chakra & awe

here is just a short, basic lesson on chakras, the study of which began in hindu culture.  our bodies are made up of energy.  we know this is true.  chakras are like a map of that energy.  each chakra is a whorl of energy within the body that receives and emits energy from and to the universe.  there are seven accepted chakras, though likely more.  a great book to read to learn more is chakras for beginners by david pond.

here's what each chakra does:

the first is the ROOT CHAKRA located behind the pubic bone.  through this chakra you stay connected to the earth.  its function is basic survival.  colors associated with root are red, brown and black.

the second is the SACRAL CHAKRA located about an inch below your belly button.  this is the pleasure-seeking chakra.  the energy stored here balances feelings of completeness and fullness in the moment.  think desire.  sex and chocolate.  color is orange/amber.

the third is the SOLAR PLEXUS located just below the breast bone between your lungs.  solar plexus functions as the root of your drive for power.  ambition, baby.  yellow/amber shades help you focus on this chakra.

the fourth and fifth are my favorites.  HEART CHAKRA is four, located a few inches above the solar plexus right in the middle of the chest.  a paradigm shift happens between these two chakras.  this is the swirling bit of energy that allows you to transition from the separateness of being an individual to the unity of being an inhabitant of earth.  through this chakra you feel compassion and love.  when the heart is balanced anything is possible - think law of attraction.  color is green but for meditation rose quartz is great, too.

the fifth chakra is THROAT.  it's located midway between your noggin and your lower neck.  as you might imagine, this chakra functions as your creative expression.  the color associated with this chakra is blue.

the THIRD EYE is the sixth chakra.  when i get acupuncture i love to get stuck in my third eye.  it's in the middle of your brain just above the eyebrows.  this is where your little voice lives.  in a psychic, this chakra is crazy active.  color is indigo.

the seventh is CROWN CHAKRA.  it's above your head.  whereas through the heart you connect with others, through the crown you connect with god.  when you see people meditating with clear quartz over their heads, they are focusing on their connection with the universe.

so this is the deal.  each of these chakras is responsible for the happiness and well being of particular organs and body parts.  balancing your chakras leads you to happiness, providing you with more physical comfort.  if you're experiencing migraines or undiagnosable health problems, you may want to learn more.  google it.  there's limitless info.

finding balance in your lower chakras provides more opportunity for growth, innovation and happiness in the upper ones.  without lower chakra balance you can have flashes of insight from the uppers but will not be able to sustain that level of consciousness until the lower chakras are in balance.  the lowers are chakras 1-3.

pond says, "the outer imbalance [of your world] is a reflection of the inner imbalance...  the inner imbalance is not caused by situations in the world, the inner imbalance creates situations in the outer world.  this is the energetic view of life - change the inner experience of energy and the outer will follow."

i personally can feel when i'm out of balance.  for me chakras 4-6 are almost always on fire but 1-2 are usually off kilter.  i need to do things like, make time to BE in nature and focus more on self discipline.  as they say, transition in progress.  constant adjustments are required to maintain equilibrium.  

the point is, take time for yourself.  find a few minutes every day to turn off the electronics, shut your eyes and empty your head.  force yourself to do it.  it's important!  YOU are important!  during these moments of clarity and peace you WILL connect with yourself and figure out what needs balancing. 

peace!
v 

shameless plug weekends

Check out Dr. Brian Weiss on You Tube.  He's answering readers' questions now and it's really interesting.  Brian Weiss is an Ivy League educated, world renown psychotherapist who specializes in healing through past life regression.  He's incredibly knowledgeable.  Love this guy!

View below.

Peace!
V

ASK DR. WEISS: Free will and destiny; soulmates; ghosts; souls in differ...

talk to me

question.  share if you dare. anonymously or otherwise.  your happy place...

life according to zac

I love to dance to country music with my kids.  I crank the speakers and scoop them up one at a time for a bounce around my family room.  The others wait patiently and watch while their sibling is flung around in circles and smothered in kisses.  When the song ends, the next one stretches their hands up, eager for his/her turn.  I love it.  It's in these moments that I love life so deeply and intensely that I inevitably begin to cry big fat happy tears.


This is my favorite verse from "Chicken Fried" by The Zac Brown Band - always chokes me up... 

