A safe harbor where beliefs are respected and kindness prevails.

You Deserve A Break – Bliss Break!

by

We’ve multitasked our way right out of the present moment” says Thomas Crum, author of Three Deep Breaths.

soaking up the sun at Eastern MarketWhere is the bliss in that? Reconnecting with our bliss is essential to creating peace in our lives and summer offers a great opportunity to live lightly! You don’t need a 10 day vacation in the islands (okay, I admit that might be nice as the weather changes), you can start right now creating inner harmony, making room for less stress, by taking much-needed bliss breaks.

Here are 7 tips to make your life a little more soul-cial:

1. Breathe deep at least 3 times per day – Stop whatever you are doing at least 3 times per day and take three slow, deep purposeful breaths – filling your lungs with oxygen and your soul with life. This brings a sense of inner tranquility and can soothe away any tension, frustration and anxiety.

2. Take a 15 minute walk, preferably in nature – Simply walk at a pace that feels comfortable to you. Pay attention to the ebb and flow of the natural world. There is a sweet sensation that comes over us when we observe the synchronicity of life through animals and plants. One of the coolest things to observe during summer is a firefly/lightning bug as it flits around a yard.

3. Remove one thing from your life that is non-essential – We fill our time with non-essential “stuff”. Think about what you do on a daily basis, ask yourself is it really bringing you joy? Eliminate one thing that feels daunting and taxing.

4. Laugh, laughter feeds the soul – Watch your favorite comedy; write down and relive the funniest thing that ever happened to you or simply sit and laugh. Laughter helps you take things lightheartedly and is one of the best forms of medicine. Bonus…it’s FREE! I dare you to look in the mirror and take 60 seconds to simply laugh with yourself!

5. Listen to music everyday – Turn on your favorite tunes and listen. Sing if it makes you feel good, out loud if you can. Focusing on music can reduce pain, decrease depression and bring about a sense of calm. Grab the microphone and pretend you’re Sheryl Crow belting out “I’m gonna soak up the sun!”

6. Practice gratitude – Look forward to every day and be grateful for each moment. In any given minute we can find something to be grateful for; sometimes we simply don’t see it. Start a gratitude journal, share with your friends what you are thankful for, including them, practice saying, “Thank you” more often, or, as my friend and colleague Dr. John W. Beiter says, “Write at least one Thank You note to someone every day!”

7. Of course, Smile! No explanation needed!

Are you ready to soak up the sun and take a bliss break?

My Four Agreements

by

One of my favorite books to reflect with is “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz.  In it, Don Miguel shares what he believes are the 4 principles to practices for personal freedom.  If you’ve never read it, I strongly suggest you do so, especially if you are a parent.  Each one seems simple enough and should have been ingrained in all of us at a young age.

What are Don Miguel’s “Four Agreements”?

~Be Impeccable with your word

~Don’t take anything personally

~Don’t make assumptions

~Always do your best

Teri WilliamsAfter reading “The Four Agreements”, I came up with my own personal list of principles. My personal agreements, as well as Don Miguel’s, are the foundation for living a soul-cially conscious life and have increased my capacity for love, for joy, for bliss. These personal agreements help me to better serve humanity in every way.

tgw personal four agreementsWhat are my Four Agreements?

Live with gratitude. You may have heard me say this before. Make gratitude a way of living. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I do before sleep is thank the universe for another breath, another day. If being grateful doesn’t come easy to you, begin practicing it slowly, gently, without judgment. Sometimes you might have to look a little harder than others.

Practice Generosity of Spirit. Give of yourself freely, without expectation of anything in return, tangible or intangible. Real generosity is a quality of the spirit that is motivated by love and resides deep within your soul. Give of your time and your talents, especially if you can’t give money. Simply give love and a smile. Sometimes that’s all we have and sometimes that’s all someone needs.

Move your energy. Everything is energy; where and what we put our energy into expands, sometimes beyond measure. When that energy is not moving, it becomes stagnant. Tune in to what both your body and your mind need to thrive, to feel alive, and move your energy in that direction.

