as we fear we will be rejected.</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Many of us, from childhood on, are taught that saying yes is right and saying no is wrong. We learn that acceding to demands allows us to avoid conflict and criticism, please people, earn praise, and prove that we care for the important people in our lives. Yet the right to say no is indelibly intertwined with the ability to make choices. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">When we sense we are limited in our options, compelled to say yes even when doing so is not in our interests, we are effectively robbed of our ability to choose. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Growing out of this tendency to say yes even when we desperately want to say no can be challenging because we suspect that others will reject us for our assertiveness. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">However, the reward we receive upon facing this challenge is true freedom of choice.</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">When others ask us to take on work or do favors, consider their requests carefully.</pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">If we feel pressed to say yes, we need to consider whether we are acquiescing out of a desire for approval or to stave off disapproval. We need to remind ourselves often that the ability to say no is an important aspect of well-being, as it is an indication that we understand the true value of our energy, talents, and time. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">As we learn to articulate our personal power by saying no, we may feel compelled to explore the myriad consequences of the word by responding negatively to many or most of the requests put to us. The word “no” may even become our default response for some time. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Once we see that life moves forward without interruption, however, we will grow more comfortable saying no and will resume making decisions from a point of balance.<br /><br />There is nothing inherently wrong with acceding to the requests others make of us, provided these requests do not infringe upon our health or our happiness. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">It is only when we believe we have the legitimate right to say no that we can say yes with utmost certainty, sincerity, and enthusiasm. </pre><pre style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(42,42,42); FONT-SIZE: 13px">While saying yes almost always has a cost, we can feel good about offering our agreement when our reasons for doing so are rooted in our individual values and your appreciation for the appeal before us.<br /><br />With love & light,<br /><br />Rob</pre>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-36387587733378569532011-10-10T23:51:00.005-04:002011-10-11T01:49:41.743-04:00It's A Beautiful Morning !Before you read this, please view the following youtube:<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrwhfhncPfM<br /><br />The weather has been just beautiful these past days after several weeks of rain as summer reached her end.<br /><br />There is something about the beauty of a beautiful day that reaches forth from within us and outward toward others.<br /><br />Frank and I stopped by the supermarket on our way home the other day. I chose to wait in the car, but the morning was so perfect I decided to stand outside and enjoy the clear sky and the fresh air as I waited for him.<br /><br />A young gentleman returned to his vehicle and began loading a large cart filled with groceries. As he did so, he sang out "It's A Beautiful Morning!", which is a song by The Rascals from 1968.<br /><br />He continued to load his groceries, perhaps humming the tune to himself. He then changed from his heavy sweatshirt to his t-shirt beneath, and sang out again "It's A Beautiful Morning!" as he proceeded to load more groceries. Once he completed his task at hand, he sang out one more time "It's A Beautiful Morning!" as he raised his arms and looked to the sky.<br /><br />I could not resist, so I sang out to him "I think I'll go outside for a while!" as I pointed to him.<br /><br />This was a rather brave act for me to commit toward a muscular young man in a pickup truck, but I had my car keys at hand!<br /><br />He responded by pointing back at me and singing "and just smile!" before looking up at the sky one more time and heading home, his car filled with sustenace for his household in order for all who enter his home to be able to enjoy the beautiful day which awaited his loved ones, as well as him.<br /><br />It was interesting to share that experience, and I wonder if he shares this story as well.<br /><br />We can send love ahead to our day, into our lives, and into the world.<br /><br />Upon waking, many of us approach our day with trepidation as I did that day as well as many other days recently.<br /><br />Because of the natural human tendency to focus on what we fear or dislike, it is easy to unwittingly send a message of unease into the future that negatively impacts the quality of our day. However, while our lives are busy and frequently replete with challenges, they are also rich with joy and experiences worth savoring.<br /><br />This is something I have learned from Frank as he wakes each morning, cheerfully singing, and often dancing, no matter what the day has in store. For Frank, it is always "A Beautiful Morning".<br /><br />Because of Frank's approach, each of mine is beautiful as well.