Category Archives: Practice

Something Good

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we have tomatoes!

In putting together today’s list, I am going back through about 150+ old emails that have accumulated over the past month to find the good stuff I can share. The good news for me is that by the end, I’ll have caught up with my email, for about five minutes…
 
1. This quote from Pema Chödrön: “When we practice meditation we are strengthening our ability to be steadfast with ourselves. No matter what comes up – aching bones, boredom, falling asleep, or the wildest thoughts and emotions – we develop a loyalty to our experience.” The month we were gone, I relaxed my meditation practice, wasn’t sitting as often as I typically do (I try to maintain a daily practice, even if all I can do is ten minutes). Now that we are back home in Colorado, I am trying to get back into my normal routine, and quotes like this help, reinforcing my intention, my reason for practice: to develop a loyalty to my experience, to myself.

2. In related good news, this quote from Susan Piver: “your meditation practice is the most helpful tool there is for finding your own voice. As you relax with yourself exactly as you are, insights arise and observations occur. You see how your mind works, what makes it open and what causes it to shut down. There is nothing you have to do to accrue such observations–except to sit, slow down, and look yourself–this precious, wonderful, brilliant, one-of-a-kind being–right in the eye.” This was from an email through the Open Heart Project, Practitioner level, which is also, with love and wisdom, helping me reestablish my daily practice.

3. The $100 Investment: How One Person Really Can Change the World by Lissa Rankin. I am still trying to decide what to do with the $100 I got at the World Domination Summit, and am loving hearing other people’s ideas.

4. When The Fires Came For Us by Laura Pritchett. Local author’s personal story about the High Park Fire.

5. Start small, but start from Patti Digh at 37Days. Such loving wisdom. Spot on. Her Thinking Thursday post this past week was also packed full of amazingness.

6. Anne Lamott has a new book coming out!

7. The Next Right Action on Scoutie Girl. More wisdom about getting moving, “you don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.”

8. “What is saving your life right now?” I am in love with this question, which I found by way of Lindsey on A Design So Vast, who was sharing something from a post on Saray Bessey’s blog.

9. Two good posts from Life is Limitless: Be honest, be true, be you and What writing can reveal.

10. Maira Kalman on Identity, Happiness, and Existence on Brain Pickings.

11. Shedding a Little Light on Carry It Forward. Especially this part:

It’s easier, of course, to hate. So much easier. And as we are human beings living in a fast paced, stress filled world, easier often wins.

Bringing love and light to the world is hard work. It involves courage, bravery, and standing on your own two feet. Not easy.

And yet? In the end, it’s what will lead us out.

Amen.

12. 3 Bear Cubs Rescued from Dumpster. You most likely already saw this, but just in case, I don’t want you to miss it.

13. Okay, confession time: I only made it through about 50 emails, but I need to be done now, can’t do this any longer (it is lunch time and there are dogs to be walked, week old unpacking that still needs done, along with some organizing and purging), so I will leave you with this adorable picture of my friend Theresa’s dog, Mr. Wilson. Theresa is a pet groomer with a great little shop in Stayton, Oregon, and if you live in the area and need dog grooming, you should totally go there: D’-Tail Pet Grooming. She’s one of the few people I know that is as nuts about dogs as I am.

mr. wilson, “stuffed chair”

Wishcasting Wednesday

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What do you wish to share?

My light. I am learning bit by bit how important it is to be my true self, to offer that, to show up with an open heart. Chogyam Trungpa said that “Compassion is not having any hesitation to reflect your light on things.” I was reminded of this while at the store this morning. There was the sweetest man in line behind me, saying hello to everyone, helping arrange things on the counter, asking me about the things I was buying (“someone does a lot of writing, yeah?”–colored pens, I was buying birthday presents for my nieces), making things lighter for all of us with his kindness, so simple and yet so important, and not fake, not forced or pushy–you could tell he couldn’t help being nice, it was just his nature. Being genuine, trusting our kindness and our heart, following our basic wisdom and doing what is right and natural is what allows us to offer the precious gift we are to the world.

Do you cringe when I suggest that we are precious gifts, dear reader? I know, I do a bit too, think “who am I to say that about myself?” but I more often than not believe it, am trying. I believe it about you 100%.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory…that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson.

My joy. Just like the man at the store, I know that the more often I can share my sense of wonder, my happiness, my curiosity and amazement, the better. Joy seems to be contagious.

My gratitude. The same as joy, sharing this sends out waves of kindness. Every time I write an open love letter or say thank you, hearts soften and suffering eases. Telling someone thank you reminds them of their worth, and we all need that from time to time. From that sense of worth, they do better, they say thank you, sharing their gratitude, and the good continues to ripple out and grow.

My wealth. I don’t mean just money. I mean the abundance that is my life. The time I give, the help I offer, the happiness I spread. Whatever I can generate or have that is of use, especially the places where I have excess, so much more than I need, I want to share. I wish to be able to feel full enough, safe enough that I can easily let go and share.

My practices. Writing/reading, walking/hiking, dog, yoga, meditation, art, and love have all been of such benefit to me, and I want to share these practices with others who might find them similarly helpful.

My love. There is always enough to share, and I’m happy to give it all away.

My story. I just know in my gut that there are others out there, struggling like I have, who need a kind word, a gentle conversation, a deep sigh and a good laugh, who need some relief and some support, who could be helped by what I have learned, and it’s my deepest wish to share that with them, to help, to ease their suffering as much as I can.