Possibility and Choice

There are two magical words- possibility and choice. I challenge you to explore them to what comes up. If we open ourselves to possibility we then have a choice to venture into new unexplored frontiers.

If you listen to the ocean or the wind through the trees you will hear the deep collective heartbeat of this universe. Up and down, raising and falling, back and forth, this in and out wave or particle activity interconnects the entire universe to the rhythm of the vibration of both life and death. All things are one in this universal beat of love and communion.

It is time for the Foolish Shaman to reveal the extraordinary non ordinary way. Not so much to bring forth the present tragic truths but to invoke the spirit of possibility. The comic can change themselves while the tragic become changed by their situations. Within this serious chaotic hurricane is a funny and calm eye. When we awaken to the facts that tragedy are about separation. And this dividing line of losing control of outside things forces us to take refuge with fooling around with our inner stuff is the great awakening of survival. Yes what face a ludicrous wildly dying planet where the wild card jester is seriously holding the deck together. Both priceless and penniless a new freedom of love, laughter and mirth comes in the form of grace.

In a society that discards jokers we are realizing that such toxic psychic acts are symbolic we as human beings are not dealing with a full deck. This wild person represents a part of our collective mind that brings clarity and insight. What do we value, what is important at the very essence of our earthy soul. Yes, our heart is what matters and everything else is a joke. We have been mad about material things and now we face the edge of the non ordinary, the wild where spirit and matter coexist. This wilderness world we have ignored now we understand sustains us. Rippling oceans, fantastic rivers, and so on water bodies are our bodies. We are not separate but apart. The insanity is when we think we are different, divided, and detached for what gives us our very life is our oneness.

Appreciation Now

This harmonious connection with life awakens in me the understanding that everything in my world is only alive in the present moment. As I empty myself of ego preoccupations with the past, and concerns over the future, I am truly awake to the moment, and in such times, I find in myself a feeling of greater compassion for my fellows. The act of compassionate gratitude is a form of stewardship that allows me to be more sensitive and respectful of people and nature. I become mindful and deal with all things in a sacred way. Cultivating this kind of relationship with life fosters a sense of devotion and divinity.

Appreciation creates for me a more wholesome mindset that reconnects me to the things I value most. Living this way creates a greater sense of possibility and freedom. My feeling of gratitude expands when I reflect on how all things must be respected. And I feel more humble as I observe the mysterious spirit of this world.

Exercising my gratitude is a wake-up call for me to remember what matters most. We live in a critical time, and how we can best deal with it comes into question. Awakening to how we can see each moment with a clear mind, as a new event, is an action I would define as "the attitude of gratitude." This approach not only liberates us from suffering, we become more mindful of the possibility of being truly open to all possibilities.

What do I appreciate right now? Can I hear the birds singing outside? Can I simply enjoy hearing my own heartbeat? How grateful am I to all those things life on this planet has given me? Do I cherish the food, shelter and other gifts? Let's say I have just moments to live, would I count my blessings? What would I wish to do to give my thanks? The very nature of my entire life and my liberation comes down to embracing these questions.

It seems much of my life has been enslaved by my unconscious acts. When I am only partially aware of my actions, I am truly as if asleep, and thus in some way imprisoned. My mind does one thing while my emotions feel conflicted because my decisions come from fear rather than from love. Where can I find the courage to change and allow my soul to become liberated? How can I learn to keep in mind that all things will pass, and to let go of my material world? To remember such a simple thing like coming home to the appreciation of life here and now, is the art I wish to cultivate. Today's world makes it so easy to fall into darkness. Why is that I am unconsciously afraid of allowing the greater light in? Am I paying attention to my senses? Or I am held captive by a self-destructive story of shame and loathing? Can I remember to listen not just to my own body but that greater one that connects all things? Reverence for this earth opens the door to my happiness and freedom.

To be free, I must change my various behaviors and attitudes that imprison me with negative and unwholesome consequences. Sticken thinken and paralysis analysis are the various ways I have recycled my past to curse my future. Only in the present moment I can pause and take a new course down a road toward light instead of journey off a cliff.

I have the freedom to fully appreciate my life when I practice loving friendliness. This comes about only if I am mindful and exercise right intention to transform an abiding gratitude into action. How I train my mind to greet all beings and events with loving-kindness provides me with the opportunity of changing a curse into a blessing. First by identifying the various ways I create ill will, anger and judgment, and doing something positive about making a change in my attitude—only then do I have the chance to liberate myself. This is a form of action I call radical acceptance, and it can only happen when I constantly observe what is of benefit to all. By awakening to wholesome mind states, I can best go forth. And more, I will require patience to mindfully change some old habits and patterns. Finally, I have to show more tender loving care and forgiveness to myself as I engage in this transformational process.