<br /><br />We can attract this natural bliss into our lives by starting each day with a message of love and appreciation.<br /><br />When we send love ahead to our day, that love will manifest itself in our interpersonal interactions, our professional endeavors, and our domestic duties.<br /><br />Tasks and circumstances which challenge us through our own anxieties can become transformed by our love, and we can find ourselves approaching life’s subtle nuances with great affection.<br /><br />Each morning, once we have cast off the fog of sleep, we can take several deep, grounding breaths and reaffirm the love we have for ourselves and the beauty which surrounds us.<br /><br />Speaking or singing a loving blessing aloud enables us to access and awaken the reservoir of tenderness in our souls.<br /><br />That can simply be done by saying or singing "It's a beautiful morning". This is a prayer of thanksgiving as well as hope for the day ahead.<br /><br />Before we leave the comfortable warmth of our beds, we might like to tell the universe that we are eager and ready to receive the blessings that have been set aside for us this day. Then as we prepare to embrace the day, we can visualize ourselves first saturated by and then surrounded with a warm and soft loving light.<br /><br />As we gradually embrace this light, we can then widen this circle of light until we are able to send it ahead into our future and share with others.<br /><br />If we are commuting to work, we can send love to the roads upon which we will drive, our fellow commuters, and the place will our vehicle will rest and wait for us.<br /><br />If we have colleagues who arrive at our workplace before us, we can send them love in advance.<br />For those who arrive after us, we can greet them with warmth and love.<br /><br />Likewise, a day spent being a home-maker and addressing household chores, one can benefit from the sentiment that precedes us as preparations are tended to in order to provide comfort for our family.<br /><br />With this approach, we can rest assured that everyone we meet and everything we do ensures us that our day is suffused with grace.<br /><br />There are times when life can be trying and we may have difficulty sending love to those situations and individuals we deem particularly frustrating. It is then that we need to understand and accept that the warmth and tenderness we project can change our life for the better.<br /><br />By sending and sharing this love each morning, each afternoon, and each evening, we exercise our power to control the ambiance of our existence and to color our day with positivity.<br /><br />Wishing you the realization of every beautiful morning,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-66078403212045685062011-09-28T07:17:00.004-04:002011-09-28T07:31:31.810-04:00Grumpy People & DarknessGrumpy people can only affect our mood if we allow them to. The sun and stars can still shine in their presence.<br /><br />When we're in a good mood, we shine like the sun. But if we find ourselves in the presence of a person, or people, in a grumpy mood, it can feel like a dark cloud approaching to dim our radiance and block our positive way of seeing the world. We can remind ourselves that clouds pass, while the sun and stars continue to shine above.<br /><br />It is then easier to think of these "grumps" affectionately, knowing that they only have the power to affect our mood if we allow it.<br /><br />With the power of change firmly in our hands, we can choose how to respond to a grumpy person, or a grumbling group of people, with confidence and understanding.<br /><br />Like a lighthouse, we can continue to shine through the darkness, offering our light to help others find their way back to their own.<br /><br />We can send them a silent prayer of peace or a sympathetic smile. We may sense that reaching out to offer a comforting touch or hug can ease their frustrations and cause the clouds to dissipate.<br /><br />If they need understanding, we can sympathize without reinforcing the negativity they may be experiencing by directing their attention someplace more positive.<br /><br />Helping them find the humor in their situation might be appropriate and is a great way to lift spirits, or a logical approach may help them see all the good in the situation, in their lives and in the world.<br /><br />We might find that someone we encounter often seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom, rather like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Our tendency in such cases may be to try to avoid them, but instead we can make the choice to offer support that comes from the heart.<br /><br />We may be inspired to ask if they would like some help or to offer suggestions that have helped us in the past. We can include thoughts of their health and happiness in our times of prayer and meditation.<br /><br />When we lend our energy to uplift another in any way, we improve our own lives while making the world a better place for all of us.<br /><br />Perhaps the grumpy person is our self.<br /><br />When darkness falls upon us in the evening, we know that the sun is still shining at this very moment somewhere not too far away.<br /><br />There are times when gloom or darkness causes us to momentarily lose sight of the light. Although it is at these times when the thought of the sun can help us.<br /><br />Its warm, glowing rays brighten even our thoughts, and it’s good to remember that despite appearances the sun is shining right now.