Day 67: August 30, 2012 ~ Gift from the Sea

Day 67: August 30, 2012 ~ Gift from the Sea

 

"I began these pages for myself, in order to think out my own particular pattern of living, my own individual balance of life, work and human relationships. And since I think best with a pencil in my hand, I started naturally to write..."

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

  

I'm thinking this may be the first in a series, as I feel inspired to acknowledge various authors who have touched me deeply, expanded my awareness, and helped me to discover new perspectives on life. This particular book, Gift from the Sea, is definitely at the top of that list. I own two editions: the first printing, as pictured above, published in 1955; and thanks to my mother-in-law who actually worked for Mrs. Lindbergh (thank you, Irene!), an autographed copy of the 20th Anniversary Edition. I treasure both copies.

Her words speak directly to my soul. When I first read the book in my 20s I found it so inspirational, so refreshing to read her meditations on life and relationships and what it means to be a woman in our modern culture—juggling career, marriage, motherhood, and civic responsibilities. I resonated with her concerns about what happens to the soul of a woman when she loses herself in so much activity, and I felt a kindred spirit in reading of her discovery of the importance of nurturing the inner life.

During a brief vacation on Florida's Captiva Island in the early 1950s Mrs. Lindbergh reflected on the beauty of the shells that she collected while walking on the beach, finding in each unique shape and design a gift of insight revealing a metaphor for different stages of a woman's life.

Like the "Argonauta" (Paper Nautilus), "rare creatures who are not fastened to their shell at all." Once the mother argonaut floats this "cradle for the young" to the surface where the eggs hatch, she leaves her shell and starts another life. To Mrs. Lindbergh this is a symbol for a woman in the second half of life, setting out to discover what nourishes her creative spirit when her child rearing days are over:

"Woman must come of age by herself. This is the essence of 'coming of age'—to learn how to stand alone. She must learn not to depend on another, nor to feel she must prove her strength by competing with another...She must find her true center alone. She must become whole."

Today I am in great appreciation for the beauty and power of the written word in the hands of an artist such as Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and particularly grateful for the gifts that she has shared so graciously with the world. 

Day 66: August 28, 2012 ~ Sacred Space

Day 66: August 28, 2012 ~ Sacred Space

"Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again."

~Joseph Campbell

"There are places where one breathes in spirit, places where a man can steep himself in it, or if you prefer, where he quickens the sense of the divine in himself."

~Louis Charpentier, The Mysteries of Chartres Cathedral

Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, CA

Recently I've been thinking a lot about the idea of Sacred Space. I have always felt inspired to create a feeling of sanctuary in my home and work environments—setting up little garden areas with benches, statues or wind chimes; hanging crystals in windows to create dancing rainbows of light on the walls; placing a gently flowing fountain in the entry way; having a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room table—that sort of thing. I enjoy creating a space that is uplifting to the spirits, that feels energizing and nourishing to the soul.

Today I started thinking about the meaning of sacred space. The Free Dictionary online says this: 

sacred space: space—tangible or otherwise—that enables those who acknowledge and accept it to feel reverence and connection with the spiritual 

I began thinking about sacred sites that one might travel to see, like Chartres Cathedral, Stonehenge, Findhorn, Sedona, or a Zen garden, a labyrinth, a temple, a mosque, a synagogue or a church. One goes to such a place to feel connection with something spiritual, to experience a sense of reverence for something larger than oneself. One goes perhaps seeking a mystical sense of union with the divine, or simply inner peace.

As I sat in meditation this morning I began feeling this sense of reverence as I contemplated the awesome design of the human body—how all the organs and cells and tissues work together automatically 24/7 to maintain optimum health. We are each of us walking miracles! Feeling great gratitude, I began to think about sacred space in a new way.

It's about opening to the experience of the divine wherever we are, recognizing the spiritual nature of everything and everyone around us, and within our own selves. Creating sacred space within is nurturing feelings of gratitude and awe, opening to the beauty and sacredness of all life. It's about honoring the gift of life that has been given to us, living our life in a way that is nourishing to the soul, and sharing our unique gifts with the world in joy. Blessed be.

Day 65: August 25, 2012 ~ Aloha Spirit

Day 65: August 25, 2012 ~ Aloha Spirit

"Hawai'i is not a state of mind, but a state of grace."

