Monthly Archives: May 2014

I’ve got all the time in the world and not a moment to lose

A good ratio for me is to spend twice as much time in my sadhana, my spiritual practice: meditation, yoga, contemplation, spiritual study, prayer, creative visualization, as I spend watching tv or movies. I find that is what works to keep me balanced. When I’m out of balance, it’s usually after I’ve allowed myself a period of being non-productive. I don’t beat myself up for it, but there are so many things I’m waiting to do that it’s a shame to waste a moment.

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Revisiting the childhood father energy when I ask an ex 4 “exit interview” questions

angry man pointing fingerI put the June Horizons Magazine online today and re-read my June article about Father’s Day.   I didn’t always get along with my dad. He was bi-polar and very strict. He could be fun and charming. He could also be mean and hateful. Daddy didn’t know how to sort out his feelings, much less discuss them. We never knew how to talk to each other. None of us did back then. Now anyone watching tv can learn the process through shows like Couples Therapy, Marriage Boot Camp and Iyanla Vanzant Fix My Life. It took several encounter (sensitive training) groups in my 20s to give me a vocabulary for what I felt emotionally, and to gain the tools to express it. These groups met with the aim of shedding our social masks and expressing our real feelings. They emphasized verbal interaction and activities that encouraged open displays of approval, criticism, affection, dislike, anger and tears. The result was that we learn to interact with others honestly, by openly expressing what we feel. This is important not just for self discovery, but for resolution when there was conflict.  When an ex recently offered an exit interview, I asked him 4 questions: Continue reading

Portabello Mushroom Steaks and Flying Pole Lamps

An awesome dinner last night. A giant portabello mushroom cap steak, sauteed with a sweet onion in Earth Balance vegan butter-like spread. Served alongside parsley “buttered” potatoes, and fresh green beans roasted with red peppers, ground fennel, cumin and coriander seeds. Even better eaten without a bump on the head by a flying pole lamp. The lamp fell over as Benny the Cat was tearing around the room and I turned the swivel rocker to watch him. The edge of my chair hit the lamp and sent it flying into the boyfriend’s head.  He was the perfect block so the lamp didn’t crash into the dining glass table top! I’m sure he has a big bump on his head today. Thanks for taking one for the team, G!

15 Character Traits That Cause Diseases

These  days, even modern medicine agrees: 70% of all illnesses materialise because of negative thoughts or emotional stress. Illnesses attributed to this cause are called “psychosomatic,” and they are the biggest headache of the whole mainstream healthcare system.  Sometimes several days of elevated stress is all that is needed to open up a gastric ulcer. Sometimes several years of it is all it takes to develop diabetes or heart disease, not to mention poor general health, lowered productivity, and lack of happiness. Doctors and scientists unanimously agree that our thoughts directly affect the activity of our organs and the state of our bodies in general. Ancient medicine is classified as holistic, because it takes care not only of the physical body, but also of the psyche, as well as one’s personal lifestyle. This method allows one to remove the cause of the illness, rather than merely treating the symptoms, therefore stopping it from reappearing. Modern medicine, on the other hand, deals with the consequences of the illness—bodily ailments. This is why the illness often comes back, since the cause of the illness is not actually being treated.    Continue reading

Three ways to live healthfully and truly feel good

It will involve working on yourself—however, this investment will pay off greatly in the long run. Here are three methods, tested throughout three millenniums:

1.    Start monitoring your thoughts. Spend five minutes every evening writing down how you felt that day. Remember the situations you encountered and emotions you felt. What negative character traits does that uncover? What do you plan to do tomorrow to start improving yourself and to change those particular character traits? It is very important to write everything down.   Continue reading

Pre-pave your long and healthy life

It’s possible to be healthy and active well into your 90’s, so stop thinking that getting older means going downhill. If that is your view of aging, that could well be your experience. Know that you can have a different experience. Look forward to eating healthy and being active and mentally clear into your 90’s. Pre-pave THAT instead.

RELATED: 256 Year Old Chinese Herbalist Li Ching-Yuen, Holistic Medicine, and 15 Character Traits That Cause Diseases

You may think you want justice when what you want is mercy

justice-mercy-scaleA friend is in a legal battle with an unfair business partner, but her hands aren’t altogether clean. “I want justice,” she cries, when what she really wants is revenge. I reminded her of some details she’s forgotten, telling her, “Remember the behind the scenes history. You don’t want justice, what you want is mercy.”

I’m blessed to have my life, that’s for sure. Meaning: I’m blessed to know that how I think affects what comes to me, and that I can chose to exercise my free will to discipline myself to stay focused on things I like so that more things I like may come to me.

I am the only one who can bring harmony to all my relationships. Yes, just me and my decision to broaden my perception to see things another way, that’s all it takes.