Big Lesson of 2013

     I had the opportunity to reflect on my life in 2013, and one thing bubbled up as the huge lesson I took to heart this year. That is, releasing is a good thing.
     I comically refer to myself as a "card-carrying control freak." I would prefer to always keep my wonderful life orderly, fully good, with minimal changes to rock my boat. (That sounds boring as I write it!) Alas, life has other ideas and inspirations and surprises for me.
     So this year, I released stuff, relationships, beliefs, and many limitations. And lo and behold, the Universe replaced all those vacancies with even more wonderful life riches for me. I have seven new best friends whom I did not even know at the beginning of 2013. How cool is that?!? That's proof enough for me that life continues to expand its good through us if we don't block the flow by clinging to what needs to go.
     Here's a helpful reminder: hold your breath. At some point, it becomes uncomfortable. Let it go. Relief and fresh air flows. This is our physical reminder that releasing is a good thing.
     Here's to an awesome 2014!
              Leta

Perspective

     Somewhere along the way in my life, I became attached to the saying, "It's never so bad that it couldn't be worse." I think my dad used this to stay positive even if life wasn't so great at the time. I don't use this to minimize my own aggravations, or avoid self-care, but I do use it for perspective.
     We just returned from a wonderful Christmas holiday spent with our sons in Colorado. It was great to be together, but, alas, both my husband and I were ill on Christmas Day and days surrounding it. Well, that sucks. Then Christmas morning, looking at Facebook, I saw that a friend's brother passed away Christmas morning, this person also being a dad and grand-dad. Lots of folks mourning. Makes a virus pretty insignificant.
     We are so drama-oriented in our society. There's plenty of one-upmanship claiming, "my drama is bigger than yours!" Do we really want our (mostly petty) dramas to be our life story? What compels us to make sure others know about our "drama of the day?" Experience and deal with the truly life-changing, big events, like a loved-one's passing. Let the others go.
     Another saying I love is, "This, too, shall pass." If you let it...
Leta

Happy Holidays to all :)

I feel that this quote wonderfully sums up the meaning of life, and more so, the meaning of Christmas and the Christ-consciousness:
     The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.    Joseph Addison
My hope is that your life continues to become ever more wonderful and love-filled!
Joy,
Leta

It's a Wonderful Life, but What If?

     On Friday night, I had the pleasure of seeing the radio show version of the play, "It's a Wonderful Life." This production is commonly shown around Christmas time in various forms. Toward the end, the main character, George Bailey, considers ending his life because he thinks he doesn't matter, and then his angel shows him what life would be like if he had not been born. This has a quite dramatic effect on George.
     Hmmm, what if you or I hadn't been born? There are lots of folks whose lives would have been enormously affected, like parents and siblings. And, our children, as we know them, wouldn't be here. Then there are those whom we have encountered in seemingly small or minimal ways, wherein we likely have no idea the impact we've had upon them.
     Your life DOES matter. It matters in a huge way. Everything as we know it would be different if we weren't here. I consider this cause for great celebration of my life and yours!
     Thank you for being you!
                Leta

Love Notes Make Great Gifts!!

     I was with a group of my favorite peeps this past weekend, and we had planned in advance to give each other love notes. Just a few sentences expressing what we mean to each other. So we each took away a cute little box filled with personal love notes. It's about the best gift EVER! It keeps on giving.
     You, too, can do love notes. They make awesome bookmarks. They are super to "hide" in easily found places. They are gifts to both the giver and the recipient. They eliminate the possibility of "I wish I had said...!" They open your heart to the free flow of loving energy. They incite smiles, and often, tears of joy.
     Give 'em a try. You and someone else will be so glad you did!
Love,
Leta

You'll note I'm not shopping...

     It's mid-morning on Black Friday, and I'm not shopping.
     I saw a quote on Facebook earlier this week that went something like this: If you are not content now, nothing you buy this weekend will make you content.
     Excellent point! It's not stuff that makes us content, it's who we are, what we are, liking ourselves, enjoying being the unique presence of life that each of us is. Nothing we buy can make that happen.
     I must say that in an odd sort of way, I do appreciate others supporting the economy with their Black Friday efforts. If the gross national product depended on my shopping efforts, we'd be in BIG trouble.
     I hope you enjoy your day, no matter what it holds for you!
Leta

Adventure into the Unknown

     The "adventure" is one of those "I don't know how but I'm gonna figure it out." I'm going to have my own radio show on the new, soon-to-be-launched Spiritual Living Radio Network, an internet radio station.
     Pieces of the "how to" have been falling together rather easily, so I feel strongly led to give it a shot. For instance, over the years, I've learned how to use Audacity, the network-recommended free software program for making and editing recordings. And my husband has the perfect recording equipment for my efforts. Hmmm, I see something has been developing here ;)
     I keep reminding myself that I am quite creative, and I have a great opportunity here to use that creativity, rather than hanging out in the "I don't know" place. I'm not confused or helpless, I'm learning! That feels way more fun.
     I will have guests on the show, and I will take sponsors in any amount. I'll write more on that later.
     And more details on the show will be forthcoming...
Have an adventuresome week!
Leta

Small but Mighty

     Every once in a while I run across a sentence or phrase that rocks my world, gives me a whole new perspective on something.
     This is the latest such sentence from the pen of Bob Luckin: Being angry makes frightened people feel safer. 
     Whoa, knock my socks off! I have avoided anger like the plague in my life. I've taken it very personally. I shy away from conflict. It scares me.
     But this is a whole new perspective, and it makes so much sense to me now. Anger is an indicator of fear, and it's an attempt to feel safer in a scary situation. Of course, it's not about me.
     It's another example of the idea put forth by Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements, The Voice of Knowledge): our emotions are completely valid, ALWAYS. The emotion is not the problem, it's an EFFECT, not a cause. When we look past the emotion, in this case to see past the anger to the fear, we can address the fear, which is most likely not a real threat. Taking away the fear eliminates any need for anger.
     If this gives you a new perspective on anger, I'd love to hear about it.
Peace,
Leta