"It's funny how it's the little things in life that mean the most.
It's not where you live, or what you drive or the price tag on your clothes.
There's not dollar sign on peace of mind this I've come to know.
So if you agree have a drink with me, raise you glasses for a toast
to a little bit of chicken fried,
cold beer on a Friday night,
a pair of jeans that fit just right,
and the radio uuuuuup!
I like to see the sun rise,
see the love in my woman's eyes,
feel the touch of a precious child,
and know a mother's looooooovvvve." 

Peace!
V

forgive and move on

Posting in the evenings this week.  I'm sans hubby or help so it's a better time for me.  Back to mornings next week.  :-)

Forgive and move on.  Sounds easy enough, but it can be hard to forgive someone who has wronged you, especially when that person doesn’t see what he did wrong or offer an apology.  

When we are pissed, pain or anger tends to take over our minds.  We replay conversations, imagine new ones in which we come out on top, envision the offender rolling naked in poison ivy, etc.  We’ve all been there.  No one is exempt.  And most likely, none of us enjoys these obsessive thoughts.  

When I find myself in that moment, I do something that a psychotherapist taught me many years ago.  When I start getting obsessive, replaying the offensive conversation in my head over and over, I imagine that instead of words, we speak black sludge.  The silent black sludge drips down our chins, oozes onto the street and disappears into a conveniently nearby gutter.  Black sludge is my vitriolic spew of choice, but it can be anything - gumballs, nails, fire ants...  Anyway, this halts the conversation and, as a result, ends the constant replay.  Then I replace the thought with a beautiful memory or look at a happy picture that takes me to another place.

When you shift your state of thought, you can lift your state of mind.  Once your noggin is no longer jammed up with negativity, there is more room for the good stuff.  You can allow yourself to think of the offender as an imperfect human being, doing the best he can with what he knows.  And you can forgive him, even if he never utters the words, “I’m sorry.” 

How does this apply to new age thinking?  Simple.  Happiness and love are the vibrations we are aiming for.  It’s hard to be happy when you’re totally rip shit.  By activating your SUPERPOWER to change your thinking, you engage your personal connection with the Universe, interpreting challenging situations or people through a wider lens, creating a better reality for yourself and others, thus making the world, YES THE WORLD, a happier place. 

Forgive and move on.  Maybe not easier said than done afterall.

Peace!

V

these are days

I separate my life into chapters.  I spent my twenties as a bit of a gypsy so I’ve collected memories from lots of different places, jobs and groups of friends.  In each chapter (city, ship, job or school), I was blessed to meet amazing people whom I now and forever call friends.  We don’t necessarily see each other or communicate regularly anymore but the memories of our time on this journey are treasures.

Last week I spent a good 5 hours scanning and uploading old photos onto my Facebook page.  I did it b/c I wanted to relive some really fun memories with dear old friends.  I wanted to let them know that I love each of them and hold our time together in a special place in my heart.  I can close my eyes and hear their voices, feel their hugs, laugh at their jokes, appreciate their friendships. 

I can even remember the way people walked.  In high school we spent so much time cruising the hallways in between class.  I can still see, very specifically, their strides – some bouncy, some skulky, some quick and self-conscious, some confident and smooth.  The point is, not much gets past any of us… and the things we see are seared into our memories.  Even seemingly insignificant details like the way we swagger. 

If you can take the time to reflect and relive your happy times with friends, examining the rich detail that your mind will allow you to conjure, you may find yourself feeling the love and happiness you once experienced with them.  You may actually appreciate them more now than you did in the moment or feel more connected to the experiences you shared.  You may feel like your friends are still right here with you.  And you know what?  On a spiritual level, they are.  It’s really amazing.  

Peace!

v

shameless plug weekends

Blanked on Saturday – no internet!  Here are two plugs for the long weekend.  Will post next on Tuesday. 

workshop for emotional eating

Boston’s “Fit Foodie” Denise Costello has mastered the art of cooking real food for busy people.  And April 29 – May 1 she will be in Sunapee, NH showing us how to do it, too!  Denise is going to set us straight – tell us what to buy at the grocer and how to prepare it through lectures and cooking demos.  This is a great time to clean out your cupboards of Fritos and Spaghettios and fill them with REAL food that is good for you and good for the planet.

Mary Howe leads a weekend of active healing.  Emotional eaters will work towards ending unhealthy habits through a process called “Emotional Freedom Techniques”, like acupuncture without the needles.  Mary is a successful and popular life coach helping people nationwide through her proven techniques.  Join her and Denise for a life changing weekend in a beautiful country setting.

