Hello there, 2014!

Everyone (well, some people) expected the world to change dramatically on 12/21/12, and were disappointed when there was no angel chorus and no apocalypse and not even a good thunderstorm . . . And 2013 was no walk in the park, was it? Lightening strikes aside, I believe the world can and will be a better place, and that we are in the midst of making it that way. 

Life is like a labyrinth. There is one way in to the center, and that way twists and winds and sometimes brings you to an unexpected place. Then you arrive at the center where it is calm and serene, but that is a small space and you are there for a short time before stepping back out onto the path. Which still twists and winds and even if it is more familiar than it was on the way in, you may become disoriented and not know just how close you are to the end. Then, suddenly, you are stepping out of the labyrinth, wondering at how much quicker it was to get out than to get in. 

Those are the three levels to a labyrinth walk: Release, Receive, and Return. Or, Purgation, Illumination, and Union.

On 12/21/12 we stepped into the labyrinth and began to walk, letting go of all the old paradigms and systems and beliefs that no longer served our highest interests. During 2013 we twisted and turned and didn't always know what we were doing or where we were going; but as it is impossible to get lost in a labyrinth, we were safe and always heading in the right direction. Release.

The December solstice brought us into the center of the labyrinth. We celebrated and lit candles and gathered with loved ones. Some of us brought Nature into our homes in the form of a tree. We took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Receive.

As we move into the new year of 2014, we are back on the winding path. But this time there is familiarity, a sense of having been here before. You feel more free, released of constraints.That which you've been hoping, dreaming and yearning for all these years is finally within your grasp. You may not be able to put a name or label on what it is you want, but you feel it and it is being magnified. Now is the time to open your eyes and your heart, and make each step one that brings you closer to Love. Return.

"There's nothing you can sing that can't be sung."(Beatles) So whatever it is, sing it out. Do it with a spirit of lovingkindness. Know that what you do is for the good of all, even if that isn't obvious. Allow that even if you don't understand the Big Picture, there is one, and you are part of it. Walk with a light heart and a helping hand (and I don't just mean those who are obvious "helpers" like nurses and firefighters, but those who keep the world running from behind the scenes, like  dish washers and office managers). 

That sounds vague, but the details are in you. Each person's path is slightly different, like in the labyrinth: This one walks close to the edges of the path; that one treads on a fragrant plant, releasing a lovely aroma, and another picks their way, carefully avoiding the muddy parts. Some stride through purposefully, others meander. Look at what you are doing now and keep doing it, but with a new light shining on your busyness. 

I believe in World Peace and Unlimited Abundance and that may sound like a pipe dream or the answer to a beauty contest question, but I hold that in my heart and it lets me smile and have patience and cultivate compassion. These beautiful states are mirrored back to me by most people I come in contact with every day; these reflections strengthen my faith that harmony is within the grasp of all on Earth.

Peace.

Water, Water, Everywhere!

Weight Watchers ruined water for us. Didn’t lose any weight last week? Well, how much water did you drink? Tummy growling? Drink a full glass of water before you have a snack; maybe you’re just thirsty!  True; but there’s more, much more, to plentiful water consumption than just weight loss. Besides, if water was the magic weight loss cure, I’d be thin as a reed . . . Yes, drink plenty of water, but for a hundred different reasons, not just weight loss.

I can hear you already: But when I drink the recommended amount of water I spend half my day in the bathroom. Come on, it doesn’t take that long to pee unless you’re still wearing pencil skirts and panty hose. (That was a workout!) Wearing jeans, I bet you take less than a minute in there, and that includes washing your hands. You can cut that time down by simply staying in yoga pants all day (my personal tip). It’s recommended to get up and move every hour anyway, so with frequent potty breaks, you’re killing two birds with one stone!

Consuming the recommended amount of water (50-80% of your body weight in ounces) can seem daunting, but when you want your body to be clean and smelling fresh, is your first choice to take a little bowlful of water and swish yourself with that? No, you take a nice long shower or soak in a tub full of water (ever mindful of water conservation, of course!) It’s the same with drinking water. You need copious amounts to clean and refresh all the nooks and crannies of your inner workings. Water washes away the lactic acid loosened by your morning workout. It keeps your saliva flowing and keeps your digestion moving. Water carries oxygen to your muscles and to your brain, keeping you strong and smart! Water lubricates your joints so you remain flexible and pain-free. Water is used by every bodily system, so drink up.