I love a deal :)

I love to go to estate sales. Some are as much fun for seeing the home as for the stuff. I don't have many needs in life, but it's fun to find a deal. Yes, I have a "wish list," and yet, it's a spiritual practice for me to look, be patient (SO challenging for me), and know that the deal/item/stuff I've been contemplating is seeking me, too. We meet eventually, almost always.
My sons were visiting for a few days this past week. What did we do with our precious time? We went to estate sales. They have loved doing this since they were little tykes, when I gave them each one precious dollar to spend. What a lesson in money management! :)
Life is good, enjoy the exploration!
Love,
Leta

Another Birthday, or not...

     The roller coaster of my life hit a major high and a major low during my recent birthday week.
     I had a great birthday. I did exactly what I chose to do all day, and that included getting my first (and LAST) tattoo. It's a small infinity symbol on the inside of my left wrist. It's red, of course, my favorite color. It's my reminder that I am an infinite spiritual being temporarily in a human body, and everything in the universe is infinite, including and especially love. Which leads me to the low of the week...
     My great-nephew, Ricky, at age 20, decided he'd had enough of life on Earth, and ended his life. It's a terrible shock to the family, because Ricky was a wonderful, sweet, ambitious and industrious young man. Alas, he didn't seem to feel those qualities in himself. It's so sad.
     My point... appreciate the people in your life! Whether it's your significant other or an occasionally-seen service person, let them know you are glad they are on the planet with you. Smile. Say "please" and "thank you." Make eye contact. You don't know how important a simple loving gesture may be. And it's impossible to be too loving. Let the infinite love of the Universe flow through you--it feels great!
     I love you, my readers! Have a great weekend!
                                Leta

Another Monday?!?!

Good morning!
Is this a great day to be alive, or is it "Back to work, Monday sucks!"?
I'm willing to bet that your choice to the above question will dramatically affect how your day goes.
I'm going with "It's a great day to be alive!"
Leta

A Tribute to My Dad

     This past Monday would have been my dad's 96th birthday. He moved onto his next life experience in 2000. It was a blessing at the time, as he had dementia such that he did not know his children or grand-children.
     I still adore my dad. He was an infinite source of practical knowledge. I learned my financial and business sense from him, and like him, I quit a job to become self-employed, quite a leap of faith, but in both cases, maximum reward on the happiness scale. And, I'd add, in his case a very profitable move. In my case, that's still developing!
    My dad always talked of how the Miller family has always been supremely blessed. Amen to that! I loved his attitude relative to seeing the good in people, most of the time. He was a very generous man.
    As a child, when I was not in school, I was in the lumber truck with my dad delivering lumber. I don't recall ever getting bored with being with him driving hundreds of miles around central Pennsylvania delivering pallet or cabinet lumber. Maybe it was the promise of an ice cream cone after delivery?!?!?!
    I miss him. I so wish he could see my sons, who have grown into awesome young men. I wish I could hear his voice and see his smile.
    Geez. He's been gone a long time. Where did all this come from? Reminiscing with my brother today about how great Dad was.
    Is your dad still on the planet? Appreciate him! Let him know you love him.
Tears of love and joy are flowing,
Leta

Success

Dr. Chris Michaels, friend, fellow coach, mentor, wrote a book called Your Soul's Assignment. In it, he offers what how he has come to define success for himself:
1. Have fun.
2. Learn something.
3. Help someone along the way.
How awesome is that? Simple. Enjoyable. Really pretty easy to implement. I love this, and have adopted it as my definition of success, too. I believe that as each of us enjoys life, we DO most definitely bless others with our uplifting attitude and example.
So have some fun today!
Leta

We are Complete

Sharing this writing from Ernest Holmes:
If God is Allness, then there is no otherness. All anxiety about our affairs today or tomorrow indicates, then, unbelief. The ancient sages knew that perfected individuals find that they already have everything within themselves, after which they discover the same in others. This corresponds to the teaching of Jesus that the blind cannot lead the blind. We must know the truth about ourselves before we can know it about others. The truth about us is that we bear the image of God and, therefore, are capable of expressing our lives perfectly and completely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a great weekend!
Leta

Ending, Beginning

I LOVE baseball.
Actually, I usually refer to myself as "wacko nuts about baseball."
I have had a terrific summer watching the KC Royals, and a "wait till next year" summer watching the Cubs (a phenomenon with which I am very familiar, sad to say).
Major League Baseball's regular season ends this weekend. I'm shocked and a bit sad. It seems that Opening Day was just yesterday. Another ending in life...
And another beginning...October means the playoffs start and lead to the World Series. Though none of my favorite teams is in the playoffs, I'll be glued to the TV to absorb as much of this favorite sport as I can before winter comes.
For each ending, there is a beginning. For each clearing out, space is created for something new to take its place. Let's let the endings pass freely, and enjoy the exciting anticipation of the beginnings to come.
Open to enjoy,
Leta