So I return again to appreciation, and I count my blessings and take note of what I have in my life to be grateful for. When I awaken and show reverence through these actions, I prosper. Gratitude for me is about cultivating four skillful things:

• Showing up in the present moment.
• Paying attention to what has heart and meaning!
• Giving a positive voice to what I see!
• Remaining open to all possibilities while being unattached to outcome!

Appreciation is both a loving and a kind method of being with profound affects and effects. Developing my appreciation purifies me and offers me a sense of greater peace, and freedom. It's amazing how gratitude spreads when you're just grateful.

My idea of myself, my life, its meaning and all that other stuff comes down to how I identify things. Critical is how I observe but not fully identify with all my thoughts. How I see myself can be either a blessing or a curse. Most of life I have struggle with a good self identity. However, when I find how grateful I am for what I been so fortunate to have I shift to a higher self.

Increasing my appreciation or thanks for giving is a powerful evolutionary force. This generous act has numerous happy returns: increased wellness, joy, and all around better well being. Now this healthy and wholesome attitude of gratitude improves me in so many invaluable ways.

This skill to better exercise my optimism increases my connections to all things. When I count my blessing I prosper. I feel better and I most fully live by this practice to reciprocate. Gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving back to me.

There are bountiful ways to I can show my appreciation. Creating a daily journal about specific good blessings that happened. Adopt a gratitude buddy to share your list of good things or write thank you note to someone who has assisted you. Celebrate your day by a daily pause to stop and focus on what’s right and how lucky you are. If you can’t sleep or in a bad frame of mind review what you appreciate about yourself and life. Use language that encourages instead is disparages to reinforce the positive. Surround yourself with inspiring and beautiful objects, music, pictures, and writings. The more you create a setting filled with reinforcing grateful reminders these loving kind acts multiply.

The Gift that Keeps On Giving: Thanks for Giving

Thanksgiving for me is all about gratitude. Increasing my appreciation or thanks for giving is a powerful evolutionary force. This generous act has numerous happy returns: increased wellness, joy, and all around better well being. Now this healthy and wholesome attitude of gratitude improves me in so many invaluable ways.

This skill to better exercise my optimism increases my connections to all things. When I count my blessing I prosper. I feel better and I most fully live by this practice to reciprocate. Gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving back to me.

There are bountiful ways to I can show my appreciation. Creating a daily journal about specific good blessings that happened. Adopt a gratitude buddy to share your list of good things or write thank you note to someone who has assisted you. Celebrate your day by a daily pause to stop and focus on what’s right and how lucky you are. If you can’t sleep or in a bad frame of mind review what you appreciate about yourself and life. Use language that encourages instead is disparages to reinforce the positive. Surround yourself with inspiring and beautiful objects, music, pictures, and writings. The more you create a setting filled with reinforcing grateful reminders these loving kind acts multiply.

When I count my blessings I plant future seeds of increased wellness. Instead of dwelling on my problems and negative mind-states I shift to the bright side. Being upbeat allows me to become occupied with blessings instead of preoccupied with my curses. Paying attention to my shifting my temperament to “what I have” instead of “what I lack” transforms me. Appreciation creates an optimistic mindset. Replacing my derogatory attitude to focus on being grateful is like walking out of a cave.

When I become focused on thanks I can see the positive in very difficult and dark experiences. Gratitude is a beneficial way I can cultivate my thanks and so enjoy this gift that keeps on giving.

Thanks to Vitae

Recently a dear friend of mine Margot wrote a wonderful tribute about her departed husband Vitae. He did so much more than just designed my web pages your reading from. Vitae embodied the kind, and compassionate spirit I write about in this blog. He inspired me in so many blessed ways to cultivate light, love and joy.

I was fortunate to see him in some of his closing days. They were filled with a fantastic celebration of song, dance, laughter and profound love.

Vitae blessed us with his diverse talents. He was a friend, teacher, writer, lover, husband, father, philosopher, chef, sailor, web master, video-maker, to list a few. Vitae devoted himself in his authentic way to bringing joy and awakening. Now in the beyond, Vitae’s spirit will continue to transform from his legacy of love and light.

Below is what he wrote about himself and below that what Margot wrote.

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=


http://www.positiveimpactmagazine.com/tribute-to-vitae-bergman/

Strengthening Our Heart to Better Our World

In every moment we can take refuge in our body, which so connected and similar with our beloved earth. The simple beat of our heart can ground us to arrive here and now. Our world is filled with increased stress and constant pressure. This fast pace of life has heightened mental strain, since there is less natural balance. Simply put, we suffer from greater, illness, injury and tension unless we exercise great compassion. Just pausing for a moment can lessen anxiety. I find the eye, or “I“ of the hurricane in response to the little everyday problems, noise and increased demands.

