Bringing about Balance in our Lives..
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 21, 2008
The Chinese word for ‘busy’ consists of two symbols: one is the human heart - the other, death. I take this to mean that when one is excessively busy, the heart is insensible, frozen. In a world where busyness is held up almost as a virtue, especially in business, I’d like to take a look at coming back into balance. It’s a big topic, and one I’ll return to over time.
We hear a lot nowadays about work/lifestyle balance; today I’m asking, what does a balanced life look like to you?
Balance… there are various definitions in dictionaries, but one that I particularly like describes it as “harmony and proportion”. Perhaps these words resonate particularly with me, but with their overtones of unity and spaciousness I feel that these are virtues that most of us could do with more of in our lives.
Balance is about feeling connected to ourselves and others, and a sense of rhythm and flow between mind, body and spirit. It’s about being flexible - having awareness about what’s going on for you at any given time, and equally important, having the ability to respond to the messages that you’re receiving, bringing you back into harmony.
If you think about it, when we balance on something, we’re always moving as we seek to remain in equilibrium: think of the tightrope walker, and how he adjusts his position on the rope continuously in order to remain upright. Likewise in nature; the universe is always seeking equilibrium: think of our bodies and homeostasis, the means by which the internal systems of the body (e.g. blood pressure, body temperature) are maintained, despite possibly extreme variations in external conditions; also the way in which as cells die in a healthy person they are replaced by exactly the same number. We don’t have to think about these bodily processes, but constant awareness of our thoughts is required to create mental and physical balance.
I would like to give you two very different time-frames in which to consider what balance means to you: one may feel more appropriate to you right now than the other.
There’s moment to moment mindfulness, where you might choose to observe your thought processes at various points during the day (perhaps using an external trigger such as when you put down the telephone after a call, or you hear the next door neighbor’s dog barking; whatever it is, make the trigger something that occurs regularly during your day). As you observe your thoughts, see if you can let them go and become aware of what is happening within your own body; you might like to incorporate this with breathing in and out slowly a few times, and saying a statement to yourself that you find calming and centering… an example might be: “I am in control of my life” or “life flows easily for me”.
Another suggestion for “in the moment” mindfulness is to choose an activity that you do on a regular basis and that you consider a chore, and see if you can, by coming into the present moment, alter your experience of it, as an active meditation. If you do not like washing up, for example, see if you can become highly aware of the heat of the water, the sound that the dishes make as you clean them, how the plates shine after they’ve been buffed… Breathe, and feel the calm and balance that comes with mindful activity.
The other method is to take the ‘big picture’ view. Balance doesn’t have to be about compartmentalizing the different areas of your life: indeed, trying to see these areas in terms of symmetry and allocation of percentage points (e.g. work life 22%, social time 15% etc) can cause more stress than it cures! There will always be times when we’re out of balance, if we’re dealing with a sick parent or child, or a deadline at work for example, but in general, some questions to ask yourself are these…
Am I feeling more contented with my life overall than I was one/two/ five years ago?
Am I heading in the right direction?
Are my talents being utilized?
Do I have things in my life that I’m passionate about, and.. Do I have more flexibility of time for these things/people/activities than I used to?
Asking yourself these questions on a regular basis is a good way to check whether you’re moving towards balance or away from it.
How do we find Happiness?
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 8, 2008
I am in general a very happy person, in spite of circumstances, and this truly shows to all who come in contact with me. Today I would like to share a message from a friend, which touched my heart and spirit. It reminds me why each day, I look for the good in all things…
A fleeting moment, or a way of seeing?
Ask any number of people to describe a moment of “perfect” happiness. Some will talk about moments of deep peace experienced in a harmonious natural setting, of a forest dappled in sunshine, of a mountain summit looking out across a vast horizon, of the shores of a tranquil lake, of a night walk through snow under a starry sky, and so on. Others will refer to a long-awaited event: an exam they’ve aced, a sporting victory, meeting someone they’ve longed to meet, the birth of a child. Still others will speak of a moment of peaceful intimacy with their family or a loved one, or of having made someone else happy.