Paul Theroux

Someone greeted me today with the most lovely smile, saying "Aloha." Something about just hearing the word brings a warm glow and a smile to my heart. I can almost hear the sound of waves rolling gently onto shore and palms swaying in the warm breeze. I see in my mind's eye a beautiful sunset and smell the sweet aroma of plumeria blossoms. Everything inside me relaxes and exhales. . ."ahhhhhhhh".

I think back to the times I have been blessed to visit the Big Island and Oahu. Memories of special moments come to mind--swimming with dolphins; dancing the hula; snorkeling in the crystal blue waters of Kealakekua Bay alongside sea turtles and about a hundred different varieties of fish of many colors and stripes; visiting lush exotic gardens. So much incredible beauty. One of the gardens is quite unique: Paleaku Peace Gardens in Kona, Hawai'i, where gardens and shrines honor many of the world's spiritual traditions. They have a labyrinth, a medicine wheel, a Bodhi Tree, Tibetan Sand Paintings. There is even a Galaxy Garden, a 100-foot diameter scale model of the Milky Way mapped in living plants and flowers. If you're curious here is their website: http://www.paleaku.com.

The word ALOHA carries deep meaning, which I don't pretend to fully understand. It means "hello" and "goodbye" and it means "love". The word holds so much more meaning: "the joyful (oha) sharing (alo) of life energy (ha) in the present (alo). Aloha is about sending and receiving positive energy; it is about living in harmony and sharing joy. There is something essential, mystical, elemental in the very word, that carries the energy of love, peace, and harmony. When we greet each other or part from one another with this blessing, we send one another that positive life force energy. It is a sacred blessing.

And so in the spirit of Aloha, I wish you great joy this day. Can you hear the ukelele playing a sweet refrain, and smell the aroma of gardenia and plumeria?!

Day 64: August 23, 2012 ~ To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Day 64: August 23, 2012 ~ To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

"And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion,

and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower then I have been dipped

again in God, and new-created."

~D.H. Lawrence

photo by Kim Denise: "Striped Embrace"

I've been having some trouble sleeping lately, experiencing an unusual bout of insomnia, and it has me appreciating the gift of truly restful sleep. You know, that feeling of blissful surrender to the land of nod, when the body relaxes and thoughts dissolve as if into a mist and you pleasantly drift off into sweet oblivion. Ah yes...to sleep, perchance to dream.

It amazes me to think how much sleep most of us need—they say 7-8 hours a night is optimal for most adults (although some people do well with less), and young children need as much as 12-14 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is essential to our health and well being. While we sleep our body is busy doing maintenance and repair, and the brain is busy processing the events of our day. We need this time to renew body and mind.

Sleep is also a fertile time for creative problem solving. When the conscious mind takes a rest and becomes quiet and still, the subconscious mind comes out to play and we tap into a source of infinite creativity. Isn't it amazing how our dreaming mind creates these wonderful dramas for us to watch, like going to the movies, every night. Often our dreams show us where we are stuck in our life or relationships, suggesting what thoughts or beliefs or attitudes may be blocking our progress, and offer clues that may aid in our evolution. Dreams speak in a language of symbol and metaphor, and often in images that are shocking or disturbing enough to get our attention. I agree with those who say that whether or not we remember our dreams, they always serve a healing function, helping to bring balance to the psyche.

In appreciation and gratitude for the gift of healing, restorative, creativity-generating blissful sleep! And now, off to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.

Day 63: August 20, 2012 ~ Seeking New Landscapes

Day 63: August 20, 2012 ~ Seeking New Landscapes

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes,

but in having new eyes."

~Marcel Proust

   

This was inspired by an email exchange with a dear friend who has set out on a new adventure and has moved to another state. He shared photographs of his beautiful new surroundings—his new home is surrounded by mountains and rugged cliffs, evergreen trees, a river flowing by...there is lots of open space and a big blue sky. It's quite breathtaking. As I looked at the photos today I made a funny connection about the idea of 'moving to new territory'—although I haven't gone anywhere, I'm feeling lately that the "landscape" around me has changed completely, like I'm in brand new territory in my experience of life.

I thought about how many times in my life I have moved to a new place in search of something different—and how important the physical landscape has been to me. I've always lived on one coast or the other, and have chosen locations based on the beauty of the land—places near the water, preferably with mountains nearby, and lots of green trees and gardens—always being drawn to the beauty of nature.