Stress can be self inflicted and caused by our emotional reactions to events. The key is to reframe our relationship to the course of events with a new attitude based on gratitude. Things then can be transformed “its no big deal” or “no worries”. Remembering to cultivate inquiry in what is true in each second is of enormous benefit to me.

Quieting my mind and listening to my heart is how I have been reframing my stress. Awakening to my heartbeat I can learn how to manage it and reverse the damage stress and worry can cause. Can I picture a world filled with joy, love and peace? Yes. Beautiful, peaceful, compassionate, loving people are all around me. If I can step into the consciousness of the heart, I can run with the deep inner harmony.

Wise teachers from the beginning of time teach us about the power of this emotional regulation. Simply by focusing on positive feelings such as appreciation, care, or compassion, I can create dramatic changes in my heart rhythms. This process allows me to alter a series of neural, hormonal, and biochemical events. This lessens my stress and anger and leads to greater well-being. There is a chain of biological changes including lowering blood pressure and stress hormone levels. I can increase my immune system activity, and anti-aging hormones by simply focusing on my heart energy. If I can learn how to engage in my heart more, I bring my emotion, body, and mind into balance. Quieting my mind and listening to my heart brings focused clarity, optimal health, and high performance. Taking the word grace and making it happen, I find happiness not far behind.

HEART@SICE©

We have the opportunity to exercise our heart in a very sacred way. Let's celebrate our greater love for this beloved earth with bountiful forms of exercise and play. As we explore new ways to have fun we also can expand our possibility of joy and mirth. When we more deeply listen to our our heart we can cultivate a greater ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. Some examples of the possibility of this soulful exercise are:

• Paying attention to our heartbeat getting us our of our head allowing us to celebrate what we Love!

• Placing your hand over your heart and say WHAT IS RIGHT

• Awakening: SOUND FROM A YAWN TO A SOOTHING AND RELAXED AHHHHH !

• Specific PHYSICAL EXERCISES BY PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR BODY SENSATIONS CHANGING OUR BRAIN CHEMISTRY.

• Rewiring our brain activity. Since our mind is attracts negative emotions like velcrow we transform this to teflon. Taking this velcrow and applying it to our positive experiences awareness.


CULTIVATING GREATER SELF LOVE WITH LOVING KINDNESS HEART@SICE RITUALS

We can exercise with simple rituals that cultivate greater self compassion. For example we can reward our self for what we do that's positive. Also we can forgive our self when we make mistakes. This is not always easy. Only when we remember to Heart@sice we can pay attention to exercise loving kindness. When we set an attention to cultivate peace, contentment, and basic well-being we also invoke deeper states of concentration and insight. As we encourage what's right we create greater positive events to become positive experiences. Any way we show our gratitude or count our blessings then expand further possible positive experience. Thus increase our chances of seeing good things in all things, increasing acts of kindness and respect for facets of our life.


HEART@CIZE happens when exercise our GRATITUDE, LOVE, ACCEPTANCE AND DEVOTION (GLAD) –

GRATITUDE- reflecting on the good things in your life today or in the past.

LOVE- of self world and all thins, Feeling loved, cared about, liked, included, attended to, empathized with – BE included, belonging. CREATE goodwill toward SELF AND others. Quieting our mind and listening deeply deep to our heart.

ACCEPT- our worth and value. When the Buddha touched the ground when challenged by the forces of darkness to say "I am here, now one with this sacred earth" - We can become free to exercise our life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness since when we accept all things then we become liberated.

DEVOTE- dedicate oneself to exercising the heart for the benefit of all beings and things we skillfully find our higher self.

Heart@sice- just imagine a huge celebration or party in your heart replacing old feelings of shame or inadequacy with feelings of being glad. The more we exercise our minds and bodies the greater potential for joy happens. What's right? Let's celebrate what we have and use it fully or face the negative consequences. Heart@cise or exercise your love by being glad, grateful, loving, accepting and devote our self to greater well being.

Beloved George's Example

Today my brother departed. I profoundly grieve the loss of George. This kind spirit was always there to help and support me. Now, I cry out to his spirit to give me strength to mend my broken heart.

George's departure is a wake-up call how I will better live. Often I run and hide in having the courage to face the beyond. Accepting George's example requires me to confront many profound questions. This ultimate challenge creates a tremendous urgency to observe what is important and matters. One simple answer comes, “to be or not to be,” as Shakespeare once referred as this is the question of expanding my heart.

