“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’”.                                                                                                                                                                                        (Audrey Hepburn)

“We all move toward the ego, and we even solidify it as we get older if something doesn’t expose it for the lie that it is: not because it is bad, but because it thinks it is the whole enchilada!         (Richard Rohr)

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”                                                                                                                              (Maria Robinson)

“Don’t ask what the world needs.  . . . → Read More: Shared Wisdom: Words from Wise Ones]]> Here is an eclectic mix of wise sayings that have come from here, there, and everywhere!

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’”.                                                                                                                                                                                        (Audrey Hepburn)

“We all move toward the ego, and we even solidify it as we get older if something doesn’t expose it for the lie that it is: not because it is bad, but because it thinks it is the whole enchilada!         (Richard Rohr)

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”                                                                                                                              (Maria Robinson)

“Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it!  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”                                                                     (Howard Thurman)

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children …….. to leave the world a better place ………. to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

“The greatest challenge of the day is:  how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each and everyone of us.”                                                                 (Dorothy Day)

“God will find us, bless us, even when we feel most alone, unsure ……….God will find a way to let us know that He is with us in this place, wherever we are.”                                                      (Kathleen Norris)

“A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.”                                                                                                                                             (Herb Caen)

“If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people.  It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth.”                                                         (Anthony de Mello)

“Do you know why the mighty God of the universe chooses to answer prayer?  It is because His children ask.  God delights in our asking.  He is pleased at our asking.  His heart is warmed by our asking.”   (Richard J. Foster)

“In the end, I think that I will like that we were sitting on the couch, talking and wondering where the time went.”                                                                                                               (Anonymous)

“She said she used to cry everyday, not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful, and life was so short.”                                                                                              (Brian Andreas)

Enough, enough or I shall drown in the beauty of words!  Don’t you just love the way they run off the end of the pen in someone’s hand, or appear on the computer screen at the insistence of someone’s fingers flying across a keyboard?  It never ceases to amaze me that the wit or humor or intelligence contained in a person’s brain just flows out onto paper in some fashion or another.  And then, I get to read it, soak it in, and share it on to others.

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: A Rush of Words–Part 2
• Shared Wisdom: A Found Treasure
• Shared Wisdom: Words For The New Year
• Musings: Parenthood; Life; Death; Faith
• Musings: Endings And Beginnings

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

It is a gorgeous day.  Another one of those sparkling “Princess Di” days.  The sun is shining brilliantly from a clear blue sky and there is a slight breeze sighing . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: The Two Sides Of Life]]> It is Sunday morning and I am sitting in my lanai.  I relished a short lie-in this morning after our trip home yesterday afternoon, unpacking and sorting out clothes and getting them washed and put away. It is good to be home in familiar surroundings.  We had a great week in Orlando and it was good to be away from the usual routines.  But it’s always lovely to come home.

It is a gorgeous day.  Another one of those sparkling “Princess Di” days.  The sun is shining brilliantly from a clear blue sky and there is a slight breeze sighing through the pine trees out back.  Everything is gently moving and I can see all the individual needles on the pine trees fluttering in the breeze and shimmering in the sunlight.

I sit back in my chair and breathe in the soft, warm air.  Yes, it’s warm here in sunny Florida at the end of November, although I hear that temperatures are going to dip down later on this week.  In the meantime, I am enjoying this “Indian summer” and feel very happy and content.  In fact my heart is full joy right now as I look at the beauty that God has placed right here in my back yard.

I notice that the small brown birds, I believe they are sparrows, are back again as they pass through on their way to who-knows-where and they are clustering on the feeders.  There’s a flash of red as a colorful cardinal claims his place and the sparrows flutter away until he is done.  I can hear the squirrels barking in the trees as they playfully, or maybe not, fuss at each other. Mokka, our cat, sits in the sun, her tail slowly swishing as she thinks her cat-thoughts about the birds.