Better and Better

This quote comes from Rev. Suellen Miller:
"Life is about taking each moment and trusting that while this moment may not be perfect, or may not feel good, it is only one step in the process of becoming. Remember that we all made it through that uncomfortable process called birth. It was worth it."
One might also bring to mind the phrase, "This, too, shall pass."
Life keeps on getting better and better. Every single moment may not be better than the last, but the general progression is to get better. This is because in each moment, Spirit is expanding itself as you and me, and It only moves to greater and higher good. Spirit's perspective is quite a bit broader than ours, thank goodness, so that It holds the "better and better" vision when we as humans are thinking that right now feels less that glorious.
Certainly there's an element of faith involved in all this. And I'm OK with that. We all put our faith in something, so I choose "better and better" rather than "worse and worse."
Joy, peace, be,
Leta

Feeling Loved

I just spent a long weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with friends I dearly love, and who love me dearly in return. There were laughter, tears, open-hearted sharing, and the opportunity to absorb bold, life-changing perspectives.
Our hotel room looked out onto the magnificent Atlantic Ocean and the awesome beach was only a street crossing away. What an incredible gift to walk along the shore, hearing the ocean waves break, feeling the sand and water on my feet, smelling the salt water, seeing the earth's beauty. It makes me feel extraordinarily loved by the planet and all its vibrant life.
In a Sunday talk, our group leader shared how a friend had recently taken her own life, and left a message saying she did not feel loved. Yet she was very much loved.
This is very serious stuff--do you feel loved? You are, but if you don't feel it, DO reach out. Let someone know what's on your heart. There is so much love and community and joy and hope available, and you deserve them all in overflowing abundance.
Loving life, loving you!
Leta

Sadness

     I recently had it lovingly pointed out to me that one of the ways to release unhelpful, lingering "stuff" from the past is to shed those unshed tears. OK, I'm good with that, I don't have a problem crying.
     But alas, I generally need something to get me started. Whoa, did the Universe deliver today! I was a bit teary at home this morning, and then my brother dropped the bomb--he and his wife had put down their dog, a magnificent Golden Retriever named Ben, and he had forgotten (in his grief, no doubt) to tell me. I only saw this dog occasionally, but I adored him. Let the floodgates be opened!
     I've been crying off and on all day. My son also has a Golden Retriever, Dusty, three years old, and I adore him, too. I can't even begin to bear the thought of anything bad happening to Dusty.
     I'm exhausted from crying. My nose and eyes hurt. But I do feel lighter and more open. I love how crying, even if I have no clue what it's about, can clean out a multitude of gunk. It's gone, and I don't care what it was. Tears are a blessing.
With love and joy,
Leta

Everything is Twice Created

"Everything is created twice. The first creation is in the mind, and the second is in physical form. Since this is how it works, we might as well go all out in the first creation and enjoy the pleasures of the second in physical expression." Words by Sunshine Daye.
In other words, the bigger you dream, the bigger you create.
Also, entertaining thoughts of judgment, resentment, anger, criticism, ooooooooooooo, what do those create? Worth considering!
Believing life is good with my Whole heart,
Leta

Sustained Effort

I'll admit right now that sustained effort is generally hard for me. I'm the sort of person who likes to complete a task so that I can cross it off my to-do list. Those things that take a long period of time (more than a day) to complete leave me feeling unsettled, but I'm getting better at it.
I am crazy-wildly-fanatically in love with baseball, being a die-hard Cubs fan. Now there's sustained effort! The Cubs have gone the longest of any team in baseball between World Series wins, since 1908. Yes, early LAST century. They keep showing up and playing, I can too.
If I were a baseball player, with my annoyance at sustained effort, I'd throw in the towel by the end of April. What fun is that?!?! Baseball is really getting exciting now, in September, as we head toward the playoffs. So I have a great example of keeping on keeping on in front of me nearly every day.
I have a lot going on now that requires both patience and sustained effort. Please give me strength to keep showing up, Spirit!
Hang in there!
Leta

Death, Taxes and Change

     I'm skipping "death" and "taxes" and going right to "change." It certainly is one of those things we can count on in life.
     Note this quote from Rev. Andriette Earl:
Many of the beliefs that we continue to hold and defend are little more than habitual ways of thinking. At some point, they no longer serve us. Either we have changed or the context in which they were first formed has shifted. 
     I have been challenged recently with the question, "What is it time to let go of?" Honest answers to this question have resulted in considerable change for me. Some of it has resulted in an emotional roller coaster, but as with the end of a roller coaster ride, there has also been relief.
     Resistance to change is futile. I find that the sooner I give in, accept and move on, the sooner the Universe can deliver new good to fill the vacuum of the released persons, places, situations or beliefs.
     Have some fun with that question: What is it time to let go of?
     Enjoy the ride!
                   Leta

Good grounding

One of my daily self-care items is spending a few moments with my bare feet on the earth (not concrete or asphalt). This is a very grounding exercise for me, and reminds me to thank our glorious planet (whom I call Gaia) for her nourishing love. For it is Gaia that is fully in support of my life, your life, and all life on the planet. We are so richly blessed. I plan to continue this through the winter--oooo, invigorating!
Barefoot and happy,
Leta

Please share an example of personal bravery

    I've been inspired to get a clearer picture and create a more unified "package" of what I do, and how I want to work/play in my life. The idea of "BRAVE" continues to come to me.
    I've jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. Yes, that was brave. But that was one event, and bravery to me shows up on a daily basis, in such things as having the courage to ask for what you need.
    I'd love for you to share examples of being brave.
    I offer a goofy example from my own life. I've avoided going to Sonic because I didn't know how the ordering stations work. I decided to be brave yesterday (with the inspiration of 1/2 price burgers for National Back to School Day) and go there. I pulled in, looked at the menu, and sat there. There is a red button on the ordering station, but no sign that says, "Press red button to order." I finally guessed that might be a necessary action, so I pressed the button. Nothing happened for several minutes, wherein I began to wonder if I just might not be smarter than a fast food menu/ordering station. Finally someone took my order, I got my food, and went on my merry way. Now I can easily go to Sonic since I know what to do.
Clearly, bravery doesn't have to be sky-diving big. And it can be quite comical.
    Please share an example.
Love,
Leta

Yuck--cleaning!