And there’s more! Harken back to high school science class, or to that episode of Desperate Housewives when Edie is killed off, and you’ll remember: Water conducts electricity. Our bodies’ energy systems need water to function properly. A glass of water and a few deep breaths can quickly raise your energy, as the water carries the oxygen (and the million other beneficial things we breathe in that we don’t even have names for yet) through the body to enliven us from tip to toe. Water conducts your body-electricity to enhance your own EFT or Reiki or meditation practice. If you can’t get out of a slump, or your brain is woozy, breathe and drink (uh, water, of course) and sit up straight and notice the difference.

Water is the magic elixir. ‘Nuff said.

Just being near water makes us feel great!

P.S.  Well, maybe one more thing: Go ahead and put lemon or mint in your water, drink herbal tea and a moderate amount of coffee, just don’t add sugar or, shudder, artificial sweeteners. And remember, this is the Om Minute and not the Om Doctor (which you probably realized from my Desperate reference) so feel free to do your own research, both online and through personal trial-and-error. Salut!

Positive vs. Negative

Some of us are adamant about only speaking about, admitting to, and reflecting on the positive. Affirmations are trendy! The Power of Positive Thinking, the Law of Attraction. We shun any negative feelings and words, afraid to jinx ourselves. But what about this: There is no positive vs. negative. It’s not about good vs. evil, black hat or white. It just is what it is!

A battery has a positive end and a negative end. Is the negative end to be shunned, ignored; should we pretend it doesn’t even exist? No, that would be silly, because the battery would offer no power without its negative charge. The negative end of the battery is not a bad guy!

So instead of shying away from certain words or thoughts that reflect a scenario you’d like to avoid, turn the bright light of day on them, expose them, and I bet you’ll find that 1) They are not as awful as you suspected, and 2) acknowledging these things allows you to release them. You cannot let something go if you’ve stuffed it into a lead box and dropped it to the bottom of your personal ocean. You need to look every thing, every aspect, then take what feels right and let the other stuff float away.

Claim your power by accepting both ends of your battery. Find your charge, your energy, your life force by choosing aspects, thoughts and words that you intuit will bring you closer to your dharma, your life’s purpose. You won’t get far with only half a battery!

Abundance or Agita?

My thoughts keep turning to Abundance these days. Walk into any store, whether grocery or mall, and you cannot help but believe in an abundant Universe. Walk into your closet or open your pantry door, and you cannot help but say, Yikes, I have too much stuff! But ask most people if they have abundance in their lives and they will say, “No, because I don’t have enough money”.

What’s the deal? Is there “enough”, “too much”, or as we often tell ourselves, “too little”?

Here’s my thought. There is perfectly, exactly enough. It’s just not spread out evenly. Since we can’t balance the whole world, we need to balance things out in our own lives. Buy what you need from the store and leave the rest of the junk there on the shelf. Don’t drag it home to sit on your shelf uneaten, or in your closet, unworn. It will just give you agita. And we all know there’s an abundance of that!

When you are feeling like your bank account is too low, ask yourself, “Today, am I safe, fed, and housed?” If yes, then you do have enough. And if you have gratitude for what you already have, you greatly increase the possibility of allowing even more of the same into your life.

Give it a shot. Give thanks. And clean out your closets!

Make Like a Flamingo

Balance. That’s the key. Stand on one foot and be still. Stay on that foot and wave your arms around. Bend your torso forward; lift your leg behind you. Touch the floor then return upright, still on one foot. Balance and movement; shifting, accommodating.

That’s what we do in life: We make choices and compromises, we send a little more effort in one direction and a bit more awareness somewhere else; and with practice, we fall less often. Aha, you thought I’d say we learn to remain in balance, didn’t you? Well, everyone falls now and again, and that’s part of the game. Picking yourself back up is as important as standing steady on one foot.