<br /><br />We may not be able to see it at this very moment, but if clouds block our view, they are only filtering the sun’s light temporarily.<br /><br />If darkness has fallen, we know that the sun is still shining at this very moment somewhere not too far away, and it’s only a matter of time before it will shine on us again.<br /><br />When we remember that the sun is still shining, we know that things are still in motion in the universe. Even if life feels like it is at a standstill, sometimes all we need to do is have faith and wait for the time when everything is in its perfect place.<br /><br />We can also choose to follow the cues of the sun and continue doing our work and shining our light, even when we can’t yet see results.<br /><br />In doing so we exercise our patience, making sure we are prepared when opportunity knocks and all other elements are in their right and perfect places.<br /><br />The sun also reminds us that our own shining truth is never extinguished. Our light shines within us at all times, no matter what else occurs around us.<br /><br />Though the sun gives us daily proof of its existence, sometimes our belief in our own light requires more time. If we think back, however, we can find moments when it showed itself and trust that we will see it again.<br /><br />Like the sun, our light is the energy that connects us to the movements of the universe and the cycles of life and is present at all times, whether we feel its glow or not.<br /><br />With love & light,<br /><br />Rob<br /><br />P.S. I discovered that Spell Check acknowledges "Eeyore". Perhaps that would cheer him up!Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-61782944254311315492011-09-13T15:14:00.002-04:002011-09-13T15:34:39.211-04:00Self WorthIn these very difficult times of unemployment, underemployment, foreclosures, and financial crises, it is not uncommon for us to suffer from a failed perception of our individual self worth.<br /><br />Our worth is not a product of our intelligence, our talent, our looks, our homes, or how much we have accomplished. Though much of who and what we are changes as we journey through life, our inherent worth remains constant.<br /><br />While the term self-worth is often used interchangeably with self-esteem, the two qualities are inherently different. Self-esteem is the measure of how we feel about ourselves at a given moment in time.<br /><br />Our worth, however, is not a product of our intelligence, our talent, our looks, our worldly goods, how much we have accomplished. Rather it is an immeasurable and unchanging manifestation of our eternal and infinite oneness with the universe.<br /><br />It represents the cornerstone of the dual foundations of optimism and self-belief.<br /><br />Our worth can neither be taken from us nor damaged by life’s rigors, yet it can easily be forgotten or actively ignored.<br /><br />By regularly acknowledging our self-worth, we can ensure that we never forget what an important, beloved, and special part of the universe we are. We are born worthy.<br /><br />Our worth is intertwined with our very existence. Therefore, our concept of our own self-worth is reinforced by our actions. Each time we endeavor to appreciate ourselves, we need to treat ourselves kindly.<br /><br />We need to define our personal boundaries, be proactive in seeing that our needs are met, and broaden our horizons. It is then that we recognize our innate value.<br /><br />During those periods when we lose sight of our worth, we will likely feel mired in depression, insecurity, and a lack of confidence. Often we will pursue a counterfeit worth based on judgment rather than the beauty that resides within us.<br /><br />However, when we feel worthy, we accept ourselves without hesitation.<br /><br />It is our worth as individuals that is simultaneously interconnected with all living beings that allows us to be happy, confident, and motivated.<br /><br />Once we embrace the fact that our worth is not based upon the fulfillment of expectations, we can begin to see our mistakes and failures as just another part of life’s journey.<br /><br />Human beings are very much like drops of water in an endless ocean.<br /><br />Our worth comes from our role as distinct individuals as well as our role as an integral part of something larger than ourselves.<br /><br />Simply awakening to this concept can help us to rediscover the copious and awe-inspiring worth within each and every one of us.<br /><br />With love and light,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-3299235808802446832011-08-13T21:46:00.003-04:002011-08-13T22:23:35.269-04:00On a Clear Day, We Can See Forever.
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<br />I sometimes wonder if we want to see forever.
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<br />I've spent these past few weeks finalizing the details of my first book, working toward closing an important real estate deal, and drowning in worry about my own future as well as that of my household.
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<br />I emailed briefly with a friend who is at her beach house on Cape Cod and noted that, while the skies there were clear and the moon was bright, there was quite a bit of rain here in Mount Pocono.
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<br />I replied that we had some heavy rain and uproarious thunder, but that subsided and the tree frogs were singing away in promise of a beautiful day ahead and a fine summer morning.
