Daily Om Thursday

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Lydia | 4 Comments

Balance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Balance

Like pieces of a puzzle, the many different aspects of your being come together to form the person that you are. You work and play, rest and expend energy, commune with your body and soul, exalt in joy, and feel sorrow. Balance is the state that you achieve when all of the aspects of your life and self are in harmony. Your life force flows in a state of equilibrium because nothing feels out of sync. While balance is necessary to have a satisfying, energetic, and joyful life, only you can determine what balance means to you.

Achieving balance requires that you assess what is important to you. The many demands of modern life can push us to make choices that can put us off balance and have a detrimental effect on our habits, relationships, health, and career. In creating a balanced lifestyle, you must ascertain how much time and energy you are willing to devote to the different areas of your life. To do so, imagine that your life is a house made up of many rooms. Draw this house, give each part of your life its own room, and size each room according to the amount of importance you assign to that aspect of your life. You can include family, solitude, activities that benefit others, healthy eating, indulgences, exercise and working on self. You may discover that certain elements of your life take up an inordinate amount of time, energy, or effort and leave you with few resources to nurture the other aspects of your life. You may want to spend less time on these activities and more on the ones that! fulfill you.

A balanced lifestyle is simply a state of being in which one has time and energy for obligations and pleasures, as well as time to live well and in a gratifying way. With its many nuances, balance can be a difficult concept to integrate into your life. Living a balanced existence, however, can help you attain a greater sense of happiness, health, and fulfillment. ~ Madyson Taylor, Daily Om

In a perfect world, our lives would militate towards balance, so that we have ample time for all the joys of life. However, achieving balance requires us to make decisions based on how we envision a balanced life. As the Daily Om article notes, there are many aspects of our lives. Each serve to satisfy our physical, emotional, spiritual or mental needs.

As an initial matter, let’s agree that the aspects of a balanced quality of life amounts to 100% of our time. In order to create such a life, we must assign to each aspect, the percentage of time that we wish to devote to it. It goes without saying that a happy, satisfying life consists of a combination of aspects that are important and pleasing to us. The notion of what makes up a “balanced” quality of life is not uniform and varies from one person to another. I may select an aspect that is important to me, that wholly lacks meaning to you.

Two aspects of a balanced life that are extremely important are “work” and “play.” For most of us, the largest percent of our day is in work mode, be it a stay-at-home Mom or Dad, in public or private sector jobs, or those who simply keep themselves busy going from one task to another. By over emphasizing work, we neglect other areas of our lives, especially play.

Google defines “play” as to “engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” A researcher in a NPR (National Public Radio) story titled “Play Doesn’t End With Childhood: Why Adults Need Recess Too,” defined it as “something done for its own sake…. It’s voluntary, it’s pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time. And the act itself is more important than the outcome.”

When we were children, no one needed to remind us to play. The phrase “can I go out and play?” was a common refrain. It seemed innate to our child persona. The word “play.” in and of itself brings a smile to my face, as I think of all the time that we spent simply having fun, and being the very opposite of serious. As children, our world revolved around play, and we attacked it with gusto. The possibilities for play were endless and it never occurred to us that when we “grew up,” play would take a back seat to work, and in some cases, totally forgotten. In addition to its health benefits, play promotes, among other things, curiosity, creativity, connection and keeping the mind sharp. (In case you are interested, can read here about the nonprofit National Institute for Play.)

Anyway, my point is to urge you not to discount “play” as a vital part of an ideal and balanced quality of life. In our work life, where we typically must display a serious persona, and is driven by outcome, outcome, outcome, play serves as a much-needed outlet to let go and show our goofy, fun and relaxing side. Why? Just because ….

DailyOM Course Spotligh

Daily Om Thursday

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Lydia | 4 Comments

The Guardian Angel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Angel Meditation: An Invitation to Love

Though your host of spirit guides encompasses many diverse beings, all of which willingly watch over you, meditating with angels can be a uniquely insightful experience. The angels stationed at your side are both powerful and knowledgeable—they possess a limitless understanding of your needs and desires, your strengths and weaknesses, and your purpose. However, angels take an active part in our lives only when invited to do so. Meditation allows you to make contact with your angels and lovingly request that they participate actively in your day-to-day life.