May my beloved brother's passing provides me courage to serve with greater compassion. May I embrace my loneliness, and despair so I may find the light within this darkness. From this experience today I vow to remember to see both sides of positive and negative as being one and the same. George thank you for your example. George you have closed one door and opened another where I can pass on your love to others.


Four Things
Prudence K. Gearey

These things are beautiful beyond belief;
The pleasant weakness that comes after pain,
The radiant greenness that comes after rain,
The deepened faith that follows after grief,
And the awakening to love again.

Relax Now!

There is no greater form of self love then for me to explore my full relaxation potential. Relaxing in the now allows me to cultivate new ways to celebrate arriving in the present. There are countless relaxation rituals and techniques to help me fully find this moment to moment grace including deep breathing, mindful movement, visualization, muscle relaxation, and meditation. Such experimentation and practice of such techniques reduces my stress, improve my health, and increase feelings of joy and serenity. In addition to developing essential calming skills, relaxing now enhance my energy, sharpens my focus and expands my overall wellness.

One highly effective stress-relief practice for me to focus on releasing tension wherever it arises in my body. Another is when work to soften any angst in my feet and gradually work my way up the body to release muscle tension everywhere. Other relaxation techniques include cultivation of mindfulness with a deep focus in the present moment, simple visualization exercises, and use of the breath to lessen both mental and physical tensions and to maximize my fullest relaxation potential.

Cultivating new ways to lessen stress has the potential to improve every facet of my life allowing me to expand my quality of experience. Also relaxation allows me shift out of me being so identified with my thoughts and anxieties. This is not simple overcoming tremendous forms of fear and resistance. This relaxation happens when I can find a space where I can lessen my stress. Next I set an intention or any ritual that invites me to focus in relaxing now in the present.

Shifting my intention to find greater calm and stillness I arrive in tranquil area of consciousness. There are many techniques to achieve this attention that may shift from observing things from near to far away. This form of letting go or releasing comes from both active or passive skills. Also such creating a more relaxed mind-set also comes from either prayer or meditation allowing us to take refuge outside our ego-centered self.

There are additional ways to best relax my mind. Fostering appreciation and loving kindness as I follows my breath or listens to the nature of sounds. Just as when water is allowed to be still it becomes clear just as our heart/mind connection.

Relaxation and visualizing methods are key championship skills not just in sports but in all life endeavors. There are two outcomes of this relaxed concentration. An awareness of what is happening as it is happening. And, what is my relationship to this happening?

As I explore stress reduction direct experience where we can shift and expand my attention to moment to moment awareness. Whether to body sensations, noise, or other anchors to bring me to the here and now as we improve the nature of our specific attention to whatever object of meditation appears.

There are bountiful possibilities to relax now- whether walking, standing, speaking, and lying down. Even recreational endeavors and a diversity of practices offer me a rich and blessed experience when I deeply focus in the moment because I pause to become relaxed. Awakening my relaxation skills result in greater clarity, insights and a sense of tranquility. Relaxing now helps me to remember that I can lessen my suffering with explore better ways to reduce stress and fully enjoy my life.

Remembering Grace

First say to yourself what you would be: then do what you have to do. ~Epictetus

The truth is everything is here and now. The challenge is remembering how to overcome my fears and access grace or divine love in this moment. It comes down to self discipline to exercise a transformation heart/mind choice. This profound spiritual act comes down to applying not hiding from my greater self. So much of my life has been distracted by doubt, depression, despair and other self destructive mindsets. Much of my shadow side I can overcome by challenging me to cultivate an attitude based on exposing what is true. Either I can opt for more heavenly opportunities or reside in the hell of doing the same thing expecting different results. Being a creature of many unwholesome habits it is easy for me to become lost in the current societal drama. Getting out of my head and focusing on my heart/spirit connection is my salvation or what I call grace.

All my conscious life I have struggled to find my way in this world. Lost or asleep to life to being fully in contact with the pulsation of daily life; it’s very trials and tribulations I flee from. I believe I am not alone. Western civilization is at a crossroads where today’s outer conflicts can be traced to inner demons.

One of most amazing insights is how can I love all of life so intensely while not fully embracing parts of my own self? Cultivating self love that is reverent for the interconnection of all things is a life-long challenge. Paying attention to a deeper spirit requires tenderly listening to my own heart beat. Nature constantly reminds me to find grace. It show itself when I care for all things in this world. The delicate balance for me is how and what I identify myself with. My greatest challenge has to see how I can expand my love and forgive myself at times when I fall short. When I observe how I love all creation then I realize I just another drop in this pool of universal compassion.