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<br />Moments later the rain began to pour down again.
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<br />Life is often like this.
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<br />When we refer to a "beautiful day," we are often describing a day that is sunny, clear, and without a cloud in sight to mar a sky that is brilliant, bright, clear, and blue.
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<br />We find ourselves bouncing along, light in spirit, free from worries, and enjoying the moment. That is, until the clouds begin to form.
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<br />The sky may turn grey, or a fog may roll in. Puffs of white take on whimsical, darker shades, and our beautiful day disappears along with the sunshine ... or so it seems.
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<br />In the same way, we may be enjoying a beautiful day in life until some bad news rolls our way, or until a distressing realization crosses our path.
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<br />A clear blue sky often inspires in us good cheer, bringing on a lighter, more carefree day, allowing our troubles and worries to lay by the wayside while we enjoy our moment in nature's glory as we find ourselves spending time outdoors, breathing in the fresh air, and basking in the warmth of the sun.
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<br />However, once our clouds appear, be they in our skies or in our minds, their shadows may lead us to allow them to decrease our energy and enthusiasm, pulling us into our own cloudy funk.
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<br />We all have difficult and trying times in our lives, and sometimes our future seems bleak and dark.
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<br />However, the reality is that darker days are just as much a part of life as are the days graced with sunshine. They show us a different perspective of our world, while helping us appreciate the moments of illumination that inevitably follow. Therefore we should never allow our dark and gloomy thoughts, or whatever lies in wait for us, to rob us of the moment we have.
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<br />A rainy day with clouds helps to clear the air and washes away stagnation.
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<br />Still, it's hard not to feel gloomy or think that the day has been ruined when there are clouds hanging over us.
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<br />However, when we acknowledge that these shades of grey won't last forever, and that hidden behind the clouds is the blue sky, we realize that the beauty of our life is merely playing a game of hide and go seek with us.
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<br />In the same manner that the trials and tribulations which occasionally block the brilliance that is our own lives from shining through, clouds eventually clear away so we can open up to a brighter horizon.
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<br />So, the next time we wake to a cloudy day or have our sunny day turn dark, we need to remember that these shades of grey in life are there just for the moment and that the sun burns them away. Our own light burns these away as well.
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<br />No matter how hard the rain falls or how dense and damp the fog is, it will all soon go away, the sun will break through, and we will be able to see the sky that has always and forever will be a beautiful and brilliant blue.
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<br />Interestingly enough, as I completed this the rain has ceased and the tree frogs have resumed their love song.
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<br />Fascinating.
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<br />With love & blues skies of light,
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<br />Rob
<br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-79747109616749217592011-07-09T01:06:00.002-04:002011-07-09T02:35:45.905-04:00The State of Panic & WorryWorry is an extension of fear and can also set us up for attracting situations which we do not want in our lives.<br /><br />We have all had the experience of worrying about something at some point in our lives.<br /><br />Some of us have a habitual tendency to worry, and most of us have known someone who is a chronic worrier.<br /><br />Worry is an extension of fear and can be a very draining experience.<br /><br />In order for worry to exist, we have to believe that something bad might happen.<br /><br />That translates to a lack of faith.<br /><br />Typically, what we worry about is something that has not yet occurred, and we focus our energy upon that rather than focusing on the positivity which lives within us.<br /><br />Therefore, what we worry about is simply, in effect and by definition, a useless fantasy which deteriorates our future.<br /><br />However, it is a fear which we can conquer.<br /><br />Once we embrace this reality, we can understand that worry is in and of itself a self-created state of needless fear and panic.<br /><br />Still, most of us do worry, and that is not entirely without merit.<br /><br />One reason we worry is because we feel as though we are not in control of our life or the situations we find ourselves in.