To begin, retreat to a solitary place where you won’t be distracted by concerns. Incense and candlelight may aid you in achieving a meditative state but are not necessary. However, laying an image of an angel, angel statue, or item symbolizing your angels before you can focus your thoughts. Sit comfortably, breathe deeply, and let yourself relax. When you feel peaceful, invite your angels from the highest of light to sit with you as you meditate. Mentally repeat your request and reiterate that this time together is important to you. Then, in your mind’s eye, visualize a bright-white light floating above you. As you breathe, draw this light first into the crown of your head and then into the whole of your physical self. Allow this light to spread through your arms and hands, your core, and your lower body. Repeat this integration of illumination with a violet light.

Once again, ask your angels to be with you. Let the stillness surrounding you enter your soul, and open your heart to your angel guides. If they wish to communicate a message, they will do so now. Allow them to wrap their wings around you and infuse you with their bountiful love. Breathe them in as you did the light. As the meditation draws to a close, you may feel a presence, fluttering wings, or billowing fabric, or you may see an angel in your mind’s eye. Thank them for providing you with love and light, and being with you as you meditated. If you don’t sense or feel anything, there is no cause for worry—you can be certain your angels are with you. Don’t be surprised if you start to see signs throughout the day that your angels are near, perhaps a feather at your doorstep. As you practice this meditation, you will become increasingly adept at recognizing when your angels are near and sensing their presence. ~ Madyson Taylor, Daily Om

While this topic might be woo-woo to some (I respect that.), it is second nature to me. The angelic form has been a subject of art for thousands of years. From as far back as I can remember, I believed in angels and saints. I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana in the Catholic faith and it was a mainstay in the lives of most people. Saints and angels are a part of those beliefs. As children, we were taught that angels were beings who surrounded us with light and love. They also protected us, and where I grew up, that offered me a measure of physical, emotional and mental safety that my surroundings never provided. After 50 years, I can still remember the song that I sang to myself, if I was frightened:

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To Whom God’s love entrusts me here.
Ever this day, be at my side
To light and guard, to rule and guide.

As I grew older, and began to question various areas of my faith, my belief in angels and saints, never wavered. For reasons that I won’t bore you with, I firmly believe that they are the reason that I am still alive. Who wouldn’t feel gratitude in knowing that there are beings out there who want nothing from you, but to love, comfort, look over and protect you? All that you have to do is ask. Life is so damned scary and complicated at times, and the senseless horrors seem never-ending. If believing in God, saints, angels and the otherworldly provides some sense of peace and order, who can argue against it?

Daily Om Thursday

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Lydia | 2 Comments



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Hearing The Whisper:
Underneath The Noise

You may have noticed that if you want to speak to someone in a noisy, crowded room, the best thing to do is lean close and whisper. Yelling in an attempt to be louder than the room’s noise generally only hurts your throat and adds to the chaos. Similarly, that still, small voice within each of us does not try to compete with the mental chatter on the surface of our minds, nor does it attempt to overpower the volume of the raucous world outside. If we want to hear it, no matter what is going on around us or even inside us, we can always tune in to that soft voice underneath the surrounding noise.

It is generally true that the more insistent voices in our heads delivering messages that make us feel panicky or afraid are of questionable authority. They may be voices we internalized from childhood or from the culture, and as such they possess only half-truths. Their urgency stems from their disconnectedness from the center of our being, and their urgency is what catches our attention. The other voice that whispers reassurances that everything is fundamentally okay simply delivers its message with quiet confidence. Once we hear it, we know it speaks the truth. Generally, once we have heard what it has to say, a powerful sense of calm settles over our entire being, and the other voices and sounds, once so dominant, fade into the background, suddenly seeming small and far away.

We may find that our own communications in the world begin to be influenced by the quiet certainty of this voice. We may be less inclined to indulge in idle chatter as we become more interested in maintaining our connection to the whisper of truth that broadcasts its message like the sound of the wind shaking the leaves of a tree. As we align ourselves more with this quiet confidence, we become an extension of the whisper, penetrating the noise of the world and creating more peace, trust, and confidence. ~ Madisyn Taylor, Daily Om

Listen. What do you hear? For many of us, it is a jumble of voices that clutter our minds. Be it at the office, walking down the street, at the shopping mall, the coffee shop, or even at home, there is a deluge of the odious cacophony of noises that overwhelm our senses. In my case, I grew up in a home where it was the norm to have multiple televisions, radios and loud conversations going on at the same time. I was a child who yearned for silence, but only knew chaos.