$250 for workshop with both Denise and Mary 

Enjoy excellent hiking trails and local shops.  Tibetan bowl performance included with registration fee.  Yoga, massage and private readings can be booked at an additional charge.

90 minutes north of Boston!  Call today to book 603.763.4212.

www.sunapeeviewinn.com

happy hair, happy me

You may not consider a visit to the hair salon as a viable stop on the spiritual express; but damn straight, for me, it’s pretty close.  Two reasons.  One, I’m actually taking care of and time for myself, something that I rarely do but I know is vital to my being.  The second.  Stylist Sal Malafronte.  Holy shit, he’s so funny.  He has amazing energy.  He’s hilarious.  He’s h-o-t.  He’s honest and real.  And he is SUPER TALENTED!  He makes the experience a happy one, and me and my bouncy new ‘do are totally appreciative!  Choo choo for happiness and gratitude!

Sal Malafronte, Salon Mario Russo, 9 Newbury Street, Boston 617.424.6676

http://www.mariorusso.com/

Peace!
V

talk to me

What do you believe in?  What is your spiritual truth?  Please share anonymously or otherwise!

wide open

in its first month, this blog has been read 3300+ times by people in 19 countries.  holy shit, this is crazy!  and scary! every day when i drag my mouse to the "publish post" button, my face turns red and for a split second, i feel like i want to barf.  who's reading this?  will people think i'm nuts?  does my story today even make sense???  

my goal is to deliver a message that is real and personal without being self-indulgent.  i don't have all the answers.  these are just ideas i've studied and applied and set in the context of my life.  a life which sometimes is really happy and others times sucks the big one.   

it is not easy to share my deepest thoughts.  i feel vulnerable.  wide open.  sometimes just plain crazy.  i am deliberately and actively leaving myself open to judgment and criticism, and trust me, i know it's out there.  but i choose not to focus on the negativity b/c the love and empathy that people return to me is palpable and overwhelmingly beautiful.      

when people reach out to me and say things like, "thank you, i really needed that today,"or, "you're helping me think more about my own spirituality," i am humbled.  and happy.  i don't collect a paycheck for this blog but i feel rich in CONNECTEDNESS.  and blessed to have these god-given gifts of openness and compassion to share.

so in the end i write this blog because i am deeply committed to YOU.  maybe you and i are friends.  maybe we only share shy smiles in the grocery store.  maybe we are exes.  maybe we've never met here on earth.  regardless of our personal relationship, if joining me on this journey provides you with moments of clarity, peace, laughter or self-acceptance, i am happy and it's worth the nausea.

with so much love for YOU,
peace!
v

a really old and unattractive pic of me pretending be on the verge of puking.  hopefully we share a "sick" sense of humor!

proud to be a gleek

who watched GLEE last night?  anthem week!  i effing love that show.  can't get enough of it.  i dvr it and spend wednesday afternoons learning the dance routines with my kids.  their favorite song to dance to is "give up the funk".  you remember when they funkified vocal adrenaline?  my girls, ages 6 and 4, are bad asses when they groove to that one!  even my 2 year old boy rocks it!  so funny! 

i love this show on so many levels.  the underlying messages excite me just as much as, if not more than, the performances.  last night, mr. shoo, full of passion, said, "we push through the weird to get to the real stuff."  amen, hallelujah and praise the lord!  YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

mr. shoo pretty much summed up the entire show with this one-liner.  the glee kids are quirky; they represent every unsavory stereotype that exists amongst high schoolers.  glee reminds us all that these "gleeks" are human beings - as we all are - and helps us identify and empathize with one another.
 
so, if you watched the episode you'll know that not too long after mr. schuster's comment, he sang "this little light of mine".  such a simple anthem, loaded with meaning and inspirational value.  each of us is special.  we all have gifts that are valuable and important.  gifts that can change the world.  yes, THE WORLD!  you are one person but you are so much bigger than you think!  you are not invisible.  your energy is far-reaching and extraordinarily powerful - you don't have to be in the public eye to have a profound effect on the world.  do not underestimate yourself or the SUPERPOWER you possess!  the best thing that you can do for yourself and the people around you is to share your gifts - let your light shine! 