But even as I am aware of the joy that I feel I am also aware that there is sadness punching and poking at my heart.  It feels as though one ventricle is full of joy and the other is full of sadness.  My life is blessed in so many ways and I am truly grateful for that.  Yet I have a longing for a healed relationship with my sister who I miss so very much, and another longing for a happy, satisfying relationship with my daughter who I also miss very much.

And I am reminded of one of my favorite authors, Kahlil Gibran, who, when asked in his book The Prophet to speak about Joy and Sorrow, responds with these wise and wonderful words of wisdom:

“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.”…………..

“Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?”……………

“When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”………..

”Together they come [Joy and Sorrow], and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.”

And so hangs the balance of all life.  One moment we are in joy, and the next we are in sorrow.  And sometimes we carry them together.  And I can only learn to surrender to what is, to accept the gift of my emotions no matter what they are.  As a character in the movie Shirley Valentine said, “If I can feel it means I am alive.”

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: Grief
• Spiritual Growth: My Quiet Time
• Self Nurturing: God’s Great Outdoors
• Joy: Tis the Season
• Musings: The Evasive Muse

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

That was the first time I allowed myself to even consider that summer was ending and autumn was pushing through . . . → Read More: Musings: The Changing Seasons]]> In the last few weeks leading up to the change of clocks,  I would go out to my lanai and claim my God-time.  One day I realized, that even though I had gone out at the same time as usual – about seven o’clock – the morning light had changed.  In fact it was not fully light but rather that eerie time of in between when the sun has not quite risen but there is a pallor about the sky.

That was the first time I allowed myself to even consider that summer was ending and autumn was pushing through the door.  I sat and watched, and listened.  There was absolute silence.  Normally as I go out there in the morning, squirrels are rustling through the trees and the birds are beginning to awaken with soft twitters and small trills.  But on this morning I noticed the total quiet.

Although I accept the changing of the seasons, after all there’s very little that I can do to stop them changing, I do not like it.  In sixty six years, however, I have learned that lesson.  I think much of my non-acceptance stems from my British upbringing.  In England, once whatever precious little summer that we got was over, then we were always assured of grey cold autumn coming in, followed by an even greyer and colder winter.  Grey dooms my heart and soul.  I get de-pressed and sad, and I’m just not my usual bright sunny self.

So even though I live in Florida now and the summer blurs into autumn, and winter usually is not so cold (let’s forget about last winter,shall we!!!) and definitely not so grey, I still have  an imbedded expectation around this particular change of season, that the grey is about to descend upon me.  I am grateful to be living here because I soon realize that autumn-into-winter is not synonymous with grey and cold.  In fact, in the almost seven years that I have been here, I remember sunbathing frequently in the “winter” months and reveling in the fact.

So, as I was saying, in these past few weeks I have watched the morning light grow dimmer each day, even though I have gone out there at about the same time.  Then, suddenly, about ten days ago I realized that there was barely a glimmer of light.  I sat there and had to squint my eyes to make out shapes and forms in the un-light.  But then I had the unexpected pleasure of watching the dawn light creep across the sky and in those pre-sunrise moments I began to make out smaller shapes and forms, and the details of leaves, flowers, trees, gazebo, slowly filled themselves in.

Then, in one glorious instant, a shaft of bright light came across the side garden fence and illuminated a slice of the picture in front of me.  The trunk of a tree, a few branches, a small angle of the top of the gazebo, all became as clear as if in a naif painting.  Moment by moment, my back yard and the woods beyond were suddenly lit up like the opening scene in a live theater.  Almost immediately the rustling, the soft twitters, and the small chirps began until there was a full-throated burst of bird song.

Thank you God for the joy and the beauty of your creation.  No matter what the season, there is always something wonderful, something awesome, to see and marvel over.  I hope I always keep my open eyes and my open heart to appreciate the glory that is our world.  