My suffering is lessened when I realize that the “I” is rather a “we.” In these difficult times I believe all of us wish to find harmony amidst the turmoil. Inside each of us we have the gift of unearthing greater awareness liberating our collective unconsciousness from our deluded wants and providing light of our sacred needs. There is not greater treasure we can provide in our life time then for us to reduce our anxious wealth to relaxing with the cultivation of well being.

Is not life’s quest for each person on this planet to find peace within themselves thus leading the way? If we wish to lessen terror, improve our environment and help others ultimately we must whatever plagues our human condition we must go within. Real change can only happen when each of us change ourselves. Leading by example is the tenor of the times.

A rich life comes down to skillful interpersonal skills. How we treat all things, most importantly our very self is an extended act of divine love. The more evolved and successful one becomes is based on how we interface with people, things and places. Since these are extensions of our large self or the world when we show respect and sensitivity for them we ultimately show self love since truly it is all interconnected. The challenge is develop a positive feedback loop to celebrate our passion to be kind, gentle and sensitive. Greater awareness that all things are not separate I become gentler with myself. In this mysterious path of gracefully going forth the key is to remember not to fear or forget what matters most.

A Loving Guest House

Rumi once wrote “there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” Now I wish to celebrate all the ways to show my compassion. This for me is a natural remedy for my “dis-being-at-ease” or mental disease. When I visualize a vibrant white light this helps me embody the practice or “being at ease.”

I believe we are at a fantastic time where a spirit of magic is knocking at our individual and collective doors. Can we allow it in?

This spirit is wonderfully described in Rumi’s poem “Guest House.”

This being human is a guest house.
Every day a new arrival.

A joy, depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame , the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.

Have you ever sensed that you have guide from beyond helping you? Not as a form of mental torture yet a door to freedom. The hardest thing in my life is to face my darkest shadow. So I welcome my guide. The question is can I quiet my mind and listen to my heart for this too is my guide. For me my torture can only be calmed by allowing spirit to come in and touch my soul. This spirit comes from the mystery; the wind or just simple beautiful bird at your window. Can we be awake and listen to its silence to let it in?

How can I serve what is true and deep to honor my soul? Only if I am gentle with myself and not so self absorbed can this miracle occur. I guess a revolution of kindness is at our door step waiting to enter if we can just trust our guides. Yes, people are generous in crisis, such as hurricanes, death and many other forms of natural and human forms of disasters.

The earth today is filled with increased stress and constant pressure. Helping to promote mindfulness is an antidote. Quieting my mind and listening to my heart is how I have been transforming my anxiety into enthusiasm. If I can show up with the good and bad while treating them as equals. Showing up allows me to transform my stress and worry. I believe the all wise and enlightened being have found peace this way. If I can step into the consciousness of the heart the more time I can to run the deep with inner peace. Wise teachers from the beginning of time I learned about the power of this emotional regulation or mending our broken hearts. Just focusing on positive feelings such as appreciation, care, or compassion, I can create dramatic changes in my heart rhythms. This lessens my stress and anger and leads to my greater well-being. There is a chain of biological changes including lessening blood pressure and stress hormone levels. I can stimulate greater chi, by simply focusing on my heart energy.

When I engage in my heart more I come into balance. Quieting my mind and listening to my heart brings focused clarity, optimal health, and high performance. Also allowing me to accept my shadows provides me with the courage to be present to even the greatest things that haunt me. Whether things are a blessing or a curse, I challenge what Rumi suggests,

Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

When I focus on opening my grateful heart I awaken to tremendous new possibilities. Love and appreciation are two attitudes transforming my world. Focusing my mind with a greater heart connection happens when I count my blessings regarding the wonderful of it all.

There is no greater gift then being grateful and compassionate since this the ultimate act of celebrating life. When I exercise my “loving appreciation” this provides me with a gift that keeps on giving.

Today there are many unconscious self destructive acts both coming from individual and collective sources. Grateful love is evident by kind, aware and wise intentions. Simply reflecting about all the things that I am compassionate about I change my mind-set. Love, does not separate, it connects. In love is how I can lessen my suffering or disconnection and increase my well being.

Gratitude allows me to overcome so many fear-based emotions. I challenge you to reflect on your own appreciation? What about the many wonders and gifts you have experienced? By constantly remembering and cultivating a grateful spirit I foster an intention of the sacred and such attention to this illuminates my world even more. This is the door of light I welcome you to open!