To keep our balance, sometimes we need a little assistance. A fingertip on the wall might be enough, but some days we need to grip the back of a chair before we even think of lifting one foot. Like falling, knowing when and what to hold on to is part of wisdom.

Today, whether you’re in touch with your inner flamingo or flailing your arms trying not to tumble, you are doing just fine. Hold steady or grab a chair. As my daughter would say, “Whatevs”.

Balance.

So Lucky

How lucky am I? I still remember when TVs became available with color, and now we have huge, high-definition sets that can hang on the wall. (Or, my friends do, as I don’t actually own a flat screen yet . . .) At my first job out of college I used a word processor that was shared by the department, and it was a big deal to be awarded your own voicemail box. A few years later everyone had a computer on their desk and we were able to, gasp, send typed messages to co-workers within the building. Now the only limit is the world!

Happy Buddha can't get over the wonders
of his smart phone either!

I remember buying my first personal computer. I didn’t really need it and we couldn’t really afford it, but I couldn’t keep my hands off it. Even the constant rebooting didn’t scare me away. Then came the internet and I haven’t stopped since. You might not know it to look at me, but I love computers and smart phones and Kindles and iPads, and I happen to own and use one of each. Sure I love the feel and smell of a “real” book, but a book is the sum of its words, and touch isn’t as necessary as imagination when it comes to enjoying a good novel. Yes it was fun getting a letter in the mail, but being able to instantly communicate with friends far and wide is a treasure as well. I know some folks are bemoaning the loss of handwriting skills, but I rejoice, as that was a skill I never mastered anyway. Through the magic of technology, people can now actually read and understand what I write!

And don’t get me started on smart phones. It’s true, they really are smart! They track my calendar, my phone numbers, and my email addresses. They help me get where I’m going without getting lost (and with my sense of direction I’ve spent a lot of time lost!). They keep me in touch with my kids as they grow up and start to move away: I can SnapChat a photo of my sad, sad face when one of them tells me they’ve chosen time with a friend over time with their mother. Much more effective than a snippy text!

It’s very exciting, all this techno stuff. And although I have no clue how it all works, and I’m not half as adept at using it as my kids are, I love it all the same, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. How lucky am I?

March On!

Is it still Winter? Isn't Spring here yet? This morning I woke to a white world, yet word on the street is that tomorrow, it will be 50 degrees outside. Green shoots have pushed through the earth and in some spots, delicate blossoms have appeared . . . now hidden under the snow, poor things.

But like I said, tomorrow it will be warm and the snow will melt and the blossoms will perk back up and the green shoots will sprout taller. And next week we’ll have more snow, or torrential rains, or a sunny spell. Who knows; it’s March.

March is a time of transition. As the weather outside moves from one extreme to the next, it is a good idea to watch your own, internal weather. Is there a crabby front moving in from the south? Do you forecast a sunny disposition for the weekend? Having your emotions run up, down and around for no reason you can discern can be dizzying, not to mention annoying (to you and to your friends and loved ones!). Here are some things you can use in an attempt to bring yourself some internal fair weather.

Sit and breathe. (Yes, I mean meditate, but that word scares people. Sitting and breathing sounds easier and accomplishes the same goal.)

Watch what you eat. (Sorry, no “comfort food”. We use that term to rationalize our desire for vast quantities of fat, salt and carbs all on one plate. Think about past comfort meals; I bet you felt “comforted” while you were munching, but about an hour later you felt heavy, cranky, and tired. Be honest. Make soup.)

Take a stroll. (Put on your boots if you have to, but don’t make it about exercise. Just meander around outside.)

Exercise. (Try yoga!)

Read a book, watch a movie, get a pedicure. (Paint a picture, listen to music, write a story. Pet your dog, change your sheets, visit a friend. Roast a chicken, dance in your kitchen, balance on one foot.)

Be compassionate. (To yourself first! The kinder you are to yourself, the more forgiving of your own ups and downs, the better you can share that kindness and forgiveness with others.)

There’s no need to beware the Ides of March! You’ve got it all under control.