The common factor to all of these experiences would seem to be the momentary disappearance of inner conflicts. The person feels in harmony with the world and with herself. Someone enjoying such an experience, such as walking through a serene wilderness, has no particular expectations beyond the simple act of walking. She simply is, here and now, free and open.
For just a few moments, thoughts of the past are suppressed, the mind is not burdened with plans for the future, and the present moment is liberated from all mental constructs. This moment of respite, from which all sense of emotional urgency has vanished, is experienced as one of profound peace. For someone who has achieved a goal, completed a task, or won a victory, the tension they have long carried with them relaxes. The ensuing sense of release is felt as a deep calm, free of all expectation and fear.
But this experience is just a passing glimpse brought on by a particular set of circumstances. We call it a magic moment, a state of grace. And yet the difference between these flashes of happiness seized on the fly and the immutable peacefulness of the sage, for instance, is as great as that between the tiny section of sky seen through the eye of a needle and the limitless expanses of outer space. The two conditions differ in dimension, duration, and depth.
Even so, we can learn something from these fleeting moments, these lulls in our ceaseless struggles; they can give us a sense of what true plenitude might be and help us to recognize the conditions that favour it.
A Way of Being
I remember one afternoon as I was sitting on the steps of our monastery in Nepal. The monsoon storms had turned the courtyard into an expanse of muddy water and we had set out a path of bricks to serve as stepping-stones. A friend of mine came to the edge of the water, surveyed the scene with a look of disgust, and complained about every single brick as she made her way across. When she got to me, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yuck! What if I’d fallen into that filthy muck? Everything’s so dirty in this country!” Since I knew her well, I prudently nodded, hoping to offer her some comfort through my mute sympathy. A few minutes later, Raphaèle, another friend of mine, came to the path through the swamp. “Hup, hup, hup!” she sang as she hopped, reaching dry land with the cry “What fun!” Her eyes sparkling with joy, she added: “The great thing about the monsoon is that there’s no dust.” Two people, two ways of looking at things; six billion human beings, six billion worlds.
Anyone who enjoys inner peace is no more broken by failure than he is inflated by success. He is able to fully live his experiences in the context of a vast and profound serenity, since he understands that experiences are ephemeral and that it is useless to cling to them. There will be no “hard fall” when things turn bad and he is confronted with adversity. He does not sink into depression, since his happiness rests on a solid foundation.
Once at an open meeting in Hong Kong, a young man rose from the audience to ask me: “Can you give me one reason why I should go on living?” This book is a humble response to that question, for happiness is above all a love of life.
__________________________
Excerpted with permission from Happiness: Developing Life’s Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard (Little, Brown and Company, 2006). Ricard, a former biochemist and Buddhist monk.
Fifteen Ways to Bring Nature Indoors
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 31, 2008
Today I would like to share a special post as shared by a friend of mine. Our health and our lives are greatly enriched when we embrace the gifts of Nature. We are surrounded by too many man-made products which are made from harmful materials and chemicals. Decreasing these deadly objects from our homes and increasing that which is natural, will bring forth harmony and balance to our bodies as well as our Spirits. Let us love, honor, and respect our beautiful planet Earth.
Adapted from The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Chelsea Green, 2002)
In earlier times, when nature was perceived as alive, with intelligence and soul, people bonded with nature much as people bond with their pets or family now. This bonding process engendered a certain kind of attitude toward nature. It is an aspect of what Edward O. Wilson calls biophilia - a genetically encoded or innate emotional affinity toward all other life-forms on Earth. It means a deep fondness for, connection to, and love for life forms and living things.
We can begin to undo the cultural conditioning that teaches children that thinking defines their value, that Earth is dead, that other life-forms intrinsically possess less value. Bringing nature indoors is one way to begin bonding with life.