Like many, I search for greater meaning. All I have to do is deeply listen to my own grateful heart. My gratitude is so interconnected to how I care for all things in this world. When I celebrate my appreciation and love for all creation then I allow myself to swim in the collective pool of universal compassion.

More conscious ways can lessen my suffering and provide me with greater happiness. When I cultivate a grateful heart I transmute my anxiety into vibrant new enthusiasm to greet and meet live with appreciation and compassion.

Living Love Poem

May I live my life with the intention of being a living love poem

Allow me greater light, love, and laughter and lessen my darkness, despair, and sorrow

Remind me to pause, relax and deeply listen to the heartbeat of the earth

Please Grandfather of the East empty my mind and blow new air of possibility



May my body fire become peaceful and centered so to coolly discover universal compassion

Allow me to experience life’s sorrow and then purify me to find its joy

Remember that I celebrate my gifts so I can exercise boundless affection to all

Please Southern Spirits energize me and share all that I have been blessed with


May I awaken to see that life’s water balances the negative with the positive

Allow me clarity so to observe not judge my emotions and find truth now

Remind me to break many old habits and bring forth new ways and insights

Please wise Grandmother of the West allow me to accept and discover new freedom



May I transform my dreams into action that embodies a grateful and clear message

Allow me to unwind stress and tension into creative forms of play and art

Remember to not be frightened or lonely since there are many beings assisting me

Please Northern Spirits purify and change my being so I can follow my soul


May all beings above support me and provide me with courage when I doubt

Allow the heavens above to help cool me when I feel hellish fires underneath

Remind me to cultivate sacred vision when I trust to explore what mystery emerges

Please if I feel separate return me back into the harmony interconnecting all things


May my sacred heart and earth celebrate that they are one and the same

Allow me refuge by connecting with the ground when my head insanely spins out

Remember to see how everything is related together into one shared universal spider web

Please give me courage to overcome my fear and be a living love poem!

Paying Attention to My Heart’s Intention

I transform when I set an intention to pay attention expanding my heart’s capacity. Exercising greater compassion is a present I give myself when I remember to pay attention. By quieting my mind and allowing my heart to open I then celebrate the greater mystery with wonder. Otherwise anxiety and despair may arise in my critical and cynical mind. The mental and material can rob us of the spiritual unless we cultivate the intention of listening to our heart. Today’s pressured filled life can quickly divert me from my natural world where my mind spins off ignoring my greater body. Only when I return back in my body sensations I may arrive, here in this very moment.

Allowing my heart to explore the space between nothing and everything I find an ocean deep of compassion. This space of emptiness can allow us to accept life and death as all things arise and fall. Such a perspective brings me to trust my and our deepest nature. Simply nothing is separated and everything is interconnected.

The practice of stillness, listening and just being opens the door to arrive in the mystery of now instead of moving from the past straight into the future. All things or the source is both shapeless and silent. Chang Tzu described as, “It is not a thing itself.”

This transformation transcends me to a higher self. Lao Tzu described this, “To embrace all is to be selfless.” So when I remember my being and shift out of becoming I see that the universe act in endless circles defining time and space by this circular motion where there is no beginning or end. Serenity comes from observing this harmonic process when we surrender into such simplicity. Everything falls into place in the present. The future and the past are just clouds in the mind. Flowing with this attention of what is happening in this moment a doorway of freedom is opened from the magic of acceptance.

May we I find greater insight to creatively find how to quiet myself. Also how can I inspire the emergence of heaven and earth by forming a natural trust that all things align. If we can relax now then we may invite new possibilities and perspectives to transform or experience in this very moment.

From some sacred native indigenous teachings I pray to the seven directions to behold me with

1. Self love
2. spiritual protection
3. gratitude
4. divine guidance

May I celebrate that I;

- Listen deeper
- Forgive more
- Find what is true
- Embrace my shadow
- Exercise my greater self
- Venture being vulnerable
- Risk heartbreak
- Profoundly care
- Freely experience experience

Deal with a Full Deck

Every April Fools Day I love to celebrate folly. 24 years ago, on April Fool’s Day, I visited my Congresswoman, Connie Morella, dressed up in a court jester costume. As Ray Cycle, a recycling action here I created, I stood on the Capitol steps at high noon and proclaimed, "You’re not dealing with a full deck when you throw out the joker out! Recycle Our Nation’s Capital."

I see the difference between a comedy and a tragedy as subtle, but significant-- we can learn from comedy rather than perpetuating a tragic fate. This is why I take refuge in our wasteful ways.


A sense of humor is essential. A process of purification is needed from our depressed, angry, anxious state of existence allowing laughter to clean. Also humor is about that nothing is what it appears. What is funny is that we are caught by our own projections, misinterpretations and desires. Such illusion, delusions and other tricks can either awaken or deceive us. When we see that we live in a house of mirrors and that both laughing and crying are the same release then we can laugh with joy in what is revealed.