the other piece of this dialogue that got my heart pounding was how it relates to my blog.  THIS IS WHAT I WRITE ABOUT!  pushing through the weird to get to the real!  discovering ourselves through the UNIVERSE is wild!  the things that i learn at first are totally WEIRD but i have to keep saying to myself, "WHY NOT?"  if we can stay open-minded long enough to let the information in, eventually it starts to make sense and becomes REAL.

peace!
v

p.s.  puck is super hot!

tree of life

No stories today, just a really cool picture.  I snagged this off a website for past life regression therapist, Ann C. Barham, MA out of Cali.  Such a great visual when you're trying to wrap your head around the soul's journey through the Universe... how it is organized and "timed".

Peace!
V 

spread the love

Love begets love.  I know this is true from experience.  The more love I pour into the world, the more I get back.  It’s cyclic, this force of love.  Because when I get back what I give out, I want to give more.  I hug more, I smile more, I trust more, I connect more.  Love feels good...  no, it feels GREAT! 

Love is not just a feeling, it is energy.  Energy is real – it moves and vibrates.  Love vibrates super duper shmooper fast.  It gives you chills, gets you excited, makes you feel happy.  And the best quality of love is that it’s contagious! 

Happy Valentine’s Day!  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxox

Peace!

V

p.s.

It's Meatless Monday, baby!  Serve up those veggies and beans tonight!

shameless plug weekends

reiki certification

krista mitchell is leaving her new york city practice behind for one special weekend this april...  join her in newbury new hampshire april 8th weekend to earn your certificate in the ancient healing art of reiki.

amazing weekend offers reiki and crystal first level certification.  also enjoy the offerings of sunapee...  yoga.  massage.  hiking.  tibetan bowl meditation.

call now to book.  only 8 spots.  603.763.4212.

price is 250 not including lodging.

other workshops available in april - see side panel on this page for details.  so fun!  see you there!!!

old kids

My kids are very young and sometimes drive me absolutely bananas.  In those moments, I try to remember that they are not just ill-behaved rug rats trying to test me and annoy me.  They are "spiritual beings having a human experience". 

I have such a deep respect for them because they are participating in this journey with their own struggles and walking their own paths.  They may be young, but their souls are experienced and strong - probably more experienced than mine. 

Sometimes we need to stop and look at our children as more than just little people who scribble on the walls with Sharpie and wipe boogies on their headboards.  They are deeply loving spiritual beings setting out on a new earthly journey.  Respect them, knowing that in other lifetimes they have accumulated great knowledge and experienced incredible things.

Peace!
V

p.s.  If you are visiting after receiving an email from me, the special entry I was hoping to share is after this one.  Scroll down...   xoxo!

a small act of compassion

This is an excerpt from Dr. Meg Blackburn Losey's book "Conversations with the Children of NOW".

"My favorite story is one of a miracle in a moment, from  my friend whom we'll call Barbara:

'I was standing in line at the post office, contemplating suicide.  My husband had died unexpectedly and I felt devastated, completely alone in the world.  I felt as if I had nothing.  I was beyond depressed.  I felt as if I had no reason to live.  I was unloved and unwanted.  There was nothing left, so I was going to go home and kill myself.

As the lines began to move, the lady in the line adjacent to me turned to me and smiled.  Just smiled.  In that tiny moment I felt acknowledged, alive.  I decided that life wasn't so bad after all.  That woman will never know that her small act of kindness saved my life that day...'

Of course all of our actions beget reactions.  In fact, every cause has an effect.  This is called 'ripple effect'.  What has this beautiful soul done with the life that was saved by a simple smile?  She moved to a small village in another country where she teaches the natives how to support their families through faming and learning crafts such as jewelry making.  She also works at a school, teaching the children different crafts that they can use to support themselves and their families in the future.

All from one smile."

Isn't this so beautiful?  I cry every time I read it.  We all have this power.  This SUPERPOWER to help, heal, love.  Use yours today.  Say hello to a stranger.  Smile at someone in CVS.  Make small talk on the train ride home.  Wave to the person who lets you pass on the road.  These small gestures remind us we are connected and appreciated.  You never know how deeply your small, friendly offering will be felt.

This story also reminds me of my gypsy boy in Paris ("Here We Go").  Perhaps the woman in the post office was Barbara's  soul mate making a guest appearance at just the right moment?  Divine timing?  So many fun ideas to consider!  Isn't this Universe AMAZING????????????

