The Cure for Anything
is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea
Category Learning
-
-
Vast
Isn’t that the truth? Some days I do question what life is trying to teach me. I was just going about my peaceful day, getting in a good workout when a text message from “Seattle” popped onto my phone. “I’ve been thinking so much about you lately.” No. Just, no. It felt like a swift kick to the stomach. Still, after all these years. At least now it’s much easier to shake it off and not let it derail my whole day. I told Seattle no years ago. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But in my heart, I know that it was the right thing to do. Loving someone should not have to hurt that much. I don’t know if I’ve ever loved anyone that was actually good for me. Just once in my life, I’d like that to happen. Is that too much to ask? Probably. And that’s okay, because it has to be okay.
-
Growth
I have a great sense of humor and I don’t take myself too seriously. Life’s a lot easier (and a lot more fun) that way. But I don’t get it when guys use cheesy, smarmy pick up lines. Seriously, does that ever really work?
I was telling my son a story about gym creepers this weekend. He couldn’t believe that guys actually do this. I see this as a strong indication that I raised him right. Nine times out of ten, a polite, intelligent conversation will get you much further than staring and/or creepily following around a woman. Crazy, right? 😉
-
The Present Moment
“This moment is not life waiting to happen, goals waiting to be achieved, words waiting to be spoken, connections waiting to be made, regrets waiting to evaporate, aliveness waiting to be felt, enlightenment waiting to be gained. No. Nothing is waiting. This is it. This moment is life.”
“Why does it often take extreme life situations to bring back an awareness of the magic and mystery of life? Why do we often wait until we’re about to die before discovering a deep gratitude for life as it is? Why do we exhaust ourselves seeking love, acceptance, fame, success, or spiritual enlightenment in the future? Why do we work or meditate ourselves into the grave? Why do we postpone life? Why do we hold back from it? What are we looking for exactly? What are we waiting for? What are we afraid of? Will the life we long for really come in the future? Or is it always closer than that?”
― Jeff Foster, The Deepest AcceptanceWhat’s here and now is all there is . For years, I’ve struggled with this fact. Most of us know this to be true in our heads, but integrating it into our daily living is another thing. It’s a practice, one that must stay a part of our awareness if we hope to be released from suffering. Anger, resentment, fear, jealously, worry, doubt—these are all things that can feel very real to us when we are experiencing them. However, they are of the mind, and just excuses to hang on to yesterday or to live in tomorrow.
I’ve made some mistakes in the past, some huge ones at that. “If only I had done things differently” used to play in my head over and over. I finally realized that way of thinking was taking me away from my present experience. When I live in the past or future, I miss out on the freedom and peace in the now. The Vacuum Law of Prosperity states that “two things cannot take up the same space, so we must let something go before the new can enter.” That is to say there must be a space for the incoming blessings of the here and now before you’re able to receive them. Clear out all the old junk, make peace with it and let it go. The more I’m able to do that, the more I’m enjoying my life now. Simple everyday things bring me immense joy when I’m actually present and fulling experiencing them.
-
Golden Ratio
I’m familiar with the Golden Ratio when it comes to photography. You may know it as the rule of thirds. It’s also known as the Golden Mean or Divine Proportion. This law was made famous by Leonardo Fibonacci around 1200 A.D. He noticed that there was an absolute ratio that appears often throughout nature, a sort of design that is universally efficient in living things and pleasing to the human eye. Hence, the “divine proportion” nickname. What I didn’t know until recently, is that this Golden Ratio of 1:1.618 also applies to bodybuilding. The ideal waist to shoulder ratio also happens to be 1:1.618. Currently, I’m right around 1:1.4. One thing I do know: clothing designers and manufactures (at least here in the U.S.) don’t know jack about Fibonacci. If something fits my waist, then it’s too small for my shoulders. And if it fits my shoulders, it’s huge on my waist. So almost everything I buy ends up being something made of stretchy material. As my son would say, first world problem.
There’s a great article I read the other day called Delts on Fire. Let me tell you, it is very aptly named. Two sets into the mechanical drop sets of Arnold Press/Overhead dumbbell press and my shoulders were burning. And that was just the beginning of the workout. My ice pack and heating pad were my BFFs last night.
Honestly, it didn’t matter how much my shoulders hurt last night because I wasn’t going to sleep well anyhow. I am not a fan of Daylight Saving Time. It messes with my circadian rhythms for weeks. Seriously, why is it still a thing?