In recent years I have become more aware of the importance of exploring the terrain of the inner landscape—and have been discovering new territories within. There has been a new spirit of adventure, a willingness to venture outside my comfort zone and try new things. For example, I've always had a belief that I can't sing, and have felt like the most terrifying place to be is performing on a stage. But I was inspired to join the choral group Joyful Sound, and yesterday I found myself on a stage in front of a rather large audience, standing in the front row of this 50-member group, singing my little heart out. And loving it. That's new territory for me.

There were moments in the concert when I felt transported, was taken outside myself and felt one with the music...like when we sang "Blowin' in the Wind/America", a unique and stirring arrangement of the Bob Dylan classic. I had chills from head to toe; it was electrifying, like being plugged into an electric outlet!

What changed? My perspective. Like the wise owl above says, "changing your perspective changes your experience." I may not have the best voice in the world, but I had a strong desire to raise my voice in song in harmony with other people, and I was willing to work at it every day all summer long. I didn't listen to the "old tapes" that have stopped me in the past from even trying.

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to experience life in a whole new way, through willingness to see with new eyes and choosing a new perspective. I can't wait to see what other unexplored regions there are to discover!

Day 62: August 19, 2012 ~ Healing Touch

Day 62: August 19, 2012 ~ Healing Touch

"I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back."

Maya Angelou

"When you touch a body, you touch the whole person, the intellect, the spirit, and the emotions."

~Jane Harrington

I saw a movie this weekend that got me thinking about the importance of touch in our lives. It's the film Hope Springs, about a married couple going through a dry spell in their marriage (more like a prolonged drought). Married 31 years, they have settled into a routine and have lost touch with the ability for intimate connection. In an intensive week-long couples therapy session initiated by the wife, she expresses great sadness at the lack of simple touch any more. She is feeling starved for simple loving touch.

At one point in the evening I happened to notice an elderly couple walking down the street holding hands, and I thought how lovely, that sweet gesture of intimate connection with your beloved. No words are necessary in those moments. There is only love flowing through like an electric current, connecting one to the other heart to heart, soul to soul.

Virginia Satir says, "We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth." Yikes. I think I may be hug deprived! Physical touch, some say, is not only pleasurable, but it is essential for our survival.

There are many health benefits to healing touch, such as massage. Research has shown that massage helps to balance the immune system, lowers blood pressure, decreases the level of stress hormones, and increases the level of endorphins. The skin is our body's largest organ, and when its sensory receptors are stimulated, the hormone oxytocin (the feel-good hormone) is released, and the stress hormone cortisol is reduced. Regular massage is one of the best things we can do for ourselves to maintain balance and harmony in mind and body.

Physical touch—holding hands, wrapping arms around one another in a warm embrace—is a wonderful way to express affection and love, and it can also bring comfort and healing. The good news is, one doesn't need to visit a massage therapist or be in an intimate relationship to experience and share the wonderful benefits of touch. Hugs with friends, cuddling with a pet, self massage (there are some wonderful Chi Kung techniques for face and scalp massage for example), even soaking in a warm bath will do the trick as well.

Feeling grateful today for the gift of healing touch. Have you hugged someone today? :-)

Day 61: August 17, 2012 ~ Celebrating Today

Day 61: August 17, 2012 ~ Celebrating Today

"Like the sky opens after a rainy day we must open to ourselves. . .Learn to love yourself for who you are and open so the world can see you shine."

~James Poland 

Today I am celebrating life...mine in particular :-) Today is my birthday and so I am a bit reflective about where I've been, who I am, and what it's all about really. I had a rather big 'aha' this week—that it's really OKAY to be in appreciation and celebration of me! I even bought myself a beautiful birthday card and wished myself a stellar day! It's taken me a LONG time to get to this place of "learning to love myself for who I am and opening so the world can see me shine." Life is a lot more fun now!

Here's another quote that resonates for me today:

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

~e.e. cummings

Ain't that the truth. Becoming who we really are means reaching deep inside to discover what we really believe and expressing what we truly feel. It means revealing our vulnerable places and being willing to risk loss of approval. It means allowing our bright spirit to shine through undimmed and unvarnished. It means to acknowledge the many masks we wear and to be willing to drop them. It feels like freedom to let the illusions go and to just be who we were created to be! 

Today I celebrate celebrating ourselves! Today I am grateful for the lessons of life that have brought me to where I am today, that have opened my heart and given me clear sight, and I am grateful for the God-given gifts that I am beginning to share more freely. I celebrate all that life has brought me and I move forward with a renewed spirit, and great joy. Blessed be!