Peace!
V

winner winner chicken dinner

A mildly inappropriate entry to ring in my first week of Meatless Mondays... be patient with me, it's not going where you think it's going.

Last night I was cleaning a chicken for dinner.  The heart was stuck way up inside the bird's cavity so I had to reach in deep and pull it out.  I stared at the little heart in my hand thinking, "God, this is gross."  But it made me think.  This heart used to beat inside a little bird's chest.  This chicken had a life.  She ate corn, ran around, pecked at other birds...  Several months of chicken-y moments culminated last night when my family and I gobbled her up in about 25 minutes.

My family has never said Grace before dinner (except on big holidays) but last night I had an overwhelming urge to offer some praise.  There are so many people and animals to thank for the food on our dinner table.  Of course the chicken, the cow for milk and butter, the soil for green beans and potatoes, the farmer for, well, everything.  The truck driver for delivering the food, IKEA for my cute place mats, my husband for sponsoring the meal, and God for allowing it all to come together in this amazing Universe.  So we all sat down to eat and I suggested we take a moment to give thanks to our formerly-feathered friend...  then two of my kids started laughing hysterically and screaming like banshees.  I guess they thought thanking a dead chicken was funny.  And the "Leave it to Beaver" moment slipped away. 

The point is threefold.  One part being, it takes an incredible amount of effort (and carbon emission) to bring a meal to the table and Grace gives us an opportunity to BE aware of it.  Two, Grace doesn't have to be hokey and isn't reserved only for Bible Belt Baptists.  If you didn't grow up doing it, like me, saying Grace before a meal may feel awkward or manufactured; but there is conscious value in its tradition.   The final part, sometimes the gratitude is there but circumstances do not allow us to give thanks the way we envision.  Kids melt down, partners are late, rice burns, red wine spills across your treasured white Italian tablecloth...  It's okay.  We can try again tomorrow.


Do you say grace at home?  How do you do it?  Who do you thank?  God?  Allah?  The butcher at Whole Foods? Please share your own experiences or ideas - anonymously or otherwise.  Inspire the few hundred people who read this blog!

Peace!
V

If Family Guy can do it, I can do it!  :-)

guiding light

I'm blown away by how many people have chimed in regarding the "alone in the dark" post.  And I'm enormously relieved to know I'm not alone in my fears!  I think it's only natural that children are afraid of the dark.  Our souls come from a place of pure light and love.  When we are born on Earth, we experience darkness for the first time as new human beings and it must feel very foreign and scary.  It doesn't surprise me that most people feel vulnerable.  Darkness is unnatural because our source is one of beautiful, constant light.

I try my best to squash this fear of the dark in my own home.  So for my own small children (ages 2,4,6), I often  do a guided meditation for them at bedtime.  Instead of me telling them, "don't be scared," or, "there's nothing to worry about," the meditation allows them to compose their own imagery that provides them with some serenity in the darkness.  Here's what I say:


Relax your muscles and body parts from head to toe, feeling heavy and completely supported by the bed.  Picture yourself lying down in a safe and beautiful place.  [My oldest (PG) likes to lie in a soft grassy field and my second (SG) usually lies someplace silly like on top of a giant block of cheese.]  Clear your mind of any thoughts.  If a thought, scary or otherwise, pops up, send it away on butterfly's back and watch the butterfly flutter up, up, up until you can't see it anymore.  Your thoughts and worries are flying up to God and God will protect you and keep your worries tonight.  Now imagine a beautiful light above your head.  It's glowing bright but it doesn't hurt your eyes.  It's shining on you and filling your body with warmth and love.  Hold onto this feeling while you fall asleep and know that you are a beautiful and treasured part of the Universe.  You are loving and bright and kind.  Mommy and Daddy love you so much.  Now go to sleep and dream about your favorite things.

Sometimes I let them hold crystals while they meditate and they imagine the light to be the color of their crystal.  Rose quartz is a favorite with my girls because it's pink, but it also helps to calm fears and encourages self love.  The kids have such vivid imaginations - when they meditate they really feel the desired experience.


It takes a few minutes to get through but it works every single solitary time.  I should probably add a disclaimer saying that I am not a psychotherapist and have no training.  This meditation is just something I do and have been successful with it.


Peace!
V

Kids enjoy and benefit from meditation, too!  

