The Courage to Keep Going

ANSWERING MY SPIRITUAL EMAIL

admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:42:34 +0000

I never knew we had spiritual email, but I just discovered what it’s like to open it.

Last week I was in New York with my husband, Jerome, joining him for his college class reunion and visiting his family. The week was fun and full, and we returned home Tuesday night well after midnight. The next morning, I was surprised to find I was awakened early, with such a strong pull to go for a run. I do a lot of yoga and dancing and walking, but I only run on occasion. This morning, the message came through loudly, GO RUN!

So I did, and the crisp morning air felt fabulously refreshing. While I ran, I was listening to a 10-minute focus I had written for 2011, spoken over the deep, penetrating music from Kong, and inspired by Henry, my life advisor. As I ran around our nearby golf course, I drank in the rolling green grass of the fairways. Something renewing was pushing me on, an energy awakening within. Suddenly there poured a download of clarity and direction about my business and life–a stream of purposeful direction and information, revealing a clear path forward in two areas I’ve been struggling with, with the encouragement and willingness to do the work. These messages came straight to my essence and my heart, as though they had been compiling over time.

I got home with a strong sense of having received spiritual email! These were messages of clarity and truth awaiting to be received, but I myself had to be open and expanded enough to hear and read them. The energy was awaiting to be reached for and exchanged with. Immediately I felt powerful, clear, purposeful.

It was all about listening. I heard to go for a run and listen to my 2011 focus. I know that sweat does wonders for me. It’s a release, a turn on, an opening. This was directed, as though “go run and answer your spiritual email” was the full message.

I came home feeling clear, purposeful and HAPPY!

STEVE JOBS LIVES ON

admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:58:26 +0000

Steve Jobs spoke at the Stanford Commencement ceremony in 2005, with words that were very close and dear to his heart. Now that his transition has occurred, those words have a deeper penetration for each of us, because he spoke of the fragility of LIFE and the awareness of pending DEATH. It’s the same for all of us day to day, but Jobs knew his body was struggling. A few pieces from his speech that I found extremely moving:

Your time is limited…don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition…everything else is secondary.

Jobs also said there was alot for each of us to do here on this planet. He felt we each were “being asked to make your own unique dent on the universe.” What if each of us kept our focus on that higher level, that larger focus of our purpose for walking the plaent? There would be minimal time for the trivia that distracts us on a regular basis: relationships, grievances, blame, squabbles.

To embrace this day, this moment, to dedicate a life to discover purpose step by step, to learn and learn and keep learning, that is a life well lived. Here’s to the beautiful dance between LIFE and DEATH. To the grace and beauty and balls of exploring what is unique for each of us to discover. I hope to be inspired and inspired for the greater me to emerge.

What Does A Champion Feel?

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:41:04 +0000

I have a very dear companion named Leslie, and she and I were in Philadephia last month for a four-day leadership workshop. One night, after a long day of training, we discovered that the steps that Rocky climbed in his movies were not far away, so we set out to find them. In my exuberance and enthusiasm, I had us nearly run over by jaywalking to shorten our path! These are not just ordinary steps leading up to the Art Museum–they hold a power of champions. I was lifted by a presence that is palpable there, a feeling of courageous heart and clear seeing. We asked around if Rocky’s statue was still there, and from the mouths of fellow tourists, no one knew. Someone said it had been removed.

Two days later we were pulled back to the stairs again. I was drawn to run them and thrust my arms into the air at the top, as a symbol of victory. But in the midst of our journey, I had to find a bathroom. I spotted a park on the other side of the parkway and a building that looked like a recreation center. We changed our direction to find the bathroom, only to discover the doors were locked. We continued onward.

My stubbornness can get in the way of listening, and I initially was attempting to get us back to our original path. But Leslie took over and kept us on the sidewalk, not wanting to repeat the jaywalking episode. This led us to approach the museum from a very different angle. As we crossed the intersection, I was taking in the beauty of the radiant sky and thinking about my desire to climb the stairs, when we came face to face with none other than ROCKY’S STATUE!! It’s still there! If I hadn’t sought out a bathroom, and if Leslie hadn’t kept us on the sidewalk, we wouldn’t have found it. I was so elated!

What does a champion feel? Power, focus and magic–like this!