For me it’s not the microwave clock, but the clock in my car that I have to remember how to change. I’ll do that in a few days, when I’m hopefully less groggy and foggy. -
Our Destiny Lies Above Us
“The immense distances to the stars and the galaxies mean that we see everything in space in the past – some as they were before the Earth came to be. Telescopes are time machines.” – Carl Sagan
The lightest (i.e., least massive) known star, OTS 44
This image is a 1.5… *BILLION* pixel photograph of the Andromeda Galaxy. To view the image in all its glory go here.
NASA is the coolest thing that’s ever happened! I know I am a nerd, but I could look at this stuff all day. Apollo 11 happened before I was born, but that didn’t stop me from being a space geek. I used to take my son to visit the Nation Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio several times a year. Instead of being bored like a lot of the other moms, I was geeking out right along with my son.
-
Hello, 2015!
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. I don’t know how the idea started, but it seems like a good way to set yourself up for failure. I don’t think anyone needs more of that. Besides, every day is a new beginning, a opportunity for a fresh start, not just January 1. There’s nothing magical about that date.
Instead, I’ve actively chosen to be grateful for who I am and what I have right now. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t like some things in my life to be different– I do. I’m actively taking steps to make those things happen, each and every day. Tiny, baby steps. It is amazing to me how challenging it can be to let go of things, even when those things are the root of our suffering. I’ve gotten so much better at that over the years, but it is an on-going process.
“The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day. That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.” ~ This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life
-
-
-
Hello December
I, for one, am very ready to tear off a page on the calendar to begin a new month. I’m at a point where I just don’t know about anything anymore. Maybe I’ve always been at that point, but I’m just now realizing it. Perhaps this is a good thing, as it allows me to let go of beliefs that no longer serve me.
HOLDING ON TO OUR BELIEFSIn Taoism there’s a famous saying that goes, “The Tao that can be spoken is not the ultimate Tao.” Another way you could say that, although I’ve never seen it translated this way, is, “As soon as you begin to believe in something, then you can no longer see anything else.” The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.
Holding on to beliefs limits our experience of life. That doesn’t mean that beliefs or ideas or thinking is a problem; the stubborn attitude of having to have things be a particular way, grasping on to our beliefs and thoughts, all these cause the problems. To put it simply, using your belief system this way creates a situation in which you choose to be blind instead of being able to see, to be deaf instead of being able to hear, to be dead rather than alive, asleep rather than awake.
-Pema Chodron
One thing I do know is that Peanuts, and especially Snoopy, always makes me smile.
-
I’m Listening
Less stuff, more substance.“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”
― Anne Sexton -
Purpose
Via Meet AnaïsThe inner nerd (or is it geek?) in me adores Venn diagrams. I find them fascinating. I came across this Venn diagram today and it made me stop and think. Do you notice how small that little black dot labeled “Purpose” is? Pretty tiny, right? That’s the sweet spot, the place I think most of us would like to be. I also realized that I’m not there, not yet anyway. Are you? Better yet, do you actually know what is your purpose in this life? Have you found your sweet spot?
-
In a Safe Place at All Times
Please keep your longings in a safe place at all times.I have been thinking about that line since I read it yesterday. As my mother likes to say to me, “Lisa Ann, you think too much”. With my momma, it’s always Lisa Ann, not just Lisa. She lengthens my name, and a few people in my life shorten it. To them, I’m Lis (sounds like lease) or Lise. I like that.
My point here is this: is there a safe place to keep your longings, your wants, your desires? And better yet, should you? A lot of Buddhist teachings talk about being free from want, but I don’t know how I feel about that. I’m not talking about wanting physical things, things that money can buy.
-
The Wild and the Tame
What should I do about the wild and the tame? The wild heart that wants to be free, and the tame heart that wants to come home. I want to be held. I don’t want you to come too close. I want you to scoop me up and bring me home at nights. I don’t want to tell you where I am. I want to keep a place among the rocks where no one can find me. I want to be with you.”
– Jeanette Winterson
After this week, I am definitely at the point of “I want to keep a place among the rocks where no one can find me”. Years ago I realized that everything in this life comes at a price. I don’t see that as a negative, it just is what it is. The trick is in deciding just what we value and how much we’re willing to pay for it. Solitude, peace and tranquillity, relationships, freedom, friendship, career, and family. There’s a trade-off in them all. Is it ever possible to strike a balance?