<br /><br />For example, we might worry about a loved one travelling in bad weather. There is nothing we can do to guarantee their safe passage, but we worry until we know they have reached their destination unharmed.<br /><br />This travel could be a road trip home or a journey through life with illness.<br /><br />In such an instance, our worry is an attempt to feel useful and in control.<br /><br />In a case like this, worrying does nothing to ensure a positive outcome and it has an unpleasant effect on our body, mind, and spirit.<br /><br />However, there is a positive spin to place on this.<br /><br />We can transform this kind of worry so that it has a healing effect.<br /><br />Just as worry uses the imagination, so does the antidote use the worry.<br /><br />When we find ourselves in such a state of panic or worry, we need to envision the best possible outcome rather than the worst outcome.<br /><br />We can prayerfully envision our loved ones’ path in life bathed in white light and clearly see in our mind’s eye their safe arrival.<br /><br />We can envision angels or guides watching over them as they make their way to their destination.<br /><br />We can generate positive energy, peace, and well-being inside of ourselves and send that peaceful faith into our universe rather than nervousness and unease.<br /><br />Once we acknowledge that we are worried and that taking positive action is the best solution, we can confront the situation at hand within our power to change it, we no longer have any reason to worry.<br /><br />With love, light, and peace-filled relaxation,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-3018138613067359052011-06-25T01:35:00.007-04:002011-06-25T02:22:38.404-04:00Marriage Equality<div><br />New York has just passed their Marriage Equality Act.<br /><br />I'm not certain exactly what the terms are or the title is, but I do believe that it is important that we continue with the term "Marriage Equality" and not "Gay Marriage", and that we do not cease until the Federal Government enacts this into law just as we did for interracial marriages in 1967.<br /><br />However, the intention of this blog and my writings is not to be political, but rather to be reflective and prayerful.<br /><br />I have many friends in New York who have expressed their desire to marry.<br /><br />I'm thankful, and tearful, that they have this opportunity to stand before God.<br /><br />I'm sad for my friends in other states where this is not recognized, but to those I remind you ... God sees you, recognizes you, and loves you deeply, so those of us who are in committed relationships are in the same position as those of us who can marry.<br /><br />Relationships and marriage requires a lot of commitment and a lot of work.<br /><br />Throughout the course of a successful marriage or long-term commitment, the two people in the relationship may shift in and out of various roles.<br /><br />For example, one person within the couple may need to support the other person going back to school, shifting careers, or enduring a hardship, be it physical, emotional, or financial.<br /><br />In order to do this, he or she steps into a supporting role, setting aside certain goals or aspirations in order to provide a stable base from which his or her partner can launch in a new direction.<br /><br />There are many gifts of learning inherent in this role—from having the opportunity to embody a nurturing stance to feeling the pleasure of seeing a loved one thrive.<br /><br />When our partner expands his or her horizons, our vision also expands and we become enlightened with a view to a world that would otherwise would remain obscured from our vision.<br /><br />However, there is a possibility that we may be the one stepping outside our own parameters; perhaps taking time to attend to our personal healing, spiritual pursuits, or other interests or needs.<br /><br />In order to maintain balance within our relationships, it’s important that we address these issues each time one person steps into a supporting role so the other can try something new.<br /><br />When we are conscious and acknowledge that one person is bearing a bit more of a burden so that the other can grow, we stand a better chance of making sure the ebb and flow in the relationship remains fair and equal.<br /><br />The most important part of this process is open communication in which each of us has the opportunity to share our feelings and express our concerns as we come to understand and embrace the roles that which we know and agree to live in order for our relationship -- our Marriage -- to begin and grow.<br /><br />Marriages require work.<br /><br />Work means change.<br /><br />Each time a dynamic shift occurs, a ceremony of acknowledgment can lend an air of distinction to the moment, and these are the times that we need to sit with our partner to celebrate or resolve.<br /><br />This can be a simple dinner date or an elaborate ritual, depending upon what works best for us at the time.<br /><br />The key here is intimacy and communication.<br /><br />Perhaps the most important thing is expressing gratitude to the person in our supporting role and encouragement to him or her moving in a new direction along with us.<br /><br />It is important that we understand that we are not alone, but also that our spouse understands fully that he or she is not alone and that we stand before God in that promise.<br /><br />This is what Marriage Equality is all about, so get ready Guys & Dolls.