Day 60: August 16, 2012 ~ Bill W.

Day 60: August 16, 2012 ~ Bill W.

"In God's economy, nothing is wasted. Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility which is probably needed, painful though it is."

~Bill Wilson, co-founder of AA

After watching the new documentary film Bill W. I am feeling great gratitude for this man who dedicated his life to helping people heal from the ravages of alcohol addiction. The film is an honest portrayal of a flawed human being, a man who freely shared his own struggle with alcohol addiction in order to offer hope to those in need—this man who became an icon although he preferred to be known as just another person on the path to recovery. He had no false illusions about himself. In one scene in the film, we hear his voice on tape during a speech, referring to himself as "the floundering father" of Alcoholics Anonymous. 

A successful Wall Street analyst in the 1930s, he battled the bottle until he hit rock bottom during the Depression. In those days alcoholics were considered incurable, hopeless drunks, and were treated as if they had severe mental disorders. People were hospitalized, given electroshock treatments, and in some cases lobotomies were performed. Those were the treatment options of the time. And then along came Bill Wilson, who by his admission experienced a healing purely by the grace of God. Influenced by the teachings of the evangelical Oxford Group, he had a spiritual awakening whereupon the obsession was lifted from him. From that point on, he wanted only to help others become free as well.

Knowing the potentially fatal consequences of continued drinking, and having experienced a healing, still he knew he was susceptible to relapse. He came to realize that the only way he could stay sober was to find "another drunk" to talk to, to focus on someone else who needed help. Bill W. understood that the chief "spiritual malady" of the addict is self-centeredness, and the way out is to focus one's attention and care on someone else who is in greater need.

For me, one of the most powerful scenes in the film is where they show images of the original manuscript of the book he co-wrote in 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous. Red pencil edits and hand written revisions of the first draft reveal the refinement process involved in the creation of the now famous 12 Steps—the foundational principles for living a life of physical and emotional sobriety. It brought tears to my eyes, to think of this inspired set of principles, in potent, efficiently chosen phrases, coming to and through him and onto the page, knowing how these 12 Steps have literally saved the lives of millions of people world wide.

I am grateful for the power of the written word to change lives, to bring healing and transformation. I am grateful for Bill W., for his inspired vision and his dedication in service to so many who thirst for higher truth.

Day 59: August 14, 2012 ~ Summer Nights

Day 59: August 14, 2012 ~ Summer Nights

"Night, when words fade and things come alive."

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"To me at least was never evening yet but seemed far beautifuller than its day."

~Robert Browning

As I write, I am appreciating the nighttime serenade of the crickets outside my window. How I love that sound! They sure have a lot to say. I am realizing that there is something comforting in this wonderful nighttime symphony—one cannot feel alone when the air is filled with the sounds of nature all around.

One of my favorite nighttime sounds is a chorus of cicadas on a hot summer night in Connecticut. Or spring peepers raising their voices in harmony in the marsh. Or the haunting cry of loons on the lake at the cabin in the Adirondacks...or the hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooo of a barred owl that one can hear while sleeping in the lean-to. Not to mention the comforting sound of a crackling fire kept burning throughout the night to keep the four-legged creatures with claws and sharp teeth away. :-)

I love the magic we feel on a summer night, when it's warm enough to enjoy being outside well after the sun goes down, and yet there is a sense of mystery in the darkness of the night sky. We enjoy outdoor concerts, theater in the park, county fairs, and fireworks displays. Or we might simply sit on the porch and watch fireflies light up the night with their mating dance. Or we may sit and enjoy another kind of light show, like the mid-August Perseid meteor showers. Did you catch the display this past weekend? I happened to be in a wonderful viewing area in the woods in northern California on Saturday night/Sunday morning and caught sight of some "shooting stars." It's a pretty awesome sight; it takes your breath away. 

I am grateful for the magic and wonder of summer nights. At night when we are quiet and still, we can see and hear more clearly and sense more deeply our connection to nature, our connection to all things great and small—to the two-leggeds, the four-leggeds, the creatures that walk the earth and grace our skies—and to the great universe beyond. We are invited to ponder the great mysteries of life, and are perhaps comforted to feel an essential part of it all. Blessed be.

Day 58: August 10, 2012 ~ Lessons from the Yoga Mat

Day 58: August 10, 2012 ~Lessons from the Yoga Mat

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."