RECIPES OF THE HEART

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:26:58 +0000

I received some yummy recipes from my dear companions for my birthday. I’ve always said I’m not a good cook, but the truth is that I’d rather be outside in the fresh air–climbing, walking, dancing, playing. And yet I am changing, appreciating the food that carries a luvv and lift with it. I desire to fill my home with anything and everything that does just that, lifts the people who enter and partake. I have found that when food is prepared with luvv, it tranforms beyond nutrition to essence, and I desire to learn to cook that way. My companions who are showing me the way, I am very grateful.

Here is the recipe book I have started, with the recipes of my dear contributing companions–Karrie, Wendy, Sheri, Nora, Leslie and Kristen. Thank you so much! I am pulled to cook every recipe you have given me and test it on my family and friends, particularly on the weekends, and especially when I can freeze the dishes for later. More to come!

GAIL’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

admin — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:07:32 +0000

I always claim the month of May as my birthday month. It feels more expansive and expressive than a day. I was with my Mom on my actual birthday, May 7th, so this last weekend I celebrated with friends at Your Neighborhood Studio where we danced our petooties off and learned an entire routine to Rihanna’s What’s My Name?

What a way to celebrate! Brandon Anthony was our instructor and he was beyond awesome in finding a pace we could handle, pushing us to keep going, and pulling more essence out of each of us!

Check out my fun slideshow of our pre and post dancing, eating at an awesome new restaurant Moko in Culver City, and photos of some of the great individuals who were with us in spirit!

4 Students Speak Out on Arizona SB-1070

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:38:08 +0000

My son and three class mates from the University of Arizona revealed their views in this short video on Senate Bill 1070, a bill that legalizes police officers’ efforts to stop and search individuals in Arizona that appear to be illegal immigrants, mainly from south of the border. This is an example of not only what these young people feel about current life issues, but also how convincingly they can convey their message using multi media. Your thoughts?

SB – 170

Learnings from the Hudson River Crash Landing

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 19:52:29 +0000

This is a 5 minute video by Ric Elias, a passenger on the United flight that crash landed in the Hudson River. He speaks about what he learned in those final seconds before impact. And how the crash has changed his life.

Sometimes truths have to be forced in our faces. Seems that’s the only way I really learn. Ric said he didn’t want to be right anymore, he wanted to be happy. That’s a life principle for me…

DANCING IN THE RAIN

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:50:45 +0000

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass….it’s about learning to dance in the rain!

–Vivian Greene from her book Learning to Dance in the Rain http://viviangreene.org

A dear friend sent me this quote yesterday, and another send the photo! It’s a beautiful day outside today, and yet everyone has been speaking about how unpredictable the weather has been; the world is; changes are. I have such a desire to learn to dance in the rain, and with the challenges and issues of my life! LET’S GET DRENCHED AND ENJOY IT!

Two Suns in 2012

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:30:39 +0000

There is a quiet, solid voice, speaking over the drone of panic and doom reacting to all the changes on the planet. It is a voice of magic and transformation.

Dr. Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland, is telling us that we are likely to have two suns in our sky for about two weeks next year in 2012. It’s not about the end of the world and Armageddon that’s been predicted — it’s the possibility of balancing our earth’s atmosphere and ourselves.

Basically, there is a star in the constellation, Orion, named Betelgeuse (I call it Beetlejuice!) which is the 7th brightest star in the night sky. It is losing it’s mass rapidly and may become a super-nova by next year.

If this occurs, Betelgeuse is predicted to streak our way and land in our galaxy for a few weeks next year. We’d actually have two suns during that time, with possibly no night sky during that duration.

The awesome news about this occurrence, quite opposite of what has been predicted as the Armageddon, is that 99 percent of the energy released by the super nova would shower to the earth in micro particles. There is strong feeling that these micro particles, the nutrino showers, will benefit us all.

According to Dr. Carter, this “star stuff” makes up the universe. “It literally makes things like gold, silver – all the heavy elements – even things like uranium….a star like Betelgeuse is instantly forming for us all sorts of heavy elements and atoms that our own Earth and our own bodies have from long past supernovi,” said Carter. He says these particles may play a major role in rebuilding our damaged ozone layer. We may get a recharge to our planet. Hurray!

Read more:

What Are YOU Living For?

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:20:57 +0000

This is one of the richest videos I’ve ever seen about connecting with life, no matter what! It was sent to me by my guest blogger, Deirdre McGill, who sent it because she was moved to tears by it. It’s actually a commercial out of Taiwan, but it speaks the universal language of the heart.