This is was PG back in September, meditating with her favorite crystal over her third eye.

meatless monday

I'm enjoying my first Meatless Monday today.  Oprah featured the idea on her vegan episode last week and I was totally inspired.  This is something reasonable that I can actually do!  Health benefits aside, incorporating one animal product-free day into our week can literally change the world - and fast.  Mark Bittman wrote in Food Matters that by eliminating a few servings of meat from our diets each week we can dramatically decrease carbon emissions.  This can happen immediately.  Now!  Without government intervention.  Just replace one day's worth of milk, cheese, meat, poultry and junk food with veggies, beans and fruit.

I prepared meatless lunches for the kids (had to cheat and put in a cheese stick for my 6 year old) and  I'm cooking a veggie and tofu cassoulet with popovers for din-din tonight.  Let's see how this goes...

I keep thinking, if we're worried about this now, in 2011.  What will the world be like for our kids in 30 years?  How will they heat their homes and travel?  What will their food source be?

We can give animals a rest on Mondays, right?


Peace!
V

shameless plug weekends

Two shameless plugs this week.  I am personally very excited about both.


HEALING

I feel so incredibly blessed to be a patient of Linda Huang Tolentino, Acupuncturista at Winchester Center for Acupuncture and Health.  She's extraordinary.  Her depth of knowledge, creativity and passion for holistic healing overwhelm me each time I visit.  If you need to work through something physically or emotionally and you are feeling blocked, contact Linda.  She's brilliant, compassionate, thoughtful and beautiful.  She's THE BEST!!! 

781.729.8880

http://www.winchestercenteracupuncture.com/



FOOD

I'm all jacked up about Meatless Mondays - WHO'S WITH ME??  STARTING TOMORROW!! - and Jen William's terrific blog has surfaced just in time to help us perform.  Jen's blog features yummy step-by-step recipe instructions complemented by gorgeous pictures and colorful stories told in her uniquely authentic voice.  But she goes way beyond recipes...  Jen researches the crapola (that might be one of her words?) out of food issues and delivers them to her readers with insight and simplicity.  If you are ready to eat consciously, or if you already do, JW's blog is a fantastic read!

www.lovingbytes.com

One of the shots from Jen's step-by-step "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Chili".  Pretty, huh?  And it's only half way done!

Peace!
V

"wonder"ful tennis lessons

I learned two wonderful lessons on the tennis court this week, but they weren't about serving or volleying.  Maybe these lessons will help you, too.

Lesson #1

Be present.  Typically I rush madly out the door on tennis mornings, drop my kids at school and motor over to the indoor courts, peel off my snow boots / sweat pants and scramble over to Court 4 to meet my crew.  This week, I arrived in usual form, discombobulated and breathy.  I started to warm up but was still thinking about my family, my work, my obligations.  I was having a hard time connecting with the ball.  So I asked my rally partner for a minute to transition from my crazy world outside to the controlled present.  I walked off the court, looked around the room, took a few deep breaths and whispered to myself, "Get here.  Be on the court.  Play tennis."  And then we played.  Granted, I'm no Serena Williams but I enjoyed the match and played to my abilities. 

BEING in the present moment seems so simple but really it's not.  When you can BE you are connecting with yourself on a much deeper level and acknowledging the importance and value of the moment.  There's a book that I love called "Psychic Development for Begginers".  In the book, William A. Hewitt tells us that we can hone in on our psychic skills just by BEING present in every moment.  For example, you might walk past a tree in your yard every day.  You know it's there but you never acknowledged it.  So today, look out at that tree and BE there.  Say, "This is a tree.  It's 30 feet tall and covered in sparkly white snow.  This is the way the tree looks on a winter day."  It sounds a bit weird and you'll feel silly doing this, but it will help you to BE in your surroundings and is a good practice for focusing and connecting to yourself and the universe.   

Lesson #2

Stop apologizing.  My partners are better players than me.  (I'm relieved they haven't booted me out of the group yet!)  The insecurity that I feel when I'm playing causes me to over-apologize for mishits and double faults.  I feel like I am disappointing my partner or disrupting the flow of the game.  But this week I made a conscious decision not to beat myself up for making mistakes and to stop apologizing.  I actually said it out loud in attempt to keep myself honest.  My partners know that I don't want to lob the ball into Siberia.  They know that I am trying my best.  And they are my friends so they will not judge me.  So I cut myself a break and just enjoyed the game, playing the best I could on that day.