Choose Bliss – Live Soul-cially. Yes, we have a choice. Make a conscious choice to create more moments of joy and bliss in your life. What we focus on multiplies. Simply decide to focus more on what’s working in your life and what feels good. You will notice the difference it makes, not just in your life, but the life of those around you.

What are your Four Agreements? Ask yourself what are the most important virtues, characteristics or traits you need to live in harmony with life, to live soul-cially!

What If This Is The Last Time?

by

RD1I feel very fortunate to have my best friend and partner all in one person. It is a gift, yes, but it also means I have to be totally honest with Steve about everything. That’s what you do with best friends – confide – right? You tell your best friend all the annoying things your spouse does. Because Steve is my best friend, I really think about whether or not to mention the few little things he does that get under my skin. They are actually my issues, not his, right?

We had the wonderful opportunity of living with my mom, Dottie, for the last eight years of her life. We moved in with her after a health crisis that the doctors thought was the beginning of the end – saying we would have her for a year or two – but I guess that goes to show what cutting out cigarettes after 60 years and what a new diet of organic foods can do to extend your life. She bounced back and thrived. Although the journey was incredible, and the three of us had a blast together, there were times when I felt myself ready to snap or roll my eyes at her for being overly concerned about what I saw as trivial or her wanting to continue to do something the same way she had for 80 some years, when I knew better.

Most of the time with Steve and my mom, I would stop myself and say, “What if this were the last thing I got to say to them? Would this be what I would want to say?”

I started this habit when I thought I would only have Dottie for a short time. I started saying to myself, “If this were the last time …”It can sound heavy but it wasn’t/isn’t. It just made me stop and think.

We are rarely given the opportunity “to know”when something is for the last time. But when we are given the chance to know – you really pay attention. Your deep awareness takes over, and the trivial does not get a chance to interfere.

Fast forward eight years. Dottie had an episode with her lungs that put her in the hospital overnight. She seemed fine as we left the hospital that evening. The next morning they called to say she was having issues breathing, and they did not think she would pull out of it. In that moment I wondered if this would be the last day. But how could I know? I wished I could know.

As we rushed to the hospital, I felt a shift in my awareness. I told myself to stop the “what ifs”and be in each moment. When I got to her side, she motioned for me to take the oxygen mask off. Looking me in the eyes, she said in a whisper, “This is the day I am going to die.”I must admit that it took my breath away. But knowing Dottie, if anyone could pick their exit day, it would be her. I took a deep breath. I bent down and asked, “Do you know what time?”She shook her head no.

But I got an answer to my question. Yes, this was going to be the last day. It was almost 24 hours later that she took her last breath. But we, along with my brother Dave, stayed with her the entire time. One of us was always holding her hand, singing to her, saying the rosary, telling her how much we loved her. And even in her weakened state, I could hear her say back to us each time, “I Love you too.”

When the grief would well up inside me, I would say, not yet. You still have her. Be here. Open your eyes. Feel her skin, her hair. Be in the moment. As intense as it was, it was also so beautiful and life altering.

So I have been saying it even more. “What if this is the last time?”Again I don’t say it to bring up sadness. It is not about getting lost in the emotion of sadness. It is about bringing my awareness into the moment. It helps me to look into the eyes of the one I am speaking with. It has me look at each student in my yoga class and acknowledge them. It opens me to discernment, so I save my criticism for the things that REALLY matter. There are times when we must speak our truth. But many times our criticism is based on the fact that someone’s actions or words set us off because they are not doing it our way or the way we think they “should.” Anytime we think or say “should,”it is our expectations being reflected on to someone else.