-
The Power of the Web
Earlier today I wrote on Facebook about the need for balance when it comes to the internet. My dear friend Tor reminded me of all the positive things that come from it. My long friendship with him and his lovely wife, Anna, is a perfect example of that. We are trusted friends and we share with one another cultures and experiences. For that, I am very grateful. We were able to spend a wonderful week together in Michigan this summer. (I swear that we weren’t always drinking wine, it just looks that way in these photos.)
-
Obstacles
“There were and will be dark times, always, but it’s the ache that stirs the words. Without the ache the joy would fall flat. I think the obstacles are what get us to where we need to be. We have to remind our legs that they are strong.”
– Tyler Knott GregsonIt’s taken me years to understand that the obstacles in my life have gotten me where I need to be. At the time, it certainly didn’t feel like it. If, at age 20, someone could have told me what the next 25 years would hold for me, I don’t know if I could’ve grasped it. My naïve self couldn’t begin to imagine some of the things I’ve experienced. My younger self wouldn’t have been strong enough. Yes, we do have to remind our legs that they are strong. But sometimes even strong gets to the point of failure, both literally and figuratively. True strength begins after the point of failure. It begins when you get back up and try again.
-
Hello, September
It’s Labor Day weekend and I’m winding down from 4 days off work. Four nights of sleeping like a rock, four mornings of waking up when I’m ready, not when an alarm goes off. Four days of good food, good wine, and good company with a lot of books, music, and quiet time mixed in for good measure. I’m a happy camper.
(I’m a big fan of Spanish wines. Robert Parker gave this one 92 points, and I agree)Speaking of happy, I highly recommend the documentary Happy.
“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” — Benjamin Franklin
This compelling film is for anyone who thinks they’re happy, anyone who’s ever been depressed, anyone who’s tasted happiness and then watched it slip out of their fingers, anyone who feels like they’ve spent their whole life chasing happiness, and especially for anyone who’s given up on happiness or are feeling like they want to give up. So, basically, it’s for everyone. The film makers translate subjects like positive psychology, dopamine, and hedonic adaptation into clear and understandable terms for those of us who aren’t doctors or Ph.D.s. They weave technical facts with human behavior so beautifully that it’s hard not to be moved. The relationship between happiness and exercise, connection, community, cooperation, and compassion are uniquely explored. A magnifying glass is held up to things we’ve been taught will make us happy, like success, money, and beauty.
-
Now O’clock
(Via ZenHappinessProject.com If you’ve never heard of the Zen Happiness Project, I highly recommend checking it out. Anthony runs a great newsletter and holds free meditation workshops.)
Living fully in this moment is not always easy, but when you do, you can completely feel the difference. It really is the only place we can experience our lives.
As I write this, I’m sitting outside on my patio. Two colibri just flew up and hovered next to me. As they flew off, I looked in their direction and saw 6 more colibri flying around, silhouetted against the puffy white clouds. It made me smile. I hope they’ve been enjoying my flowers as much as I have this summer. At first I felt saddened by the idea that this is the first time I’ve seen them all summer, and summer is almost over. Then I remembered that they’re here now, and that I shouldn’t waste the experience. I stayed in the here and now.
I’ve accomplished absolutely nothing today, and at one point in my life that would’ve make me crazy. No, that’s wrong. I’ve done everything that I needed to do by being fully present in this day. I am alive and each and every molecule in my body is thoroughly aware of that fact. Today, I did not let my life slip by.
-
The Holstee Manifesto
“This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion.”
I came across The Holstee Manifesto today, but I can’t begin to tell you where I found it. That’s okay, the point is that it’s exactly what I needed to read today. As I read and re-read it, I came to realize how much parts of the manifesto would benefit my friends and family, as well as myself. We all have our own individual struggles in life and we are working through them at our own pace. I’m going to put a copy where I can read it each day.
I love it when the things that we need– lessons and people–appear in our lives when we need it. We need to be open to it and know that it may not come in the form we expect.
-
Namaste
This is oh-so wrong, but it makes me laugh so very hard.It aptly sums up some of my days. I do my best to come from a place of compassion, forgiveness, and an open heart- then, BAM! Two steps forward, one step back. Such is life. Progress, not perfection, right?
In my inbox today:
What do you do when you’re unhappy?
Sit quietly for a few minutes and become mindful of your breath as it goes in and out. Then contemplate what you do when you’re unhappy or dissatisfied and want to feel better. Even make a list if you want to. Then ask yourself: Does it work? Has it ever worked? Does it soothe the pain? Does it escalate the pain? If you’re really honest, you’ll come up with some pretty interesting observations.
—Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change