~Author Unknown

"The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in."

B.K.S. Iyengar

So, today was Friday, YOGA DAY, and I am feeling grateful...for my wonderful teacher who brings a deeply spiritual approach to the practice, and grateful for the teachings that have come down to us through the ages—physical poses and a philosophy designed to help us align in body, mind and spirit.

It struck me today how what we do on the yoga mat can transform how we do life. I notice that in our class of 12, we are all ONE as we flow into and out of the various poses in synch with the teacher, yet we are at the same time separate individuals, each one independent and unique, self-contained in our little 2'x6' yoga mat space. We are each responsible for our own well being, going as deeply into each pose as our bodies will allow on any particular day. There is no comparing ourselves to others in the class, no judging poses as good or bad...the focus is on centering and grounding within ourselves, finding our own inner balance and building strength at the core. We focus only on our own progress, no one else's.

I'm finding that image of each person occupying their own yoga mat a great metaphor for relationships...especially ones in which the boundaries get a little fuzzy. For example, those of us who may be prone to "co-dependent" type behaviors—those of us who can tend to feel that we are responsible for another person's emotional state of welbeing. I felt myself veering in that direction with someone this afternoon, and then I brought that image to mind: "No," I thought, "I'm on my yoga mat; the other person is on her yoga mat. She is responsible for her own wellbeing, and I am only responsible for mine." Whew! What a relief! I only have to be responsible for my own emotional state; I don't need to 'twist myself into a pretzel' trying to 'help', change, or fix anyone else!

In great gratitude today for the many gifts of this amazing practice. Namaste.

Day 57: August 9, 2012 ~ Nature's Canvas

Day 57: August 9, 2012 ~ Nature's Canvas

"The sky, a perfect empty canvas, offers clouds nonetheless. They shift and drift and beg interpretation...such is the nature of art."

~Jeb Dickerson

"I never get tired of the blue sky."

~Vincent van Gogh

  

It was such a beautiful day that I decided to bring my lunch out to the labyrinth garden today. As I settled in and began to relax I started to pay closer attention to the beauty surrounding me—first noticing the flowers in the garden beside me, and then my attention was drawn upward to the trees overhead, and then...whoa! I looked up and saw the most exquisite sky! I don't think I've ever seen a sky quite like this, light wispy feathers of cloud covering the entire sky. I didn't have my camera with me, but fortunately I did have my phone, which takes decent photographs, so I snapped a few pictures. This one captures the mood the best.

I feel like a whole new universe opened up for me today! I must admit I've never paid very much attention to clouds. I've generally been more interested in evening sky gazing, appreciating a beautiful sunset or the romance of a starlit sky. Today my eyes beheld a wondrous sight and it made me curious about clouds. 

When I got home from work I did a google search for "clouds" and found an astonishing amount of information. I discovered the Cloud Appreciation Society—seriously. Check out www.cloudappreciationsociety.org for more info. :-) The website lists all the different cloud types, with images and descriptions. After perusing the images, I believe the clouds I saw today were cirrocumulus. The website also features a "Cloud of the Month"—choosing from images sent in by people from all over the world. Perhaps I'll submit my photo! There is even an International Cloud Festival...we just missed the one in Ireland last month.

Today my heart opened when I looked up at the sky, awed by the beauty and majesty of nature's canvas, grateful for another moment of exquisite joy. Makes me wonder what other wonderful things there are to see in the world that I haven't noticed...

Day 56: August 7, 2012 ~ Good Vibrations

Day 56: August 7, 2012 ~ Good Vibrations

"It is important that we sing. . .Singing frees the soul, makes it flexible, and helps it soar and expand. Singing lets the sun in--gives warmth to our lives and wings to our spirit. Those who sing know this."

~Dina Soresi Winter

I've discovered that singing with a chorus is a lot of fun. What a joy it is to lift one's voice in harmony with others to create beautiful music! I've also noticed some unexpected benefits after a couple of months of practicing those alto parts every day in the car and going to weekly rehearsals. I've been noticing a subtle shift in my energy--I feel more vitality, a certain lightness of being, a brighter spirit; I find a walk a little taller, stand a little straighter, and feel increasing confidence about singing out or even speaking. I just feel good! I've been curious about that.

