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Yesterday, I spent time with two precious people who have this in common: they lived here in Appleton for awhile and moved away. And, as I spent time outdoors separately with each of them, I heard the exact same message: “This is a beautiful city. The people are warm, welcoming, laid back.”

My son needed to touch the grass and commented that Appleton “smells good.” My friend couldn't take her eyes off the trees in the fullness of summer foliage. She noted how friendly people are. They acknowledge one another. They smile.

Continue reading “Awe and Appreciation Through Another's Eyes”

Well, the lesson is to “practice what you preach”! This morning, I sat with the intention of writing a tidbit for you. The longer I sat, however, the harder the process became and the more disjointed the message.

Frustrated! I wanted to do this task early today – before getting ready to deliver the message in word and song at Unity of Appleton at 10:00 am. Here's the kicker: the message (one I chose!) is based upon a poem by Oriah Mountain Dreamer in her book, The Dance. And it begins like this:

What if it truly doesn't matter what you do but how you do whatever you do?
How would this change what you choose to do with your life?

And here I was, trying to do a “good thing” from a place of being unsettled. I was trying to force a good work which usually doesn't succeed. It took at least 30 minutes to realize that by trying too hard to make it happen, I was creating a message that made no sense and didn't add value to the world.

Continue reading “And the lesson is…”

Talking with a friend yesterday, and sharing some of the challenges from my life, like “My small voice used to run the show. My self-esteem was pretty tiny.” she was taken aback. She said, “I can’t believe you ever felt that way about yourself!”

I’m writing today simply to let you know that, Yes!, everyone has a story. Everyone, regardless of the image they portray, the person you see, or the current state of their life, everyone does have a story. It is our stories that make us beautiful! It is our history, our challenges, our successes, that give us character and depth and add so much value to who we are today.

My stories include deep challenges with co-dependency, perfectionism, self-hate, depression. My successes, my joys, include 12 step recovery, and learning to love myself in my perfectly imperfect humanness.

My life is an open book. I wouldn’t be who I am without the opportunities that life has presented, the support that has buoyed me up, and the joy of overcoming. Ask away!

More importantly, ask yourself:

• What are the stories of my life that I feel a need to hide?
• What character strengths are buried with those stories?
• What is mine to give the world by claiming and letting you see all of me?

And one last question: Who in your life has a deeper story that they need to share with you?

 

I'm ready to share one last time with you about my experience with Savasana. I began the experience after the freeing news from the doctor that I could walk on my foot and practice yoga! In other words, the situation that led me to the idea of “an hour of Savasana” is no longer constraining me. It is now my choice, 100%, whether to practice more resting pose, more meditation – or not! At the same time, it remains VITAL that I listen to my body with respect to the healing foot and not overdue activity as the ego might suggest to me.

So, what happened this time?

I was challenged to remain in resting pose for the 45 minutes I'd set the timer for. And I didn't! Despite a wonderful candle, fountain, and crystal bowl CD, my mind was a bit restless. The energy flow, the buzz, in my body came quite quickly and I was definitely at rest. But I got chilled and distracted and after 30 minutes and I decided to be done.

Now what?

Well, I believe that I have gained many things from this intentional slowing down, meditation, Savasana:

• Letting the world go, turning down the ego
  
• Improved sleep when the mind is more quiet before bed
  
• Ability to “rest” in public and have it be 100% okay (I know I have the option to go to the yoga studio and, if my foot says stop – or even if it doesn't, I can rest!)
  
• More confidence, peace, presence in my life
  
• Belief that there is value in meditation, messages in the ether, connection beyond the physical body
  

as well as the other things I wrote about that need revisiting in the future.

I know some form of meditation will remain a regular part of my days. I don't know what or how it will evolve. And there is so much more for me to experience and to gain as I allow it. I hope you have found something to inspire you to a bit more rest, more resting pose, breathing, meditation, pause. Even if that something is just curiosity – that would be wonderful!

What would you experience if you paused a bit more today?
And tomorrow's today?
And the next?

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It is day 5. And while I almost convinced myself that I didn't have time and couldn't prove the benefit so maybe I should just stop now, I didn't stop. I followed through – one more time.

It happened like this. I received the gift of coaching from Danita at 9:00 and was pointed inward toward celebrating “jeanne”, being present with this being, just as she is present with others. Then I began my Pilates workout with a teleseries interview with Leonard Jacobson filling my ears. The conscious combination of presence with my physical body while hearing about the critical need to “be present” to life each and every moment was quite the setup for Savasana!

My 30 minute resting pose held two significant thoughts:

• As the awareness of my body as energy returned, I began to focus that energy on the parts of my body that needed healing. And I wondered, “Is this how miracles of healing happen?” When all our energies are focused in one place, is the intensity so great that physical shift must happen?
  
• Shortly after that, my concentration left me and I decided to leave the pose. I put my legs into the air as if to do “legs up the wall” without the wall. In less than a minute, my buzzer rang. Is my being learning what “enough” is?

I'm going to leave you to do your own exploration as you choose. And, I'd like to invite you into the series of free interviews that offered me the gift of presence this morning. You will find them at:

The Sacred Awakening Series
There are many recordings out there, each free to listen on-line or download. The one I listened to today is here:

Leonard Jacobson of The Conscious Living Foundation
If you are fed, please spread the word!

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