Every other week a group of men and women from all walks of faith and various nations come together for “Heartfelt Conversations” to discuss what is on our hearts.  This week one gem I took with me was from a Spiritual minister from the Sufi tradition.  She said that there is the belief that if we allowed the spirit within our bodies to stretch and expand as far as it was capable, we would be able to reach for and touch the stars above us. (more…)

We live in a “pocket” neighborhood  which means we’re just enough out of the city limits to enjoy the freedom of nature and are located just enough within reach of the City, to not be too far out. All the homes in the neighborhood enjoy space (everyone has from one to three acres surrounding their home).  Consequently we see coyotes, foxes, raccoons, birds of all varieties, etc.  Yesterday on my morning run, I caught a deer by surprise and watched it take off across the road and effortlessly leap over a five foot fence.  It was amazing to watch how she tucked her front legs up to her belly and swung her back legs all the way behind her as she pushed her chest forward so that the momentum allowed her to cross over the fence without too much effort. I could see where the idea of reindeer flying came from. (more…)

Jack Kornfield, the Buddhist teacher, described a spiritual truth he learned at a bingo game he attended with his elderly parents in Florida sometime ago.  There on the wall, in huge letters, was a sign reminding the players, You Have to Be Present to Win.  I love how we can find deep spiritual reminders about what is really important in the simplest of ways. There are reminders and clues all around us and when we are present we have a better chance of recognizing them when the clues appear. (more…)

I almost drowned today in Yoga. Yes, I rebelled against the rule-of-thumb that it is usually a good idea to NOT chew gum while practicing yoga, especially if the yoga class is going to be focused on inversions (turning your body upside down).  There I was in a pretty good half-moon pose with my left leg out in a runner’s lunge and my right leg back behind me with the knee down and the top of my foot rooted into the ground.  As I inhaled my arms up over my head and leaned back into the crescent shaped backwards bend, I felt that familiar feeling of not being able to breathe because water had somehow made it into my nasal passages. What’s more, we held this pose for awhile supposedly breathing in and releasing tension in our bodies. (more…)

My dear friend, Nettie Hartsock,  offered an idea to me to write an article around, “Repurposing Content: The Soul Journey”.  She went on to say what repurposing mean is that you take the content of something you’ve already written and you “repurpose” it more powerfully in another area.  The content stays the same; the difference is in how it is utilized for each audience and each target. (more…)

Today our “Heartfelt Conversations” group gathered within the home of one of my favorite singer/songwriters.  What I noticed about her home is that every part of it, from the sunflowers growing in a circle in the front yard, to the bright colors that adorned her walls to her daughter and the calmest Jack Russell Terrier I’ve ever met, every part of it reflected who this person says she is through her songs and her “being-ness”. She seems truly “at home” with herself. What a gift! (more…)

During our panel discussion today on “The Heartfelt Conversations” hour hosted by Nelin Hudani (KOOP 91.7) we discussed Brian Luke Seaward, Health Psychologist (Institute of Noetic Sciences) ideas and research pertaining to spirituality and stress.  In a nutshell here are some important points: a.) The whole is greater than the sum; 

b.) wholeness=health=spirituality (mind, body, spirit, emotions) ; c.) Life’s contact points that can be both spiritual as well as stressful are 

     1.) relationships        2.) values and 

      3.)meaningfulness (purpose in life).

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There are usually two main characters that take up my psychic space, though I admit to being aware of several sub-personalities who keep a lower profile.  One of my main characters is a pretty loving person who cares very deeply about the people around me, cares about the plants and animals in the world and appreciates the clear crystal sound of a cardinal’s song breaking through the morning air with dawn’s new light.  (more…)

If I was still in my hazy, crazy highly stressful career as a recruiter/account manager/”swift hat changer” in the IT world, I’d probably not be able to digest the title of this blog, “Peace in Times of Stress”. I wouldn’t have the time or the patience for its proper contemplation.  I’m asking you to take a moment and give yourself the time to ponder about peace in these times of stress.  How do you experience peace? Do you even know what it feels like? I’m serious here; there have been times that I did not have a clue that I was even stressed out, much less what “stress” meant to me. How does stress manifest for you? Do you feel like you’re going full throttle with no “extra” give on anything?  Do you even have time to stop and ponder what is going on in the world around you (with your family, your friends, your community, your society?). (more…)

Yesterday I attended a free seminar, “Overcoming Your Fear of Success” offered by Jeff Rahim Bronner from The University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism.  As you can imagine, I was attracted to this seminar because of the assumption that the only thing holding me back from my success, was my fear which meant that I could be successful! I’ve been exposed to Sufism, once in a month long class studying music and dance a long time ago (I loved the dancing!) and then through Nelin Hudani who hosts “The Heartfelt Conversations” group.  (more…)