Yes we are foolish beings. By appreciation this trickery then we begin to truly see. Oh the divine is so tough to find since laughter truly is primordial secret source of truth. In searching for some sense out of nonsense there is possibility to change our character is the fool!

The wild card is the highest card in the deck and is thrown out many times in the game. However, this discard is priceless, since laughter, love and merriment is it’s symbol is wildly free of the deck’s hierarchy. The fool is a shamanic force representing the non ordinary or the world of the psyche. Wisely mad this jester walks on the razor edge between sublime and the ridiculous. Fumbling on the high wire of reality and fantasy, The changer, the trickster, the transformer, this motley being is both sad, merry and may quite mad playing out a ludic role. Yes this ludicrous individual sheds light on both on bondage and our path to freedom.

From folly a kind of wisdom can be born from the fool and his/hers mischief. Out of our trials and tribulations some cleverness can arise from the perverse form of a clown. From laughter insight comes from this spontaneity with some form of sublime message. Shakespeare said that jesters do often prove prophets. He also said, “I had rather a fool make me merry than experience to make me sad.”

Observing a clown you are exposed to a full weather system of emotions. Much comes from simple human events without a sense of rawness embarrassing, tragic or uneasy moments. Even out of sorrow humor acts to balance grief.


You see, Ray Cycle's message is being "insightful and mindful". Today we can celebrate the fact that more people recycle then vote. However, we still need to manage the billions of tons of valuable resources that we waste every year. We deserve to conserve. Let’s have fun but not become foolish. To disregard and discard is folly. Demonstrating reverence for our land results in many happy returns. Let’s honor the process and not bury our problems. In recovery there is discovery—by giving back you feel more connected. I use poor humor to awaken such as "toot your frugal bugle with the gift of thrift, Recycle Our Nations’ Capital."

Recognizing that in face of laughing and crying are the same release. We can become free from the tragic only when we awake from the comic. It’s time we learn and laugh from a comedy, not a tragedy, of our errors. Just like Earth Day, everyday is April Fools Day if we can awaken to our human nature.

In Love

I put it to you that we are at an interesting crossroads in our history. Human conflict was first more with battling nature, and then we began to tame the elements and started fighting with each other. Today we face a global form of self destruction so evident by current events. Our individual self is interconnected and interdependent on our larger ecological self--the planet Earth. If we take care of the smaller self, we also must preserve the larger self.

However, this is just my experience; so I ask you to reflect if this is true for you as well. What have you seen in your own lifetime as to how humans relate to themselves, others and the earth? While individually we are kind, aware and wise, there appears to be a form of collective dysfunction when it comes to foreseeing and forestalling future man-made disasters that have their origins in an evidently ego-centered outlook.

When reflecting about all the things that I love, how can I divorce myself from feeling the same love for myself? The simple four letter word “love“does not separate, it connects. In love suffering and anomie is lessened, and well-being is enhanced. It transforms insight into idea into action in the grace of deep compassion.

My first insight when I was four was that I was so lucky to have food while other children were starving and dying. So quite early both gratitude and guilt became emotions I had to encompass at the same time, this “buzzing”—which we all experience—is our life force and is both nervously destructive and curiously creative.

I write out of my appreciation for the many wonders and gifts I have experienced. By constantly remembering and cultivating a grateful spirit, I foster an intention of the sacred and attention to this illuminates my world even more. This is the door of light I welcome you to open!

Like many, I have struggled to find meaning in a civilization that is so focused at times on the material. It appears at times that we are a culture denying a deeper spirit. All I have to do is deeply listen to my own heart beat. This great mystery we live is so interconnected, if only we dare to explore how we all care for all things in this world. Life’s greatest challenge is to see how I can expand this love that is myself to all things. When I am aware of how I love all creation, then I add just another drop in the pool of universal compassion.

I believe we all are trying to find the eye of this hurricane we call life—that still place in the midst of a storm. To find harmony requires inquiry into what is grace. Grace is a radical gift: by realizing greater awareness of my own concerns, I can liberate a collective unconsciousness and bring greater happiness to others. My suffering is lessened when I realize this is “our” suffering—the world beating with one heart. We can provide no greater gift in our own lifetime than contributing to reduction of anxiety, whether on an individual basis or a global basis.
Our greatest challenge today is for each person on this planet to find peace within themselves. If we wish to lessen terror, improve our environment, help others, resolve whatever plagues our human condition, we must go within and examine what is true.