<br /><br />When the flow of emotion and communication is open, we invite a garden of growth in which each of us provides the air and opportunity for the other to embrace the absolute and truly unconditional love we offer.<br /><br />We are all feeling a sense of joy and celebration, however, with this accomplishment comes a great responsibility which we must uphold.<br /><br />Those of us who choose to marry must understand the laws, implications, and responsibilities of such a statement.<br /><br />We need to stand tall in affirmation and faith, and commit to a lifetime together with our partners.<br /><br />We need to show the world a new path; a path of celebrating every day; living life to the fullest, building familiesand raising children who see the world without bigotry, hatred or malice.<br /><br />Most importantly, we have the opportunity to show the world in which we live that we have the Unconditional Love of God within us and that we are worthy and capable of sharing this with the world today as well as instituting it in our children for the future of Creation<br /><br />With love, light & pride,<br /><br />Rob<br /> </div>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-16804719233387150312011-06-14T11:36:00.002-04:002011-06-14T12:11:28.181-04:00Sinking?Life Can Be Overwhelming.<br /><br />No matter how brave, strong, or levelheaded we are, sometimes we all become frightened, afraid, and uncertain of ourselves and our future.<br /><br />Life can take us on a roller coaster ride full of highs and lows and twists and turns. Even for those of us who typically enjoy unexpected thrills and challenges, it’s frightening to suddenly find ourselves heading for a deep plunge. Yet, it happens to all of us, and on many different levels.<br /><br />It is during these moments that it is imperative that we recognize the fact that we are not alone in our life's experiences. No matter how brave, strong, or levelheaded we are, sometimes, we all become afraid and feel lost, alone, and desperate.<br /><br />Our fears may revolve around our physical safety, particularly if we are not feeling well, living under difficult circumstances, or doing work that exposes us to hazardous conditions. Or, we may be experiencing financial woes that are causing us to be fearful about making ends meet and living day by day, not knowing if we can continue to support our life.<br /><br />We may also fear the loss of a loved one who is suffering from an illness, or we may be fearful that we might never have someone special to spend our life with.<br /><br />We may be intimidated to to start at a new school or class, begin a different job or career, move to a new town or state, or approach any change in life.<br />Whatever our fears are, they are valid, and we need to accept them, approach them, and confront them.<br /><br />However, we do not need to feel ashamed or embarrassed that we are, at times, afraid. We need to share that with those around us who love and care for us.<br />We are a community and a family.<br /><br />It may be comforting to know that everyone becomes frightened, scared, panicked ... and in the words of a great friend -- "That's Okay".<br />Sometimes just acknowledging our fears is enough to make us feel better.<br /><br />Now, while it sometimes takes a lot more to ease our mind, we can console ourselves with the knowledge that life can be scary at times, but it can be worse and it does get better once we allow it to.<br /><br />Giving ourselves permission to be frightened, intimidated or scared allows us the opportunity to move through beyond our fears so we can let them go. It also allows us to share our fears with others, therefor sharing another story of the building block of our lives and perhaps providing mortar for a fellow life to be built with strength and courage.<br />Sharing our apprehensions with other people does not make us appear weak or less in strength or character. Sharing our realities and fears can make our fears less overwhelming because we are not letting them grow inside of us as pent up emotions.<br /><br />Sharing our fears and realities allows us to lighten our burdens because we are not carrying our worries all by ourselves.<br /><br />Remember that we are not alone.<br /><br />With love, light, and a shoulder to bear your burden,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-82746284615077111122011-06-12T17:32:00.004-04:002011-06-12T18:30:47.496-04:00Dropping Into Still WatersThe Ripple Effect.<br /><br />I sat for a little while and stared at our pond today. The waterfalls were stopped in order that the fish could feed, and there was a clear reflection to the skies above.<br /><br />Thunder rolled in the distance and soon a few drops of rain began to fall, one at a time. One by one they rippled in the pond and were quite fascinating and beautiful. However, one ripple interrupted another as the rain increased and soon no ripples could be seen independently. <br /><br />I know that each drop of rain carries oxygen with it which serves the pond and her inhabitants well, but soon the reflection was gone as was the beauty of a single ripple.<br /><br />In a world of over six billion people, it's easy to believe that the only way to initiate profound transformation is to take extreme action, such as the increasingly heavy rainfall. Each of us, however, carries within us the capacity to change the world, and our own lives, in small ways for better or worse. <br /><br />Everything we do and think affects our own selves and our situations, both present and future, as well as the people in our lives around us. In turn, their reactions affect others and the ripple effect continues.