My main job while growing up in central PA was to clean the house every week. If school was out, it had to be done Friday morning. If school was in session, it had to be done Saturday morning. NO FUN till the house cleaning was done.
Is it any wonder I REALLY dislike house-cleaning?!?! Yet I manage to do it reasonably well once a month, and here's how: I set a timer for one hour, and clean like a maniac during that time, because when the alarm sounds, I'm done for the day. I can clean our house fairly well in 3 hours.
Can you think of more tolerable alternatives for accomplishing something you dislike but truly need to do?
It's time to set the timer...
Leta

No Fixing Needed

A worthwhile reminder from Dr. Jim Lockard:
"There is an Intelligence that exists beyond and through everything in this universe. Nothing is separate from this Intelligence. We can know that this Intelligence permeates ourselves and everyone else, that each one is imbued with what is needed to navigate this lifetime--even if that is not apparent to us in the moment. Everyone has the inherent right to be himself or herself, each a work in progress... When we seek to "fix" ourselves or someone else, we violate a basic tenet of this Intelligence: that nothing needs fixing. That's right, nothing needs fixing. Sit with that one for a while. Let it sink in. While change is inherent in everything in the universe, nothing needs fixing...Every being is moving toward a greater expression of the self. We cannot be fixed because we are not broken." 
Doesn't that feel good--to know that there is nothing broken within us? We can change to express greater peace or joy or contentment, but we don't have to fix anything. Whew, what a relief!
In joy,
Leta

Gratitude for people :)

You might scroll down and read the 6/26/13 post. The intensive weekend was this past weekend in Kansas City, and to say I'm glad I signed up for this program is a gross understatement.
It's an amazing thing that Spirit has orchestrated. This weekend we had the leader, a motivational speaker, the administrative organizer, and 12 participants. I knew the leader somewhat (that's what inspired me to commit), and the rest, I didn't know from Adam. Having spent Friday evening and all day Saturday with them, they are my newest group of best friends.
I did not realize how hungry I was for support, inspiration, and creative love. My cup was filled to overflowing, and the creative juices are flowing! That's a "to be continued..."
We meet next in Florida in September. Say "beach" and I'm there!
I'm grateful how Spirit/love/life has worked through me to make me feel comfortable so quickly in a group of "strangers." It's a powerful feeling of oneness for which I am so thankful.
Who can you open your heart to today?
Love,
Leta

Any decisions worth reconsidering?

In the 7/9/13 Daily Guide in Science of Mind magazine, Jim Lockard wrote of his experience with three groups of people, annually graded excellent, average or remedial at the skill of shooting (a job requirement). The groups stayed pretty much the same year to year, even though all technically knew how to shoot a gun. “What we found was that each of the three groups had decided that was where they belonged…Once we decide where we belong, all of our skill and effort goes into maintaining that level of performance.” 

Whoa! What an eye-opener for me. What groups have I put myself into membership? 

• the group that has a “struggle” with money issues
• the group with a weight "problem" and difficulty losing weight
• the group with no musical talent

Just to name a few. And, yes, I can see that great mental, emotional and physical energy has gone into maintaining my memberships. I believe I shall reconsider some of my affiliations.

Thoughtfully,

Leta

Write poetry? Really?!?!

While poetry is an awesome art form, I must confess, I'm not into it. I have a couple exceptions--I like Rumi and the occasional quote pulled from a poem. I think it takes too much effort to read and write poetry, as opposed to plain, old prose.
That said, I was given the assignment to write about "my journey to enlightenment," preferably as a poem. My first thought was, "Yuck. I can't do that." But I do so love it when Spirit moves through me and does it for me, so I opened to that, and here's what came through:

Done With It!
"You should do more."
The broken record in my head.
Is there no way to stop it?
Will it remain when I'm dead?!?

The Presence of Love
Fills that empty cup inside:
"You are loved beyond imagining!
Relax, just enjoy the ride.

"It's what you are that matters.
No deeds can change My love.
Remember the lilies, My cherished child.
You will always be enough!"

There, I did it (with lots of help from my "Friend"). I won't be quitting my day job to write poetry. Just a reminder that we can always do more than we think we can!
Love to all,
Leta

Something Bigger

Perfectly on the heels of my Wednesday post, today's Daily Guide in Science of Mind magazine is titled "Something Bigger." It is written by Rev. Sally Robbins, and I offer it here for your inspiration.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. (Joseph Campbell)
Rev. Sally writes:
I used to live on the Gulf Coast, and once after a hurricane, my backyard was virtually flooded. When I inspected the yard, I noticed a large clump floating. I discovered that it was a clump of live fire ants! I later learned that fire ants are surprisingly resourceful when it comes to water. When the colony of ants senses that water is coming to destroy their nest, they quickly move the queen, her eggs, their food, and the entire colony out of the nest, and they form a clump that floats on the water. The ants interlock their legs and form a "raft" that can float for months. Scientists used to think that the ants on the bottom drowned and died, but they discovered that the ants actually take turns on the bottom and top.
One fire ant by itself in the water will drown. A colony of ants in water will band together for the greater good and interlock their bodies to survive. If ants can figure out that there is something greater than themselves, so can we.
We're all in this together, and when we realize that we are interdependent with our brothers and sisters, life becomes easier. When we recognize that there is something larger afoot, we release our petty concerns and embrace the allness of life. Everything supports us in the flow of good.
Affirmation: I am a part of something larger, and I turn over my life to the greater good.
=============================
Have a super weekend!
Leta