Here are a few ideas for welcoming the natural world into our homes.
Simple Solutions…
* Stones, rocks, pebbles. Placed in bowls or in a ring around a vase, heaped in a small cairn or put singly in a special place of honor, the infinite variety and solid beauty of stones add grounding and stability to our homes.
* Plants. Many potted plants need very little care, and they repay a minimum of effort on our part with so much benefit: plants filter the air we breathe and add vitality and good green energy to our rooms.
* Sunlight. Cheering, uplifting sunlight is such a necessity for the human body, mind, and spirit. Open the curtains and let it stream in.
* Windows to the elements. What do you see when you look out of your windows? If you are fortunate to live in a place where nature isn’t overpowered by buildings and concrete, consider opening up a wall to create a window overlooking a special scene. Annie’s bathtub is surrounded by windows: when she bathes, she soaks in the spaciousness of sky, the majesty of trees, and the freedom of wild birds in flight.
* Gifts from the animals. Some of us find special treasures when we walk in nature: a feather, a cast-off antler, a shred of snake-skin. Consider bringing these inside to honor the animals.
* Seasonal reminders. We can bring bare branches indoors, place them in water, and watch the new leaves emerge in Spring. In Summer, we can put a handful of lush grass in a vase to appreciate. A few nuts and colorful leaves connect us to the spirit of Fall, and pinecones and evergreens help us celebrate Winter. Find your own ways to mirror seasonal changes inside.
* Tabletop fountains. It isn’t difficult to create small water fountains for our home. The gentle sound of trickling water is soothing and the principles of feng shui say that fountains create good energy. For easy directions, see /greenliving/good-fortune-fountain-how-to.html.
* Tabletop gardens. Fill a pretty container with soil and use it to create a miniature garden in your home. These can be both seasonal and fanciful: in Winter, for instance, you could imagine a gnome garden with moss, evergreen twigs, and quartz crystals to evoke ice.
* Flowers. Flowers are an instant cheer-up, such lush reminders of the natural world. If you compost them when they begin to fade, you won’t waste them: they can help to nourish your garden. We like to choose organic flowers, since most commercial growers rely on harmful pesticides.
* Decorate with food. Many of us love to put a bowl of cheery oranges, lemons, or apples on the table, or heap a few pumpkins and squashes on the countertop in the autumn: food makes a lovely natural decoration, as long as it isn’t too quickly perishable, that connects us to what we eat. Be creative: there is so much beauty in food!
* Birdfeeders visible from your window. We may not be able to let the birds inside, but placing a birdfeeder where we can watch it from indoors makes it feel as if they are in the room with us.
* Fresh air. If the air in your area is fresh, open your windows as often as possible to let it in! And be sure to use all-natural cleaning products, furnishings and building materials so your air is fresh even when the windows are closed.
* Nature-themed artwork. The next best thing to being there is having a painting or photograph of a natural scene or wildlife on the wall.
* Companion animals. Sometimes we forget that pets are part of nature (as are we), but when we watch a cat stalking its favorite catnip-filled mouse toy, or a dog worrying a bone, we can see the wildness peeking through!
* Choosing natural materials. Using all-natural household products, bedding, building supplies, and furnishings all add up to a home that resonates with nature — and is more healthful for you and your family.
The Love and Joy of each other…
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 25, 2008
~ The Simplest Prayer ~
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 8, 2008
The Simplest Prayer
by Cynthia Sue Larson
“You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.”