<br /><br />As the effect of a seemingly insignificant word, emotion, or reaction passes from person to person, its impact grows and can become a source of great joy, inspiration, anxiety, or pain. <br /><br />Therefore, we need to be fully aware of our actions and reactions, specifically those which are negative. When we speak of doom and gloom and when we react negatively to the situations in our lives, it affects those around us and our negativity returns to us.<br /><br />Our thoughts and actions are like raindrops or stones dropped into still waters, causing ripples to spread and expand as they move outward. The impact we have on the world is greater than we could ever imagine. The choices we make and the words we speak can have far-reaching consequences. far more than we can imagine.<br /><br />However, we can use the ripple effect to make a positive difference and spread waves of kindness that will wash over the world as well as return to us.<br /><br />Should the opportunity arise, the recipient of a good deed or thought will likely feel compelled to do a good deed for someone else or send a positive thought forward. On the opposite, someone feeling the effects of negative energy will be more likely to pass on that negative energy. One act of charity, one thoughtful deed, or even one positive expressions is likely to pass from individual to individual, snowballing until it becomes a group movement or the ray of hope that can perhaps even save someone's life. <br /><br />Every transformation, just like every ripple, has a point of origin, be it a raindrop from above or a stone tossed by one of us. We must believe in the reality of each raindrop which carries oxygen as well as our ability to to toss a stone and be that point of origin if we want to use the ripples we create to spread goodness, knowing that the ripple returns to us.<br /><br />When we consider the effects of our expressions and actions, and when we act with the graciousness which has been granted us as much as possible, we create a positive effect in the world which can only continue to move and affect, and this is the effect we have for our own lives and situations.<br /><br />A smile directed at a stranger, a compliment given to a friend, an attitude of laughter, or a thoughtful gesture can send ripples that spread among our loved ones and associates, out into our communities, and finally throughout the world. <br /><br />We have the power to touch the lives of everyone we come into contact with, including ourselves, and everyone those people come into contact with. <br /><br />The momentum of our influence will grow as our ripples move onward and outward. One of those ripples could become a tidal wave of love, kindness, and change for the better.<br /><br />With a stone of love dropping into your still waters,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-5771626590426648942011-06-10T00:13:00.000-04:002011-06-10T00:14:40.388-04:00What Lies BeneathWe Lash Out.<br /><br />Theses are difficult times and we often feel lost, alone, and angry.<br /><br />It is human nature to sometimes lash out at others during moments of frustration, but we can learn to navigate our feelings without losing our center.<br /><br />Each one of us has experienced situations where we have found ourselves lashing out at someone without meaning to. We later berate ourselves for losing control and feel guilty for treating the other person badly.<br /><br />While it is human nature that our emotions and moods will get the better of us from time to time, we can learn to navigate our feelings and negotiate difficult situations without losing our center.<br /><br />Often, when we lash out, it is because we are having a difficult time containing the emotions that are coming up inside of us. We may be feeling overwhelmed, afraid, frustrated, stressed out, or angry.<br /><br />Having these feelings boiling up inside of us can be very uncomfortable, and it is natural to want to release them. However, when we release our feelings from our body by directing them outward and toward someone else, they inevitably impact the “innocent bystander” to whom we are directing this energy.<br /><br />They not only receive the brunt of our anger, frustration, or stress, but also they can actually experience this energy as a physical force hitting their bodies.<br /><br />When we find ourselves in a situation where we are about to lash out at the person in front of us, we need to try to center yourselves -- perhaps by breathing slowly and deeply and in prayer.<br /><br />A few moments in reflective prayer, listening to God, can help us to be rid of our feelings before they escape us and become a part of our world.<br /><br />Once we are able to sit and find yourselves in a more reflective state, we can take a moment to recall the feelings in our bodies just before and during our outburst.<br /><br />We can note where we feel sensations coming up in wihin us and we can ask ourselves if they are connected to any core issue or experience from our lives.<br /><br />If nothing comes to mind, we can then revisit the situation, exaggerating the details of what happened by indulging in outlandish “what if” fantasies.<br /><br />Exaggerating events after the fact can help expose the unconscious subtext behind your heated response. Understanding the motivation behind our reactions can help us to avoid lashing out again when a similar situation comes up.