I spend way too much time apologizing for things I don't need to be sorry about.  Or obsessing about personal shortcomings because I feel insecure or inadequate.  When I'm doing it, I know I'm doing it and I am all too aware that it could be making those around me uncomfortable.  Most detrimentally, I am giving away my personal power.  This is dangerous and leaves me feeling very unbalanced.  So no more for me.  I am human and imperfect, great at some things and crappy at others, but overall loving and compassionate and well-intended.  And with that, I happily take back my own superpowers.

Peace!
Vanessa

Ideally Wonder Woman would be holding a tennis racket but you get the idea.  ;-)     

defining moment

I pulled this off of Wikipedia and thought I'd share it today...

The New Age movement is a non-religious Western spiritual movement that developed in the latter half of the 20th century. Its central precepts revolve around "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, consciousness research and quantum physics."  It aims to create "a spirituality without borders or confining dogmas" that is inclusive and pluralistic.  Another of its primary traits is holding to holistic worldview," thereby emphasising that the Mind, Body and Spirit are interrelated and that there is a form of Oneness and unity throughout the universe. It further attempts to create "a worldview that includes both science and spirituality" and thereby embraces a number of forms of science and pseudoscience.

a conscious effort

There's so much chatter about the modern conscious movement going on around the globe.  Are people living it, or just talking about it?  (I'm not doubting, just asking.)  Is conscious living part of your every day?  Do you act with clear intention? 
 
Here's a list of some things I'm trying to do CONSCIOUSLY...  full awareness...  living presently in the moment.  Disclaimer:  The word TRYING is key here.  I am not always successful.

• love my family 
• ground myself
• be happy
• connect with people genuinely
• help people while respecting my own needs
• buy earth-friendly food with less packaging
• get my lazy ass to the gym... er... treat my body like a temple
  
• reach beyond tolerance and grab hold of acceptance
• know better and do better
• organize my environment
• be friendly to strangers and think the best of people
• recycle every scrap
• discipline myself
• thank the animals I eat
• drive my BFT (as little as possible)
• forgive and move on
  
• meditate
• know that "I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for" (thank you John Mayer)    

This is a lot to juggle during the course of a day!   It's not easy!  I consider myself a "transition-in-progress" (to quote the t-shirt), trying really hard to live life with beautiful connections to this amazing UNIVERSE and with the amazing PEOPLE in it.     

What are you doing to live a more conscious life?  What's on your list?  Please share if you're comfortable - or make your own list and put it somewhere handy.  When we write things down they stick a little better! 

Peace!
V

steven "don't call me steve" tyler

So I guess the secret's out - I love TV.  There is one show in particular that makes me very happy and I'm counting the minutes until it comes on tonight.  AMERICAN IDOL!  I've always loved it.  But this season is the best! 

Don't get me wrong, for the past 10 years, I have loved Simon Cowell.  His big square head and tight white nipple shirts could distract me from neither the twinkle in his eye nor his adorable British accent.  I loved his snarky quips and villainous confidence.  But on Idol, as in life, we need to intimately know evil so we can better understand and appreciate good.  And this season, our hero swaggered in with guns blazing!   

Do we love Steven Tyler, or what?  He's crazy, he's hilarious, he's naughty... he brings fantabulous energy to every show.  He thrills me on Tuesday nights!  When that D.O.M. pours over a teenage girl who walks in with a mini-skirt and high heels, I gag a little bit, but I still I wish I was her!  Mr. Tyler, you old as shit but you are TOTALLY SEXY!!!  

It's not just those gigantic rubber band lips I find so appealing, more effectually, it's his compassionate heart.  He innately knows when to soften up on a contestant.  He senses when the shock of a negative critique will be too painful for a wannabe to bear.  And last week when he hugged that girl in the wheelchair and practically cried into her arms, I was right there with him...  feeling his compassion and love!   

So goodbye Simon Scowell.  I loved you while I had you but, boy, am I glad you've been replaced!  No more mean and nasty energy for the gazillions tuning in each week.  Steven Tyler has single handedly turned up the happy meter on Idol and helped its audience to function on a higher level!  This is what a great family show should be!

Peace!
V

Dude.  Seriously.  I'm downloading "Love in an Elevator" right now!