“What if this is the last time …”is my way of bringing myself back to the moment I am in. It brings me into the NOW. My friend Cindy is dealing with aging parents and the natural tendency to start the grieving before anyone has moved on. You find yourself grieving because they are not the “way”they used to be or how you remember. We talked about it when her Mom went through a recent health crisis. We all age if we are fortunate enough to do so. All humans have aging in common. So be with them as they are Now. Don’t mourn how they used to be. That’s useless and just breaks your heart over and over. Acknowledge the natural process of things and open your awareness to the NOW. Be with them here. Maybe you let a few things roll off your back. Maybe you have to take a deep breath and allow them to be their eccentric selves. In the grand scheme of things, what does it matter? If it were the last time, what would you do or say? Pause. Pay attention as if there are no tomorrows. Don’t hope for more time or opportunities or blindly count on it; make use of the ones you have right now. Don’t stop yourself from reaching for their hand. Keep saying I love you even if it is never said back to you. If it is the last time, make sure you lived it true to your heart. Let your heart be free. Be kind. That kindness finds its way back to you.

I learned so much from my Mom. I am still learning. I have great gratitude that she gave me the experience of “knowing it was the last time.”I used that moment, that day, all the time to make my life richer and more meaningful.

It’s funny now how I find myself smiling at the little things about Steve that once bothered me. I open my Awareness, and I have gratitude for having him around. I find myself looking at him to capture every detail as if I might not get another opportunity. Live each day, each moment, as if it’s the only one you’ve got. That’s what is important. Namaste’

 Rob Dorgan

Creating Happiness Through Health

by

DF1Imagine what it would feel like to live a life of happiness, health, and well-being. Can you do that? Can you close your eyes and let yourself go to a time and place where you feel amazing vitality, strength, and a true sense of peace and happiness?

This is where it all starts. Right from where you are. No matter what is going on in your lives. Right here, right now, is the time to start the process of creating health and happiness for tomorrow.

What do you have in your life that you can be thankful for right now? There is so much you can’t even imagine. You just have to recognize it and stop rejecting it. Being present in this moment for what you do have will begin to bring more experiences into your life to be thankful for.

Yes, I am talking about gratitude. Since our time together is focused on health, fitness, and wellness, I will speak in those terms.

Maybe you don’t have the energy, body shape, health, or sense of well-being you are desiring; however, you still have plenty to be grateful for. See what you do have to work with as a gift, and take and mold yourself into someone spectacular.

Can you walk? Can you move your body? Are you able to put food on the table that is nutritious? Can you schedule time for exercise, meditation, and family? Do you have someone who will support and encourage you? (Yes you do; I am just a phone call away!)

Part of creating happiness in your life is creating health and fitness in your body.

When your body is strong and filled with vitality, you feel so much more confident and self empowered. You have the energy to step beyond the day’s normal activities and start following your passions.

When your body is healthy and strong, you are capable of so much more, and your spirit guides your thoughts into the expression of your full potential.

It is so true: “When you have your health, you have everything. When you do not have your health, nothing else matters at all.” Augusten, Burroughs

I have personally worked with many very successful people who were in such a state of pain and physical dysfunction that they could not see clear to feel happy or grateful for all that they had. Their lack of health pulled them down into fear and despair. Yet as we worked together, and as they began to create health and wellness, their enthusiasm for life returned, and they realized how precious health is to happiness.

Happiness comes out of a healthy spirit, mind, and body. We must give ourselves the spiritual, mental/emotional, and physical nutrition needed so we can radiate happiness from every cell in our body.

Spiritually, we must recognize we are the universal consciousness, or God, and we are here to live a life of abundance, happiness, and health. Then we need to claim this for ourselves by believing it and knowing we are capable of anything we can imagine.

Mentally/emotionally, we must focus our attention on knowing and feeling ourselves as that which we desire to be. When our thoughts and emotions drift towards the negative, we should recognize this and refocus our attention on our desires.

Physically, we must give our bodies abundant deep breathing, plenty of clean water, nutritious foods, the right amount of exercise, and plenty of sleep.

Happiness comes with a simple recipe: Love yourself enough to give your spirit, mind, and body what it needs in order to be healthy and to flourish.

By doing so, you will live a life that most will only dream of.

You deserve this, you know? You deserve to be happy, healthy, and well. No one outside of yourself can give this to you. You not only hold the key, but you are the key.

Unlock your potential of happiness, health, and wellness by starting today.

I am here to help you on this journey.

I wish for you Vibrant Health!

David E. Fresilli

Feedback