Last weekend I discovered a wonderful book that explains it all: Free Your Voice: Awaken to Life Through Singing, by Silvia Nakkach and Valerie Carpenter. The book teaches how to develop one's voice through daily practice, and describes the healing power of song. It appears that not only is singing enjoyable, but it's good medicine too. When we sing, we breathe more deeply, which strengthens abdominal muscles, diaphragm and lungs, increases circulation in the body, and massages the organs. Singing releases endorphins, our natural mood lifters, which helps to build the immune system as well.

The book cites studies that show how singing in choirs reduces the symptoms of aging in senior populations. In one study the seniors, many over the age of 80, "experienced improvements in eyesight, had fewer falls, required less medications, and reported a general feeling of greater well-being and health, easier breathing, and better posture." That's great news-- apparently it's never too late to begin this practice and reap the benefits.

Tonight we had a rehearsal for Joyful Sound, and I am feeling uplifted, and very grateful for the opportunity to raise my voice in song, blending with other voices to create beautiful music together, sending good vibrations rippling out into the world. Do you feel them? :-)

Day 55: August 6, 2012 ~ Every Day Is a Gift

Day 55: August 6, 2012 ~ Every Day Is a Gift

"You think this is just another day in your life. It's not just another day—it's the one day that is given to you. It's a gift. It's the only gift that you have right now; and the only appropriate response in gratefulness...Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. And then it will really be a good day."

~Brother David Steindl-Rast

Today I am grateful to my friend Diana for sending me this Youtube video, and I'd like to share the gift with you. Allow some time...this video is 9 minutes 56 seconds long. It's time well spent, to see beautiful images of nature in all its glory, including exquisite time-lapse photography of flowers blooming, strawberries ripening on the vine, and images of a snow-covered Yosemite Valley and the Grand Canyon bathed in sunlight. Louie Schwartzberg is the cinematographer, and the music is provided by Gary Malkin, whose gift is healing and uplifting the soul through musical vibration.

Today I am in great gratitude for the preciousness of each day that is given to us, and the reminder of how wonderful it is to share the blessings of life with others. It is so easy to be a blessing—with a warm smile, a loving touch, looking into someone's eyes and listening deeply to what they have to say, sharing a kind word...it doesn't take much to touch someone's heart and make their day.

Wishing you many blessings this day. Namaste.

Day 54: August 4, 2012 ~ Good News

Day 54: August 4, 2012 ~ Good News

"Some people see things as they are and say 'Why.' I dream things

that never were and say 'Why not."

~George Bernard Shaw

Today it was easy to choose what to write about. I spent the day at Point Reyes Station in West Marin, and it was a delicious, glorious day—which one can always expect when visiting anyplace in Point Reyes. I discovered something at a newsstand today that brought special delight. A newspaper caught my eye as I was waiting in line at the wonderful Cowgirl Creamery store...a publication called Positive News. 

This newspaper prints only positive news! The Summer issue features an article about the woman who founded the publication, Shauna Crockett-Burrows, who recently passed from this life. Shauna was inspired in the 1980s, after spending time at Findhorn—the spiritual and sustainable community in Scotland—to create a newsletter in the UK that would "focus on the many things that are working in the world rather than emphasizing the things that are not." What a concept! Now there are editions published in UK, Argentina, Hong Kong, Spain and US.

So what's going right in the world? These are some of the headlines in the Summer issue:

"Denmark Targets 100% Renewables by 2050"

"Maternal Deaths Drop by Nearly Half Worldwide"

"Germany Swaps Nuclear for Solar and Wind Power"

There is an article titled "The Incurable Optimist" about a 109 year old woman named Alice Herz-Sommer, a holocaust survivor, and cancer survivor, who practices piano for 3 hours every day and maintains a positive outlook on life. "I look at the good," she says..."I know about the bad thing, but I look at the good thing." There's a wonderful video about her at Karmatube.org (search: Alice Herz). 

There's a section called "I Am Hopeful Thanks To..." where people send in news items about positive changes going on in the world. One person sent this entry..."the fact that recycling in my city of Philadelphia has increased by 46% in the last year." If you want, you can email your positive reflections to: welcome@positivenewsus.org.


Today I am grateful for people and organizations that focus attention on what's right with the world. Let us focus on what's possible and put our energy there. Yes?

Day 53: August 3, 2012 ~ Forever Young

Day 53: August 3, 2012 ~ May You Stay Forever Young

"To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent—

that is to triumph over old age."

