Exit ~ Stage Left!

As I was watching news today on a major network this notion of ‘exiting the stage’ came to mind. This network was featuring one of my all-time favorite bands, which I will not call out by name, out love and respect for them. But anyway I was so excited to see them, after all these years, perform. Well, hmmm….Ok, it was a little rough. They are all in their 60’s now and of course they aren’t going to look or sound like they did 30 years ago but again, it was rough. I can say this because I too am a singer and guitarist. So I thought to myself, we all need to learn when to exit the stage. This doesn’t pertain to music or theatrical matters alone, it also pertains to having the wisdom to know when to walk off the stage of events in your life. Carl Jung said, “What you resist ~ persist.” This is so true. I also had friend that was dealing with issues of rejection and I explained this quote to her. When you push things ~ they push back. When you are in resistance instead of going with the flow of things, you are essentially giving energy to the very thing you do not want, and it grows! You have to move your focus to the things you do want to see happen in your life but while doing this you sometimes have to ‘exit’ the stage for a while. Your eyes have to move their attention from the ‘audience’ to the ‘exit’ sign stage left. Yes, I’ve acted too! I recently had a similar situation where, for various reasons, I was receiving negative energy and being ostracized by a group of people in an arts forum I was involved in, and I did something this hot-tempered Irish girl had never done before…I walked away. And guess what, I’m okay, in fact I’m better than okay, I’m fabulous! Why I was being treated badly doesn’t even matter. Quoting Dr. Wayne Dyer, “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” The lesson wasn’t about them anyway, it never is ~ it was about me! It was like the Universe was saying, “Let’s see what she’ll do this time.” Well, let’s just say, I walked away, exited that stage, literally, and had such peace. I finally passed the test! I aced it baby! And not too long afterwards I was put on another stage doing what I really love. Your destiny cannot be blocked by others. Only you can put a stop to all the wonder~filled things that have been planned for your time here, and even then, it’s a trick to dissuade the Universe into not giving you ‘your’ journey. It’s called synchronicity! Sometimes people and circumstances are used to reposition us back on our predestined path, our God-given birthright. Rumi said, “On the day you were born a ladder was placed before you ~ to escape this world.” How beautifully tragic. Each rung on that ladder is a lesson, a step, to learn and then we advance to the next rung on the ladder. The next time you are challenged in a similar way, just for tickles and giggles, try this method ~ walk away. It may be painful ~ you may feel rejected but it will pass just like the girl before you ~ exiting stage left. As Always, Namaste', God Bless YOU & Shalom Baby! The Dalai Mama

One Note at a Time.....

It is looking at the whole of a thing that frustrates us and worries us. I again am delving into another musical because the reward, which is the end result, is so worth the long nights of dancing, singing ~ sometimes out of tune, and calling out Line?, that you endure. In the beginning, when you look at your script and music score it’s very intimidating and you know you have a limited amount of time to learn all of this! But today while reading The Tao Te Ching, these three sentences stuck out to me and the lights came on…where there was doubt and darkness. The 63rd Verse; Magnify the small, Increase the few. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness in little things. So I thought, instead of trying to tackle the whole song, take it one note at a time. Instead of looking at the whole music score ~ look at the one note. It is in that one note that you will find your song. “The journey of a thousand miles ~ begins with one single step.” Lao Tzu

Rainbow in the Clouds

"When it looked like the Sun wasn't going to shine anymore, God put a rainbow in the clouds." ~ 19th Century African-American Song ~ Be that rainbow for someone who has clouds in their life. When they encounter you, they should meet God ~ Love. Don't bring them judgment....they have that, don't bring them criticism...for they have criticized themselves enough, don't dump your expectations onto them...that's your baggage and their burdens are a heavy load.....all those things are clouds. No...bring them color....the red....the blue....purple and yellow too. BE a blessing!

