Five people in my immediate world have died in the last two months. They slipped away during the night; they left when 911 was called and responded. Bodies weary, worn, weathered and no longer wondrous with life, let go of earthly hold. Spirits tireless, bright, dignified and elegant uttered their final messages — silent words of release and love.  Somewhere in the years of then and now these five people lived. Through inspiration, objective, focus, responsibility and trust, each of these men and women were constant to their role as human being. Clearly without perfection they sought to live nobly, a testament to the grace rooted at their core.

“Maturing is not just aging. It’s taking responsibility for the time you take up and the space you occupy,”  Maya Angelou affirms.  Within the bounds and limits of expanding ourselves, we as conscious individuals attempt — and often fail– to express our soul’s aspirations. We become mired in doubt, believing we are less-than. Ego driven, we are afraid to look, act or BE older. Media reports to us unceasingly, the countless ways to remain beautiful, youthful and ageless.  We have forgotten we are not these bodies.  We live in fear of wrinkles, flawed countenance and loss of sex drive. Instead of taking stock of how we give back to the world, we fixate on how we appear to the world. By doing so, are we not misusing the space we occupy?

I believe aging is — in part– about discovering our purpose, uncovering the picture of a bigger story.  This enterprise is no small task.  It requires presence and deep consideration.  Some days I struggle with my attempts at soul’s work. Some days, I’m not even sure I know what that work is! Caught up in my own human fears of aging — physical limitations more apparent, dreams unfulfilled, making sense of the reasons for my existence — I let ego steer me away from the knowing I AM spirit. I live in the past of regret and the future of what-if-only.

During these times, corralling my attention to the moment is imperative.  I don’t ignore my fears; I move through them. I strive to age with dignity and grace.  The five residents that passed away at the care facility where I work, have been an example to me. They have reflected it is through our imperfection in aging, that we grace this world. Though we cannot always be benevolent of heart and less driven by ego’s insecurities, we can prompt ourselves to live responsibly. We can wake up every day and in our finer moments, get close to our soul.

Gratitude is a magnificent word. Daily, it appears on the breeze of my dreams’ finales like a gentle alarm alerting me to the waking hour. Taking a few moments to silently list what I am thankful for is the origin of my day. The inventory is extensive naturally, but mainly the beneficiaries of my grateful register are family and friends. Gratitude has immense power. Similar to the motion of a bird’s wings in flight, it lifts the energy of thanks to realms we cannot touch with our human hands.

While some claim pseudoscience at work, Masaru Emoto’s studies of positive intention on the structure of water are compelling. His work reveals that music, prayer and the words — love and gratitude — produce beautifully shaped water crystals. While emphasizing he is not a scientist, nor the studies “double blind,” Emoto has nevertheless opened our eyes to the possibility we can have profound effect — in this case on water, one of humans? most essential needs. The notion that basic H20 can be appreciated enough to form symmetrical, snowflake-like shapes when frozen is extraordinary. Imagine the myriad other possibilities! Read more »

I’m stripping – one fear at a time, one feeling at a time, one label, one tear. I’m stripped of each element of my person. Who is doing the stripping I can’t really say. Am I the perpetrator? Is this stripping societal, accidental, an act of God? All I know is it is happening whether I like it or not, regardless if I’m ready or not.

Sara Davidson writes in her latest bestseller Leap! What Will We Do With the Rest of Our Lives? that this act – the “s” word – is “when the supports that prop up your identity are kicked away.” Now I understand intellectually that my identity is not truly who I AM. I know on a deeper level of being alive, I am not this body that isn’t as perfect as I may want or a mother who desperately loves her three children -the youngest having returned to college today. I don?t want to believe I am unemployed or worse, unemployable. Read more »

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my values and principles, and how consciousness of them is essential to living with intention. Several things have sparked and sustained this extended meditation and I know all originate with now being the right time for me to explore this. I’m reveling in the synchronicity of thoughts and experiences coming into my life, which give me regular opportunities to explore this theme. One sparking event was a comment from one of our blog readers. Writing about her participation in the ME2 Challenge, she says “it is an opportunity for me to see my principles in action“. I absolutely love how she put that!

As we grow and change throughout our lifetimes, our values may shift yet our principles tend to be more fixed, as they are fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for our beliefs, behavior and chain of reasoning. You might even say they are the fundamental qualities of our true selves or manifestations of our very essence. This then brings me back to our readers? comment and the idea that our principles are a direct connection to the sacred. And this connection is the ultimate aim of the ME2 Challenge: by taking care of your body, mind and spirit, you affirm the sacredness of your being, which is the source of generosity, love and compassion. Read more »

With each sunrise comes an opportunity to start afresh; whether it is renewing our commitment to daily practice or another chance to leave behind an old habit. Adding a daily gratitude practice to your morning ritual is a wonderful way to acknowledge the blessings in your life.

Many recent studies suggest that people who are more grateful experience higher levels of well-being and are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Studies also indicate that people characterized as grateful are more in control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, and have greater self acceptance. Sounds like living with intention to me! Gratitude seems to be an overall tonic for body, mind and spirit and grateful people are known to sleep better, perhaps because they tend to have pleasant thoughts before sleeping, rather than ruminating on the days’ disappointments. Read more »

I love this conversation between Celedra and Tai Chi, Yiquan and Qigong master teacher Fong Ha. They discuss enlightenment, eternity and finding your own path to sacred connection in the midst of a busy life. Their discussion of the desire to change really resonated with me. I’m sure that desire for change, for something more, is what brings many readers to our blog. We’d love to hear your comments!

Watch the video

Watch the video

Throughout each year there are many days that serve as special markers of time, experience and hope for the future. Birthdays, the new year and other seasonal or religious holidays all help us celebrate our lives and can also serve as a powerful point in time to pause, reflect and then move forward with renewed intention.

Yesterday marked the Autumnal Equinox or the first day of fall, and today begins the ever faster approach of shorter days and longer nights. The Autumnal Equinox is also a time associated with balance and gratitude. Read more »

I realize that not everyone reading this blog is experiencing menopause right now. You may be a woman who is not currently in that phase of life or you may be a man. But I am confident that either you will be joining the millions of women already in menopause or you are closely associated with one or more menopausal woman. The time leading up to menopause is known as peri-menopause. This transitional time can last anywhere from 5 to 15 years and usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 55. It is often accompanied with some pretty challenging symptoms and changes to a woman’s body, mind and outlook on life.

Menopause means the final menstrual flow. The symptoms that occur during perimenopause include hot flashes, night sweats, decreased libido, increased weight (and more difficulty losing it), emotional lability and mental fogginess. These symptoms can be annoying, sometimes debilitating, but they always can serve as a wake up call to each woman and how she wants to live out the second half of her life. Read more »

So often in the accelerating pace of the dominant culture we find ourselves desperate for silence, stillness and solitude. This can be found by creating a sacred space in our home that we return to each day. Committing to the daily practice of meditation, mindful eating and exercise is another way of claiming sacred space in your life.

Sometimes though we really need to put some physical space between what we are carrying with us – the attitudes, emotions and patterns that impede an effortless and constant connection to the source of love, generosity, peace and compassion that is within us all. Read more »