Even when we are alone, endless to-do lists bombard our heads, or, all to often, the drones of negative thoughts billowing their unsolicited advice and opinions. Although there are those who thrive in a loud, boisterous and frenetic environment, most of us can only absorb it in bits and pieces. After a time, we long for the quiet and stillness that is a diversion from the raucous, noisy life of the outside world. I believe that is why meditation attracts me. At its nature, it demands quiet and stillness. The practice forces you to seek a space and time of solitude, and to ignore the constant chatter that relentlessly fills my head.

The thing is that at our core there is an infinite expanse of quiet, stillness and wisdom. As the article alludes to, those ‘whispers,’ speak quietly and carry a big stick, but they do not and will not seek to overcome the rancor of the unbridled mind. No, it is up to us to give it the environment in which it can share its abundant wisdom with us. In this hurry-hurry world, I realize that is easier said than done. Yet it is important, and by doing so, we bless ourselves with a most precious gift — that is, the ability to listen to the only voice that matters, our hearts.

Thursday Thoughts From Daily Om

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Lydia | 2 Comments

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Not Everybody Will Like You: Disapproving Faces

Not everybody we meet will like us and it is ok to move into acceptance rather than trying to make somebody like you.

It is not necessarily a pleasant experience, but there will be times in our lives when we come across people who do not like us. As we know, like attracts like, so usually when they don’t like us it is because they are not like us. Rather than taking it personally, we can let them be who they are, accepting that each of us is allowed to have different perspectives and opinions. When we give others that freedom, we claim it for ourselves as well, releasing ourselves from the need for their approval so we can devote our energy toward more rewarding pursuits.

While approval from others is a nice feeling, when we come to depend on it we may lose our way on our own path. There are those who will not like us no matter what we do, but that doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with us. Each of us has our own filters built from our experiences over time. They may see in us something that is merely a projection of their understanding, but we have no control over the interpretations of others. The best we can do is to hope that the role we play in the script of their lives is helpful to them, and follow our own inner guidance with integrity.

As we reap the benefits of walking our perfect paths, we grow to appreciate the feeling of fully being ourselves. The need to have everyone like us will be replaced by the exhilaration of discovering that we are attracting like-minded individuals into our lives—people who like us because they understand and appreciate the truth of who we are. We free ourselves from trying to twist into shapes that will fit the spaces provided by others’ limited understanding and gain a new sense of freedom, allowing us to expand into becoming exactly who we’re meant to be. And in doing what we know to be right for us, we show others that they can do it too. Cocreating our lives with the universe and its energy of pure potential, we transcend limitations and empower ourselves to shine our unique light, fully and freely. ~ Madisyn Taylor, Daily Om

As my mother put it, I was a sensitive child. Much like others, I wanted to fit in and be liked. I didn’t want to be treated differently. For 1st and 2nd grade, I went to a predominantly “black” school, where I had loads of friends. Unfortunately, because of its distance from our home and a perfectly good school within walking distance, I began 3rd grade in a new school, where my sister and I were among a handful Black children.

I was shy, kind and eager for friends, so when I met someone, I viewed it s an opportunity to forge a friendship. Nevertheless, often, children distanced themselves from me and there were some who acted on their dislike for me. They picked on and taunted me, and it hurt to be left out and ostracized. As a child, I was not concerned with race relations, I simply looked at the relationships that others had and wanted to be a part of it. I thought that something was wrong with me. Although I eventually made some friends, it still bothered me.

As I grew older, and I hope wiser, I have many friendships. Nevertheless, on occasion, I still meet those who do not like me for reasons that escape me. Of course, I want to be well thought of, however, over the years, I’ve come to understand that their problem isn’t about me, it lays with them. The negative energy created by such people, have no place in my life. There is nothing that I can do to change their hearts, and I no longer care to do so. It is my true friends whose opinions matter to me and with whom, I wish to surround myself.

At this point in my life, I find that Martha Graham summed it up beautifully when she quipped, “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.” Ultimately, the only thought that matters, is mine.