-Dale CarnegieThere is an art to appreciation, and a reward that far outweighs any problems. The art is that appreciation is a gift of the heart, of the spirit, of the soul from you to another… there is no fixed formula for success. True appreciation is spontaneous, natural, sincere and freely offered.The reward for offering such appreciation is that whatever you appreciate shall become a bigger part of your life. Anything you spend your time and attention on will be a part of your life, but there is something extra-special about the gratitude in appreciation that brings these gifts.Gratitude has long been understood to be at the heart of living a spiritual or meaningful life, as can be seen in the writings of Melody Beattie and Meister Eckhart:“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” -Melody Beattie“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”
-Meister Eckhart Whether you share your love and gratitude with people, animals, rocks, or the wind… your grateful feelings, honestly shared will transform your life.The simplest prayer is “Thank You”. You can say it any time, and see what a difference it makes!
www.realityshifters.com
Believing in the Power of Positive Energy
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 7, 2008
I am an avid reader, and am always searching for new books to delve into. I am looking forward to reading a book written by Judith Orloff, M.D., called Positive Energy. I am a strong believer in the power of positive energy, in creating a healthy atmosphere for ourselves and the world we live in. I believe it is very important to place mental protective shields around our bodies and spirits to keep negative forces out, and to prevent those who wish to harm us or steal our energy, from doing so. This is something I have taught my daughter as well, and on many occasions I have felt my body totally relax and regenerate energy through simply throwing up my protective shields when I have felt the effects of negative drains upon my body and spirit. I do this whenever I leave my home, and especially when I drive my car, or visit crowded places. I simply visualize a protective bubble all around myself, and ask for protection, stating my wish for only positive energy to enter, whilst keeping negative or draining energy out. In this way I ask that no harm comes to myself, or others around me.
If perhaps negative or harmful energy does attatch itself to me, I am certain to burn a bit of sage, cedar, or lavender to cleanse my body and spirit of this negative energy. I regularly do this in my home as well, to dispel anything harmful that may enter through others, as negative energy attatches itself to people and objects. This is a ritual tradition of many peoples from all around the world, and was once commonplace, yet some folks have simply forgotten about this simple form of cleansing.
Along this line, I am always searching for more information on this subject, and am looking forward to a trip to my local bookstore to buy Judith Orloffs book, Positive Energy.
Dr. Orloff is the pioneer behind Energy Psychiatry, a new field that addresses the subtle energetic components of health and behavior. Energy Psychiatry blends the practice of mainstream medicine with an emerging scientific understanding of subtle energies, revered by many cross-cultural healing traditions as our life force. In Positive Energy, Dr. Orloff explains this exciting new discipline and how it led her to formulate ten essential prescriptions for boosting energy, improving relationships, and combating energy vampires. The prescriptions are:
~ Awaken your intuition and rejuvenate yourself–and learn the cure for technodespair and overload from emails, computers, and phones
~ Find a nurturing spiritual path that fits your own beliefs and inner stirrings
~ Design an energy-aware approach to diet, exercise, and health–and learn how to avoid the “energetic overeating” that sabotages attempts to lose weight–a major reasons diets fail
~ Generate positive emotional energy to counter negativity
~ Develop a heart-centered sexuality
~ Open yourself to the flow of creativity and inspiration to achieve greater joy
~ Celebrate the sacredness of laughter, pampering, and the replenishment of retreat–it’s not selfish to take care of yourself
~ Discover how to attract positive people and situations
~ Protect yourself from energy vampires with specific shielding techniques
~ Create abundance and a continuing flow of energy
Following each chapter are Dr. Orloff’s interviews with luminaries who share their personal secrets about how they use a specific prescription to generate more energy. You’ll discover how Quincy Jones’s intuition opened up after brain surgery, Larry King honed his interviewing techniques, Naomi Judd recovered from hepatitis C, and Jamie Lee Curtis deals with draining people.
If you would like to learn more, and see what others have to say about this marvelous book, please visit Positive Energy to read some reviews from folks who have had life changing experiences after reading this book.
“This compassionate and humorous book offers clear tools to safeguard one’s life force while encouraging a courageous participation in life and all it brilliantly offers us. I’m so grateful for Judith’s generosity in covering so much ground in such a succinct and wise way!” Alanis Morissette
singer-songwriter, activist