Terror, excitement, and peace

Ever have all those feelings at once?
I made the leap today to sign up for a 6-month "do something powerful with my life" program. I am at peace with my decision, and I'm excited about it. Those two emotions account for about half of what I'm feeling.
Then there's the other half. Stark terror. What have I gotten myself into??!?! (Fortunately, in past times when I've asked that question, results have been outstanding--I'm very grateful for that precedent!) How will I pay for this?!?!? (The money always shows up, I don't know how, but I know it's miraculous.) The leader said, "There will be change in you." Dirty word, sometimes, "change" is. But I'm becoming ever more comfy in my own skin, so I expect that trend to continue.
The program kicks off in an intensive weekend in mid-July. It's a small group of 15, which is my favorite "arena" to play in. New friendships, new insights, new possibilities, guaranteed. What's not to be excited about?!?!
This program will make for some interesting blog entries, no doubt. To be continued...
Fun!
Leta

A "Thought" on Beauty and Appreciation from Rev. Suellen Miller

Several times a month, Rev. Suellen Miller of Oklahoma City sends out a "Thought" to her "Fellow Travelers on the Spiritual Path." I especially like this one, and offer it to you for consideration:

I am looking at the (mother-in-law's tongue) plant on my desk. It has long green leaves edged in yellow. It is quite beautiful, and I am admiring its beauty.  I can see streaks of yellow not on the edges, and not-quite-uniform leaves. If it were a person, it might think of itself as flawed.

What if we looked into the mirror with the same eyes of appreciation that I'm currently using for this perfect plant? What if we recognized that those flaws that we usually see are really just differences? Instead of comparing ourselves to someone else's standards of beauty, why not compare ourselves to this plant's standard (or God's)? The plant doesn't care what we look like. It radiates back to us exactly the love we give it.
What if we take this one step farther? There are no flaws anywhere, just differences. I am blessing the differences between us. If we were all alike, would life need to exist?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Rev. Suellen!

Love to all,

Leta

Tribute to a great man

Walt Lohrentz, a gentle man, a gentleman, a scholar and sweetheart. He passed away June 5th, having blessed planet Earth with his presence and powerful faith for 90 years. It was an honor and a joy to attend his funeral service.
One of his favorite Bible passages was Philippians 4:4-9. This is it:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I'm not a Bible reader, but there are a few spots I dearly love. I can see why Walt loved this so much. What a great amount of wisdom is here:

Rejoice! Enjoy life.

Be kind and gentle, an example of the Lord's love.

Don't worry--ask God for what you need and your needs shall be met.

Focus on the good things.

Practice all this, don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

And so it is!

Leta

Il Dolce Far Niente

The title is Italian for "the sweetness of doing nothing," a phrase from the movie Eat, Pray, Love.
Doing nothing? Really?!?!? For so many of us, that's not even near our radar screen.
I have a voice in my head that incessantly says, "You should do more." My expanding self-awareness has led me to realize that I define the value of my being by how much I do and how successfully I do it (alas, as measured by money).
So I contemplate doing nothing. It's a challenge. I get to practice stopping that "You should do more" voice. I realize that there's always stuff to do, and there always will be, as long as I'm on the planet. So it's not like I'll get it all done, and then I can do nothing. I get to make the choice to just do nothing now. I smile realizing that the model I was raised with was, "Get the work done, then you can do fun stuff." Does that sound familiar?
Recently my husband and I have reinstated the practice of sitting in our beautiful backyard after he gets home from work, having a drink and talking, before we have dinner and head off into other things. This is a very sweet time, and to me there's nothing more important than "doing nothing" with the person I love most.
Is there some way to work just a bit of il dolce far niente into your daily routine? I expect your soul will sing with joy!
Leta

Voices

This quote is from author Kathy Juline: "No one exactly like you has ever, or will ever, be born. You are the only expression of Life that has your precise combination of traits, abilities, and gifts. Because you are unique, you are the sole person who knows how you are to live. No one else can know for you."
We experience in life an onslaught of voices. There's the set of voices from the outer that would tell us what we should or shouldn't do with our lives. Note above: No one else can know for you. "No one else" includes parents, children, friends, spouse, siblings, religious leaders, politicians, etc., "NO ONE."
Then there's the voice within, that inner wisdom that truly does know how best for us to live a life of joy. It takes practice to pay attention, hear, and trust this inner wisdom. It also takes courage to listen to and follow this often still small voice, rather than the loud clamor of outer opinions and advice.
Who's steering the ship of your life?
Blessings!
Leta

"Oooooo, I like that."

A friend recently had the joy of seeing the Dalai Lama in person in Louisville. In describing His Holiness, she said he laughs a LOT, and often says, "Oooooo, I like that." I expect that this little tidbit of approach to life could be a powerful life-changer for the better, if we could simply laugh at most things (especially ourselves) and say, "Oooooo, I like that."
I guarantee that there are instances in my day wherein I'd be challenged to say, "Oooooo, I like that." But I also know that there are blessings in every moment, even if I don't recognize them IN the moment.
I'm figuring that if the Dalai Lama can be so joyful, given the horrors he's seen and experienced, why can't I? My life is a piece of cake, really. "Oooooo, I like that."
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all!
Many thanks to those soldiers and loved ones who have gone the extra mile to make our lives so good!
Leta

Boredom or Dynamic Peace?