~Thomas Bailey Aldrich

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

~Mark Twain

  

Everything in my day becomes a seed for a blog entry...I love it! This one was inspired by a communication from my aunt, a woman in her 80s who has the joyful radiant heart of a much younger woman. I was inspired by her positive perspective on a major life transition she is going through, finding the good in it. She is the embodiment of the qualities in the first quote above—hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent.

It got me thinking about ideas I have had about aging. Resilience is not one of the words that pops to mind readily. Although I'm happy to see a new vision of the elder years emerging in our collective consciousness. Case in point, the new film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which you must see, especially if you are over the age of 50. It's about a group of older folks who rediscover their youthful hearts and begin life anew. For further inspiration, if you are in the second half of life category, you must check out the book Growing Old is Not for Sissies: Portraits of Senior Athletes, by Etta Clark. It's full of photographic portraits of men and women in their elder years living life to the fullest—like 81-year-old Eric Reynier who loves to hang glide. He says, "It is a wonderful sense of freedom, flying from the top of a mountain, over forests, often very close to hawks...It's the nearest thing to being a bird." And then there's 80-year-old Eleanor Hyndman who took up karate at the age of 78 so that she could experience "mental sharpness and self-confidence."

I also started thinking about Barbara Marx Hubbard, the beautiful and vibrant 82-year-old futurist, author and President of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution. She coined the phrase regenopause to re-frame traditionally held beliefs about the post-childbearing years. She sees these years as a time when women may be "overcome with a profound impulse to co-create and to self-evolve", when a woman "gets so turned on to her creativity and life purpose that it starts to activate her at the cellular level." She is a living example of this new vision of elder years as a time to create from within, to give birth to one's deepest creative impulses. I am grateful for her inspiration.

And now I hear the Bob Dylan song "Forever Young" going through my head...and I leave you with this blessing today:

May your hands always be busy.

May your feet always be swift.

May you have a strong foundation when the winds of change shift.

May your heart always be joyful.

May your song always be sung.

And may you stay forever young.

~Bob Dylan, from "Forever Young"

Day 52: August 1, 2012 ~ The Power of YES

Day 52: August 1, 2012 ~ The Power of YES

"Your destiny depends entirely on your own mental conduct. It is the thoughts that you allow yourself to dwell upon all day long that makes your mentality what it is and circumstances are made by your mentality."

~Emmet Fox

photo by John Cheng (USA Gymnastics)

That's Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas, 16-year-old Olympic gold medal winning gymnast, in mid-leap during one of her performances...where the energy of joy, exuberance, the energy of YES is palpable. What a joy to watch her perform her routines on the uneven bars, where she earned the nickname Flying Squirrel, or on the balance beam, where she performs somersaults with perfect landings, as effortlessly as if she were taking a stroll down the street.

Gabby comes to mind today as I reflect on a wonderful article that was sent to me by a dear friend--an article from Psychology Today titled "Words Can Change Your Brain", by Andrew Newberg, MD and Mark Robert Waldman. It's about the power of language to effect brain chemistry, for good or ill. According to this article, when we engage in negative thoughts or speech, stress chemicals are released that interrupt normal functioning of the brain, impairing logic, reason, and rational decision making abilities. Ruminating on negative thoughts over time actually damages structures in the brain that effect memory, feelings and emotions, and may cause disruption in sleep, appetite, and the ability to experience happiness. 

On the other hand, the article proposes, we can overcome this "neural bias for negativity" by consciously generating at least three positive thoughts and feelings for each expression of negativity. "Positive words and thoughts propel the motivational centers of the brain into action and they help us build resilience when we are faced with life's problems...when you generate a minimum of five positive thoughts to each negative one, you'll experience 'an optimal range of human functioning.' That is the power of YES."

Gabby, it has been well publicized, has shown a tendency to experience 'the jitters' when performing in important events. An article in Time magazine mentioned a "haunting self-doubt that gnaws away at the bravado built up from hours and hours of nailed routines in the gym." I imagine the inner dialogue that must take place within her to counteract feelings of self-doubt, as clearly confidence reigned at the Olympics this week. I was very moved by something caught on camera just as Gabby was about to begin one of her routines—one of her teammates came up to her, and looking intently into her eyes, said very slowly and deliberately, "You're fine. You can do this." And Gabby nodded, saying, "You're right. I can." And boy, did she!

In gratitude today for the power of YES, and for the ability to choose it every moment!