What we do for future generations is a treasure we pass on to them and also give to our own soul. The challenge is to develop a positive feedback loop to celebrate our natural passion to be kind, gentle and sensitive. We will not evolve our spirit if we do not venture forth and risk vulnerability.

The simple act of lessening my own anxiety influences and creates momentum to calm others. When I pay attention to my love, I find the energy to cultivate wise action. As I become gentler with myself, I add to making this a more beloved place. In love changes our world when we free ourselves to explore the compassionate space of our higher self.

Mindful Speaking Using Insight Dialogue (ID)

Like many people, every time I speak before a group I get extremely nervous. Public speaking can be one of the most stressful activities imaginable. However, when I address an audience I practice a form of meditation. It is about cultivating tranquillity: developing a greater sense of presence when I talk transforms my speech. What better way to improve my speaking skills than to explore how to better relax and concentrate on how to best engage my audience? Careful listening to good speakers also provides me with invaluable insights as to how to improve all facets of my communication skills.

Focusing on being more wakeful as I talk is a process called Insight Dialogue . It teaches me to explore how to better show-up when I talk and to become more mindful as I do so. Mindful speech comes from becoming more conscious of the entire process when we talk with other people.

We can all develop more wholesome techniques that can improve our entire communications experience. For example, I gain better clarity when I pause and relax in the process of talking. Developing such calmness is balanced by a profound sense of attentiveness to what is being said or heard.

Insight Dialogue consists of exploring six basic steps: Pausing, Relaxing, Opening, Trusting Emergence, Listening Deeply, and Speaking Our Truth. I first pause and awaken before I speak. It is critical to take one’s time before we vocalize. I then allow myself to relax. This is essential in order to focus fully on the task at hand. Opening allows one to settle and find clarity as to what is presently happening.

When one trusts emergence, one is freer to perceive new possibilities. In order to increase one’s awareness, one must listen deeply to what is going on. And finally, this process allows me to speak my truth as one makes a profound heart/mind connection. In my opinion, eloquence comes from the embodiment of both compassion and insight when communicating.

Becoming more mindful as to how we use words, the manner in which we say them, experiencing the full process of Insight Dialogue enables us to excel at public speaking. It makes possible greater connection with others as improved speaking skills create more intimate encounters. By focusing our attention to specific areas of consciousness, such as our body or our feelings, we gain more clarity as to how we are relating to and connecting with the audience.

Being more in the present anchors me and is enhanced by paying regular attention to my body and feelings to increase my mindfulness in each moment. Another anchor is to be aware of my breathing whatever the present communication experience is.

When I relax I fully connect with my audience. Beginning with a pause, and relaxing sets my mind at ease and enables me to see things as they actually are in the “now”. Tension acts to distort and block my presentation. As I practice my speech with a sense of grace I become more alert. The calmer I become, the better I speak.

Insight Dialogue also involves inquiry into the nature of better communication. Choice of language is another form of meditation to practice the force of intellect and the associative power of words. Insight Dialogue works directly with language and is about transformation in speaking with a sense of the sacred.

Anytime I speak before a group I make it into an opportunity to meditate. I work on pausing, relaxing and opening to the possibility of deeply connecting to my audience. As I better listen to both my body and my feelings, I am better able to embody in words my own truth and attain a greater sense of wholeness.

Star Waltz

Our attraction is a planetary dance caused by an orbit of our hearts

Apart of this starlit waltz light reflects and refracts amidst the dark heavens

We share both karma and gravity as galactic lovers rotating and revolving

This sharing of celestial space awakens an inner spark as our souls emerge

An inner mixture of stardust sculpted into blood, bone, tissue and wave lengths

Our spirits venture in space filled with joy, sadness, tears and laughter

Our interconnected energy field emits mirth, woe and everything in between

This magnetic phenomenon opens new dimensions of possibilities and realms

Matter, sensations, emotions, thoughts and consciousness all interweaving

Exploring the frontiers of this pulsation a sense of still compassion arises

A place where awareness cultivating peace, harmony into a tranquil oneness

An organic meeting that illuminates with a divine arrival of grace

Beyond our carbon small self interconnects a bright higher spirit

This bountiful universal source balances the cycles of our birth and death

Just as the night sky is filled with endless stars and black holes

Two planets lovingly spin around together attracted by each

Twirling and obeying quantum laws merging the known with the unknown

Such a quilt of energy, atoms, light and the mystery of psychic like minds

So tiny yet enormous these celestial organisms form greater milky ways

Shimmer and sparking light beholding the dark of this infinite time-place

Separate and the same affecting our cosmic journey with a twinkle of a star