I had a wonderful week-long visit with my two sons in Fort Collins, Colorado. Then I came home, back to my "regular" life, which I truly love. Whether it's my "work" life, or being a domestic goddess, I am generally quite happy.
Alas, I'm bored. Same old, same old. Little seems to be changing, and results in some instances continue to disappoint me.
But wait. My wise practitioner refers to this state as "dynamic peace." Life is flowing smoothly and nothing is happening to disturb my inner peace. That feels way better than "I'm bored."
I also have a sense that things are developing, and I'm simply in the waiting or incubation stage, and I'll admit, waiting is not my strong suit.
We shall see what develops, and in the meantime, be at peace.
All is well.
Leta

Dump-Delegate-Do It Differently

Executive coach and consultant Jim Dethmer offers this very interesting exercise:
1. Identify the top 25 activities you engaged in during the past month.
2. Next to each one put an arrow: pointing up means the activity increased your energy level, sideways means it's neutral, pointing down means it decreased your energy level.
3. For those noted as neutral or down-arrow activities, consider one of the following options:
     a. dump it
     b. delegate it
     c. do it differently
A personal example of this for me (though I didn't know I was doing this exercise at the time) is house-cleaning, very much a down-arrow activity. It has to be done (can't dump it). I don't want to pay a cleaning person (won't delegate it). Now I do it differently. I set a timer for one hour and clean as much as I can as fast as I can. I am generally invigorated by how much cleaning I squeezed into that hour, and I'm overjoyed that I can quit in one hour.
I think this is a pretty cool exercise, and I'll be pondering other activities in my life in light of this.
Have a super week!
Leta

One Thought on "Why Practice Yoga?"

This comes from a Huffington Post article titled "Your Brain on Yoga: How to Kick Bad Habits and Foster Better Ones"...

Eva Norlyk Smith: Many people who practice yoga regularly say that not only does it get easier to get on to the mat, it also becomes easier to make better lifestyle choices -- eat more healthful foods, get enough rest, engage in more physical activity, and so on. Why is that?

Dr. Timothy McCall: That's the other piece of the puzzle. When yoga is practiced with sensitivity and attention, it gradually increases awareness. It awakens your ability to feel what's happening in your body, heart, and mind. When you become more aware of your body, more aware of your mind, more aware of your breath, you start to notice the consequences of your behavior. So a particular food that might not be so healthy may taste good to you, but you may start to realize that when you eat it, you feel crummy. When you notice that connection, you say, "You know what, I don't think I want to eat this anymore."

That's another way that yoga can help us to change habits. It comes from the inside. What the doctor tells you is one thing. But when you notice the consequences of your actions, it's a very different -- and much more effective -- motivator. This is your body's internal wisdom talking to you, and that advice is a lot easier to follow than that of a doctor.

I have found this to be true for myself personally. And it's way easier than fighting a bad habit. 

Check out my website for more on Forrest Yoga, and join me!

Breathe!

Leta

Contemplating Death

The blog title is a chapter title in the book, The Untethered Soul, by Michael A. Singer. It is an extraordinary chapter that invites thoughtful consideration.
Here's a quote from the chapter and an assignment in the class I am currently facilitating:

“Think honestly about what you would do with your last week. What a wonderful thought to contemplate. Then ponder this question: If that’s really what you would do with your last week, what are you doing with the rest of your time? Wasting it? Throwing it away? Treating it like it’s not something precious? What are you doing with life? That is what death asks you.” 

In fact, this could be my or your last week here. We don't know when that last breath will be. Does that inspire any changes in your life? I'm pondering...

Live an inspired week!

Leta

Disappointment

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't disappointed that the Shockers lost to Louisville on Saturday night. However, in my emotional realm, disappointment is 1% and pride in the Shockers' accomplishments is 99%! What an awesome adventure for them and all their fans, all of Wichita, all of Kansas! "Good work!" to the team and coaches and all who traveled to cheer them on.

But wait, I'm not done. Disappointment has been a huge issue for me in life (as in, I don't even want to go there or try that or whatever, because I'll be disappointed). Spirit has given me a huge boost in dealing with this issue in this quote from fellow practitioner, Jenn Fay: "Disappointment is judging something too soon, for the end result of GRAND is guaranteed." Disappointment has always felt like an insurmountable boogie-man to me. "Judging something too soon," now that I can work with. I'm excited to see where this simple, but empowering, thought takes me.

Have a lovely week!
Leta

Shocker Heaven!! It's a HAPPY place!

In regard to why he and his family don't leave Wichita, Shocker basketball coach Greg Marshall says, "Why mess with happy?"
So I use this awesome quote for a blog post...
I am happy. I am also bored. I don't care for being bored. It makes me most desiring of a "spiritual shove" to my next adventure. Marshall's quote brings me back to reality--why mess with happy? I love my life, it's great, I choose to worry about nothing. Why mess with that with impatience and angst? 
It's all good, and it will be EVEN better if WSU beats Louisville Saturday evening. GO SHOCKS!!!
I'm a sports nut and proud of it!
Leta

Opening Day!!

