Saturday, January 23, 2016
The Work of Byron Katie
Our friend Willow has spoken for years about Byron Katie's book, A Thousand Names of Joy.
Recently, I saw my wife was watching some of her videos, and remarked about this great work.
Byron Katie has a very simple method.
Here is a link to her tools, all for free!
http://thework.com/en/tools-do-work
Go do the work!
'nough said...
Namaste
Thursday, January 21, 2016
F-ck Balance
These were the words spoken to me by a famous aging
researcher.
I was a newly minted MD, PhD, after my post-doc, in my first
3 years of playing assistant professor.
I had a colleague who was interested in aging research and
we started a scientific collaboration.
This led me to some science meetings where I ran into this
aging doyen of aging research.
I asked him about successful aging, and having balance in
life…
He said “F-ck balance, grab life by the balls and enjoy the
sh-t out of life.”
I noted he was drinking a single malt scotch at the
time.
I believe he was also on his third or fourth wife…
But, I took his words to heart.
Sometimes, trying to live a “balanced-life,” has risks of
blandness.
How do we fully live this one life we are given?
Each of us are so much the same, and also, so different.
How do we find the best way to live our own lives
fully.
This one life…
Embracing this very moment, which is all we have…
Tough stuff!
The answers for me have always come from contemplation and
meditation, along with journaling.
For important questions, my need is to deeply consider my
next steps.
Not relying on only simple intuition, nor only with rational
thought.
There is good information all around us.
Focusing on the feelings in the body.
And, writing out tables of pros and cons of any big
decision…
Yet, in the end, there is a clear feeling of what is the
correct move.
That is a grace bestowed by the universe…
We spoke this past Sunday about living a life where we
consider our attachments and our authenticity.
Perhaps, letting go of unhealthy attachments, yet,
preserving the interdependence with others that may enrich our lives.
Spending time with those who support our deepest
authenticity.
We spoke of how we can get lost in rehashing the past and
rehearsals for the future.
Yet, a certain amount of rehashing the past can allow us to
avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
And, rehearsing for the future can help us to be more
confident when things unfold for us.
The key is to know when our rehashing and rehearsals are a
waste of our precious time.
Is that a balance?
Perhaps…
The lesson I took away those many years ago, is that we can
life our lives with a ferocious energy…
Source is the same Source looking out from behind each of
our eyes.
And, we receivers of Consciousness translate our given lives
as individuals.
We can walk in the world knowing we wear our Ego
Overcoats…
And, we have the opportunity to live this one life fully and
completely…
There is that ole Paradox again…
Sometimes we live this life with Balance…
Sometimes crashing and screaming over the edge…
Ferociously…
Saying, “F-ck Balance…”
Namaste
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Be Here Yesterday!
No, I didn’t make it up.
But, we all agreed it would be a great title for a
book.
In our every other Sunday discussion group today, my wife
was relating how she was having difficulty falling asleep with thoughts of what
she might have said differently at her job.
Our local sage, Allyn, in a play on Ram Dass’ book title “Be
Here Now!” then said this title, referring to how we sometimes feel we could
have said or done something more skillfully.
Allyn said he probably will not write this book, so I
appropriated his title.
My worries are more about the future.
That title would be:
Be Here Tomorrow!
Yesterday and Tomorrow…
Yup, that is where most of us get lost.
Lost in our thoughts, worries, ruminations…
Taking us away from the ever present Now…
Really, all we ever have is Now, Now, Now…
When we worry about the past or the future.
We do that in the Now, over and over again…
The trick is waking up to this Now…
Right Now!
There is no better time.
You don't have to meditate, or take up some esoteric
practice.
You just have to wake up to everything is Now.
You protest.
I have to worry about the past, so I don’t repeat those
mistakes!
I have to worry about the future so I can eat, be employed,
pay my bills on time.
Yes, I write down the things I need to do in my smart
phone.
I even set alarms.
But, then I can let go.
I can plan my day, to leave space, for just being.
Dropping the worrying, ruminating, planning…
Dropping the doing…
Taking time to be…
But, do it with a clear, awake mind, a quiet mind…
Not easy.
Like training a puppy.
Bringing the mind back to awake quietude… calm, open awareness…
Over and over again…
Wishing you all a calm, blissful New Year…
Namaste
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