<br /><br />In learning to navigate around our emotions, we are giving ourselves the tools needed in order to become better the next time our emotions begin to boil.<br /><br />In doing so, we can take care of ourselves by alleviating your own uncomfortable feelings while respecting and protecting those around us and those whom we love and care for.<br /><br />With love, light, balance, and a sense for stability,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274980267644690566.post-77168598170063377472011-06-04T02:27:00.004-04:002011-06-04T03:14:15.738-04:00Evolving From WithinLife can be very challenging.<br /><br />I just spent most of my day listening to a friend and colleague tell me the story of his life over the past five years, which he kept hidden from all.<br /><br />Why do we hide our story?<br /><br />We each have a story to share, and we all have our trials and tribulations, be they major or minor.<br /><br />I've suffered a period of mounting financial concerns, upsetting business conflicts, an uncertain future, as well as a pinched nerve in my shoulder which even prednisone does not seem to heal.<br /><br />What I've uncovered is that, in my mind, there is only one true healing, and that comes from within.<br /><br />I've also discovered that ignoring the pain in my shoulder, and focusing upon positive energy, seems to work better than the medication.<br /><br /><strong>Change Yourself First.</strong><br /><br />These are extremely challenging times, and we know not where we will be in life at any given moment. The world calls out for improvement and, more often than not, we are ready and willing to offer advice for how things could be done better, place blame on others who were before us, or admonish those who serve us now. More often, rather than not, this means us ... ourselves. We hold the blame for whatever life hands us.<br /><br />This is not to say that we are at blame for our hardships, but rather it is to say that we are accountable for standing up against our adversities and refusing to lay ourselves down in its path.<br /><br />It is our duty to pull ourselves through.<br /><br />Now, each of us possesses the power to effect a positive shift in energy within ourselves and within those around us. Just as purification of the soul leads to purification of the world, change within leads to change without.<br /><br />Conflicts can be resolved without words. Peace lives awake within us and awaits our beckoned call.<br /><br />The key is changing ourselves and freeing our minds and our spirits. When someone or something bothers us, it helps to begin by asking ourselves if we also possess that negative quality or if we are allowing ourselves to be overly affected by it.<br /><br />We only have control over our own selves, but our influence reaches much farther than you can ever realize. A positive change on our individual part often leads to positive change around us.<br /><br />When I respond negatively to my situation in life, that has an effect upon my partner, who is typically bright and positive. Once my negativity effects him, it reverts back to me and only serves to feed my own negative feelings.<br /><br />When I respond to him in a positive manner, there is a fuel of love of life and an energy which cannot be extinguished.<br /><br />This is what God wants for us. We are called to celebrate life and to deny negativity.<br /><br />We are called to embrace each and every moment and to seek the beauty of the world given to us, not that of which we've created, and this is what we are called to inspire in others,in those around us who we either know or don't know, but who we love as sisters and brothers in life. This is why friends from long ago may call upon us when in need for prayer and support, and we can make a difference ... we can effect a change.<br /><br />This seemingly passive inspiration of change not only stems from our example to others, it may also change our behavior or we may simply to adopt a change in perspective.<br /><br />However, in doing so, we set into motion a series of positive consequences that, bring balance.<br /><br />The more we grow in virtue and the more centered we become, the more we perceive virtue and centeredness and the more we project it outward, enacting that ripple theory in our pond of life.<br /><br />We hold the ability to effect positive change within ourselves and within each and every person with whom we enact.<br /><br />As we act in ways beneficial to ourselves and others, so do we inspire others to do so in similar fashion. And, when we have achieved control over our minds and souls, we can no longer be negatively affected by anything outside of ourselves.<br /><br />When we wish others to change, criticism and condemnation often fail.<br /><br />Recognizing that none of us is perfect and that we all need to change can be the best way of overcoming conflict.<br /><br />In Aikido it is said, "Change yourself first, before looking to change your opponent, and in the process, you might find that your opponent has changed himself."<br /><br />Actions, good thoughts, and positive energy speak louder than judgmental words and are the most powerful tools we can use when working toward a better world.<br /><br />With love & light, and a prayer for peaceful balance within and out,<br /><br />RobRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08623128533775530679noreply@blogger.com0