"We're born again, there's new grass on the field." (A line from "Center Field" by John Fogerty)
Baseball season starts today, I am in heaven. I LOVE baseball! Many thanks to my grad school buddy, Larry, who, many years ago, spent hours teaching me baseball strategy at the Twins games in the old stadium in Bloomington.
We simply don't know that we are going to live to see another baseball season open. That's not a morbid thought! It's a thought that makes me LOVE this day, and that reminds me that life is so good, there's nothing to fear or worry about, and all is well.
And, yes, I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. Haven't won the World Series since 1908, yadda, yadda, yadda. I am committed to living as long as it takes to see the Cubs win the World Series, so I could be around a LONG time :) I'm good with that!
Love your life--it's priceless!
Go Cubs!
Leta

Simple "red flags"

The more I practice introspection and learn about myself as a spiritual being, and about the world as I've created it, the more I see that "should" and "shouldn't" are red flags of warning relative to one's peace of mind.
I think it's a reasonable statement that most of us would prefer to be living in a state of peace of mind. So if you are hearing "should" or "shouldn't" in your head, you are most likely not experiencing peace of mind. As Michael Singer tells us in his book, The Untethered Soul, most of us have an "inner roommate" who is into drama, waving the red flags mentioned, and generally into creating chaos.
Anyone (including your inner roommate) who is using those red flag words on you is trying to force you against your will. That may be telling you how you should or shouldn't behave, think, choose, be, and so on. Obeying these red flags means that we are either doing something we don't want to do, or not doing something we do want to do. If we don't obey them, then we often find ourselves apologizing, simply for making a choice that feels good and appropriate for us. This is what Ana Forrest refers to as "apologizing for your existence," which is a very unsatisfying habit.
Next time you say, "I'm sorry," take a moment to note if you truly are sorry. It's something we say out of habit, and it's tremendously over-used where not needed, and under-used where it's truly needed.
The first step is awareness. Begin to notice how much you are hearing "should" and "shouldn't." It's quite enlightening to pay attention to these red flags.
Joy and love,
Leta

Madness, for sure!

It's official, it's madness. I just put a note in my calendar to not plan any trips in March in the future. I LOVE college basketball, and I don't want to miss any of The Big Dance. Actually, I guess it's only partial madness for me--I don't watch every single game. But I did just fill out my bracket, and I'm picking Louisville to win it all this year (just for the record).
What are YOU passionate about? What gets you excited, moves you, makes you smile, love the thrill? Can you get excited about simply being alive and having another day here? Edwene Gaines says, "Earth is the party planet, didn't you know?" There is so much fun and magnificent stuff to enjoy here in this glorious playground Earth.
Have a great week!
Party on,
Leta

More from "The Untethered Soul"

I am currently facilitating a class on Michael Singer's book, The Untethered Soul.
Here's a quote: "What you'll see, if you watch carefully, is that you have a phenomenal amount of energy inside of you. It doesn't come from food and it doesn't come from sleep. This energy is always available to you. ... When it is flowing strongly, you can actually feel it coursing through you in waves. It gushes up spontaneously from deep inside and restores, replenishes, and recharges you. The only reason you don't feel this energy all the time is because you block it. You block it by closing your heart, by closing your mind, and by pulling yourself into a restrictive space inside. This closes you off from all the energy."

We want to keep this awesome energy flowing, don't we? Why block it? We do that when something happens that we don't like, that doesn't match our rules about how the world should be. It may be an event, a remark, something unexpected--lots of things can rattle our world-view. Most of these rattlers are really pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things. For instance, why let one "bad" driver spoil a whole day?
Alas, many are truly hooked on melodrama, and creating huge deals out of trivial things. As Mr. Singer states, "It's not healthy."

How do you not block your flow of energy? Begin to really pay attention to your heart. It is an awesome signaler that something is disturbing you. Breathe, relax around your heart, and release the energy--just let it flow on out with your exhale. It's a small exercise with a huge payoff--lots of free-flowing, creative energy.

Breathe!
Leta

the cosmic field of play

This is a daily meditation written by Rev. Noel McInnis.

Life is a symphony, and the action of every person in this life is the playing of their particular part in the music. Hazrat Inayat Khan

Until the Original Moment when space and time began, God had no room in which to move. And so it was in the beginning that God spoke forth the Word: Let a cosmic playground be, where all that is may know its own enjoyment by taking itself lightly.
Thus the cosmic field of play brought forth from the at-one-ment of God's own being. Seeing this as good, God said, Now let there be amongst the play some time of rest from playing.
Hence began the periodic darkness, whose service is enhancement of the light. This, too, God saw as good. Now let the field of play be filled with players, God decreed, and the procession of life began.
Seeing still that all was good, God finally declared, From amongst the players, let those come forth whose game it is to write their own script. Eventually, the cosmic field of play emerged as you and me, and we, God said, are very good, good enough to continue writing our own scripts forever.

Play passionately!
Leta

Two Quotes and Two Questions

Marcus Aurelius: "It is our own power to have no opinion about a thing, and not to be disturbed in our soul; for things themselves have no natural power to form our judgments."
Judy Garland: "Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

Q1: Why does it (someone else's behavior, a situation, an event, etc.) matter to you?
Q2: What about you is not good enough to simply be who you are? (As in trying to please or impress others.)

Hmmmm.... outer influences have no power over us other than the power we give them. They have no "natural power" to form our judgments. You've most likely experienced this -- on any given day, a remark, event, person, whatever, makes you crazy, and that same thing on another day doesn't phase you. Oh, yes, it's a choice how you react.
And often, we react in a way that we hope will please others, even if it goes against our basic nature, or violates our sense of self. This doesn't feel good. This is an example of being a "second-rate version of somebody else."
Food for thought, time to watch basketball!
Love,
Leta

White Beauty!