"It's Complicated"

As I sit here on this beautiful morning, sipping coffee and contemplating on the results of just seven days of walking three miles a day, I giggle to myself, and the all too common phrase and FB status, "It's Complicated", pops into my head. I thought, all these years and all these expensive gadgets and diets rendering little if any results and now that I finally listened to myself ~ my intuition ~ which all along was telling me STOP DIETING ~ keep it simple. I hate to admit it but sometimes the opinions and advice of others was louder than the still calm voice in my soul, but this time was different. It was as if everything outside of my soul's advice was failing. I would pull the rudder left and my soul would say, "No, No this way. The waters were always tough to navigate and dangerous in the direction I would often steer us and we would never seem to get anywhere. So, one day I was watching a show that featured the life of Shirley MacLaine and she talked about a journey ~ a Soul Journey ~ she had taken called "The Spanish Trail". It's a long arduous hike from France to Spain where you end up at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas. It was a Soul Journey and she stated that when she got back home she was so used to walking 15 to 20 miles a day that she HAD to walk every day for 3 to 4 hours ~ her body or maybe even her soul required this exercise. She said it showed her how we truly are creatures of habit and a light bulb went off in my head with the thought attached to it ..... what if I just walked?! So .... that day I started walking with the intention directed towards a goal ~ not weight loss but I told myself, "I am training for my hike on "The Spanish Trail". Well, I've only been doing it for the last 7 days and yes I've lost weight but more importantly is what I have gained. I am finding the solitude of nature while walking alone ~ no noise ~ just birds singing. I am finding that these walks clear out the cob

webs that I've strung in my mind. I feel empowered ~ at peace ~ and yes my energy level has increased but honestly I don't think that it's all from a physical level. I think when we slow down and take in all that is around us in nature ~ God's true sanctuary ~ the sun, the birds, the blue sky, the wind and the Earth beneath our feet we are re-energizing our Souls. Each day I look for a stone to pick up and bring home, I guess to signify that I was here and to carry part of 'this' home with me. Most importantly I have learned thus far; It's NOT complicated...listen to that small still voice inside ~ it's the voice of God and Less is More. One day I will hike "The Spanish Trail" but today I will walk MY walk and trust the knowledge of an old Sage Lao Tzu, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step." Namaste', God Bless & Shalom Baby!

Still Standing

While watching the news this morning, which included a great deal of coverage of the Boston Marathon Tragedy, I had a grateful "moment". Most of my grateful "moments" are conjured up by reflection of a wonderful life and then recorded in my gratitude diary, which I've been keeping for the past 5 years. This grateful moment was born ~ realized, when I saw a woman who had participated in The Boston Marathon last year and had lost her legs, one from the knee down and the other from the thigh down, in the Boston Marathon bombing. A photographer, Robert Fogerty, took pictures of Celeste at the finish line on the anniversary of this tragedy, and written in black magic marker on her legs were the words, "Still Standing". I immediately felt that sinking feeling that we all feel when we realize how 'ungrateful' we've really been. Although, on a daily basis, I had been writing in my gratitude journal my gratefulness for my car, my house and my family, I also had murmured and complained, almost as often, about my fat legs. Everyone has a body part that they would prefer to be thinner, look better or just not exist. But at this moment, I was looking at a woman who no longer had legs. How dare I not like my legs! So...this is where my AHA! Moment happened. I have strong beautiful legs. I can walk, run, skip and jump. I AM GRATEFUL! Sometimes we need to see the void ~ the darkness to appreciate the fullness of the light. So no longer will I say, silently to myself, I hate my legs I wish they were different. I will now rejoice in the abundance of my thighs and write down every day how grateful I am to be.......STILL STANDING.

Religion is purely geographical but spirituality is Universal!

II watched a program the other night where I witnessed political refugees of Iran being allowed to visit 'the border' of Iran, there homeland, and as I see the tears roll down there faces, because they can NEVER return, and I see their souls find solace in the prayers coming through the speakers in the towers of the mosque my heart ached for them & I felt a compassion for Muslims that I had never felt before (don't shoot me!) and I realized something, Religion is purely geographical but spirituality is Universal. So with that thought, I will sign off as I usually do, Namaste', God Bless, Shabbat Shalom and........."As-Salaam-Alaikum," the Arabic greeting meaning "Peace be unto you."