I am blessed to have a home office that looks out on my beautiful garden. It snowed!!!!
We are in an area starved for moisture, so wet stuff on the ground in any amount is a VERY welcome sight. We probably have 3 inches, with more predicted. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Yes, I drove in it this morning. Took it easy, slid around some, made it home safely. Here are some other ways to look at this situation that you may not have considered:
1. It's beautiful. What if snow falling to the earth was pea soup green--that just wouldn't be the same.
2. You are in no hurry. There is truly no rush--you are the creator of time, make as much as you need.
3. This magnifies the blessing of a warm home, a good book, a hot cup of tea (or in my case, cable TV for basketball!!!!).
4. It's an opportunity to be kind and careful with yourself and other drivers.
5. It may inspire you to have some basic food stock around the house for such instances, so you don't need that extra stop at the store.
6. It may inspire creativity with whatever is the pantry :)
Enjoy whatever beauty surrounds you, whether it is white or not!
Love,
Leta

Casino Experience #2

This past Saturday evening, I had my second experience at a casino for gambling. I've got nothing against gambling or casinos, or the folks who enjoy them, and winning money certainly is a fun thing. I just feel like sharing my feelings and experience.
Overwhelming is the first work that comes to mind. I recently visited St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and it's the largest Catholic church in the world, and I think several of St. Peter's would fit inside the Kansas Star Casino. There's so much color and noise and so many choices, it's hard to know where to start. I feel like everyone else knows what they are doing and they are winning, and I'm clueless and losing. I feel like a nerd with my $35 or so limit, which I can easily stick by. My casino stay is not long, as I lose my money quickly. I leave smelling like an ashtray--that seems to be the one place where smokers can still smoke and enjoy a "kiss my ass!" attitude.
The financially-responsible part of me is truly traumatized by this experience. How many folks are there gambling money they don't have, and losing it, running up charge cards bills or whatever? That's a sad aspect of human nature, a discouraging picture of hope and hopelessness. While I can survive the loss of $35 without much difficulty, still, next morning I found myself thinking of all the more fun and rewarding things I could have done with the money. Also, the computer geek in me has a field day thinking of all the programmable ways for gambling machine developers to "stack the deck" against the players.
I did have fun with my gal pals, and they all got a big laugh at my expense when I squealed when I won $10 (a pittance in casino terms). Yes, I may go to a casino again, but I don't care if a few years pass till my next visit.
Your thrifty friend,
Leta

Tao on Relationships

This comes from a Science of Mind magazine Daily Guide (daily meditation) by Noel McInnis:
Taoist rules of engagement for right relationship:
   When you come, we welcome you.
   When you stay, we do not hold on to you.
   When you leave, we do not pursue you.
This is my goal relative, especially, to my adult children. Challenging, to say the least!
Happy Saturday!
Love,
Leta

Really??!!?!

I'm enjoying the wonderful book by Michael A. Singer titled The Untethered Soul. The theme of this book is living life with an open heart, choosing to be unconditionally happy, and allowing life to be life and flow right on through us energetically without hanging onto irritations or celebrations--loving every moment, no matter what.
That's a tall order, to be sure. But as Mr. Singer says, "What's there to not be happy about?" Keeping one's vow of unconditional happiness requires us to give up our melodramas and that part of us that believes there is some reason to be unhappy. So many of the situations or people that we get wound up about (and often let ruin our day) are truly trivial in the grand scheme of things. Is it worth it to upset our lovely internal energy flow (which moves beautifully unless we block it or close it) over such trivial things? Really??!!?!
Breathe, relax and release. It's a practice, and you, too, can do it!
Leta

One of Those Days

Yesterday was "one of those days." For me, that means that I would prefer to be the only person on the planet, the rest of humanity can just get off the globe and leave me alone. It's an odd combination of mild crankiness and need for self-nurturing. I'm best not interacting with anyone on such days--it's rarely productive. So I mostly stayed in the woman cave, slept, ate moderately, and relaxed. Because I recognized this in myself, experienced it, and let it pass, today I'm fine and back to my "usual happy self."
These are some powerful words: This, too, shall pass. That's if we let it pass.
Is there anything you could let pass, to your great benefit?
Blessings,
Leta

Control, or not

I hit a "control bottom" in December. An attempt to exert influence, which I realized afterwards, didn't go well. Not the first time, alas. But hopefully one of the last. It was a good learning experience, in that I have no desire to control much of anything now. Nor do I have the ability. My "illusion of control" has been shattered, and for that, I am most grateful.
Now I get to enjoy the freedom, though sometimes a bit scary, of taking life, other people, and circumstances as they come. Things happen, I experience them, and let them go. It's a free way to live that I'm just starting to learn. I've been a controlling person for so long, this is a huge change. But being a controller is the direct opposite of living with an open heart, and I am committed to keeping my heart open and love flowing. I'm excited for this ongoing adventure.
Boldly,
Leta

Joy Enemy #1

     I've discovered through years of introspection that one of my key talents in life is helping people to see other options.
     "We've always done it this way!" is Joy Enemy #1. Let's take a look at this on a variety of scales. At the international level--we've always solved conflicts via war. This is becoming increasingly unacceptable as humans are waking to the idea that there are other options.
     At the national level, there is a huge expectation for the government to fix it, whatever "it" is. Truly this is a fairly recent phenomenon, less than 100 years old. Waiting for the government to fix something is futile. Consider other options, like employing the awesome creativity and resourcefulness of the American people.
     At the personal level, we tend to get so enmeshed in our habitual ways of doing things, that we don't even take time to consider other options. Here's one to blow most parents' minds: if your child is older than 10, they can do their own laundry. This supports their resourcefulness, and helps them understand consequences (such as the social embarrassment of stinky clothes). And it frees parents to do something more fun than laundry.
     There are many commonly-held beliefs that are bullshit, such as:
     1) Taking good care of oneself is selfish.
     2) A parent's job is to keep the child happy.
     3) A parent can't allow a child to fail--it will make the parent look bad.
     4) Change is to be resisted.
Well, if these are bullshit, what are the other options?  I'll let you ponder those a bit.
With an open mind,
Leta