Along the same lines:

• Musings: Sliding Into Autumn
• Musings: The Tapestry of Life
• Poetry: Awakening to the World
• Musings: Commitment Now
• Self Nurturing: The Garden – Remodeled!

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

For about fifteen years now Richard has created and maintained a web site about techie things, . . . → Read More: Musings: The Blessings In Life]]> My husband, Richard,is a geekie-techie kind of guy and this helps to create a good balance in our relationship because I’m more of the arty-crafty type who, as already mentioned in several of my postings, tends to fly by the seat of her pants.  Even though my husband’s attachment to his computer and all things technological sometimes drives me a little crazy, I have to admit that I’m very blessed to have him in my life.  After all,  I have a resident expert computer-problem-fixer.

For about fifteen years now Richard has created and maintained a web site about techie things, mainly connected to Windows related stuff.  In fact his web site domain name is WindowsObserver.com just in case any of you other techies want to check it out.  Over the last few years he has developed a strong relationship with Microsoft and has been involved in their Beta testing, has written a few articles for them, and has been nominated a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional).

Because of this latter status, he was approached and asked to sit on a panel at a Customer Support conference to be held in Orlando, Florida this week.  When we looked at our planners and saw that I would be attending my Audire program in Winter Park from Friday to Sunday, we decided to combine our trips so that we would not spend five days apart.  Consequently I find myself in the lovely complex called The Villas of Grand Cypress (Golf Resort).  The accommodations are absolutely lovely, surrounded as we are by golf greens and trees, although I’m a little disappointed that a resort of this caliber does not provide a small mini refrigerator in each suite (I carry supplements and fresh juiced produce that need to stay cold).

So this morning as I woke up and came to, I opened the drapes to be met by a stunning scene.  Right outside my French doors is a small patio that over looks a retention pond, and swimming across the middle was a group of ducks.  The far side of the pond is flanked by the rolling dunes of the golf greens.  On the other sides of the pond I see lots of trees and plants through which I can make out other villas.

About fifteen yards from my end of the pond there is a small island, no bigger than twenty feet in diameter, on which there are five or six large trees, a couple of saplings, a few bushes and some small sego palms.  The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight, and squirrels were scampering across the porch and chasing each other up and down the trees immediately beyond the porch.  When I opened the French doors, a flock of white egrets (I think they were egrets – white with long, skinny, curved yellow beaks), appeared out of nowhere and walked right onto the porch, obviously looking for a handout.

Although it was not warm-warm, it was warm enough to sit outside for my quiet time with God.  It was so peaceful and so lovely that the first thought was of gratitude. I read my morning reflections and then just sat back and took in the beauty of God’s creation and suddenly felt so blessed.  Today is Veteran’s Day, and I think of all those men and women in far-flung and dangerous war zones around the globe, separated from their families and everything familiar and comfortable.  My gratitude levels soar as I compare where I am right now and where they are.

I continued to contemplate and meditate and watched a small blue heron approach my edge of the pond and swiftly dip his beak into the water, drawing it out a second later with a tiny wriggling fish which he quickly devoured.  The air is clear and fresh with a hint of wood smoke, that unique smell that permeates everything during the Fall.  Then suddenly I see a small movement on the island.  There, perfectly camouflaged in the shadows, was a “Big Blue”.  He stood perfectly still keeping a watchful eye on the water, waiting for the slightest movement which would indicate breakfast!!

As I took this all in, I was overcome with emotion.  My throat filled up and I felt tears spill down my cheeks.  I am so blessed, my life is so rich in many ways.  I may not be rich in the conventional meaning of that word.  I don’t have lots of money, nor do I have a luxury car or a boat or any of those high-ticket items.  But I do have the money that I need, a car that is more than functional, the possibility of being in this place at this time.  I have an amazing, loving husband, and so many good friends.  God has filled my life with so many gifts and I am truly grateful.

Along the same lines:

• Vignettes: Gratitude in Central Park, NYC
• Spiritual Growth: The Two Sides Of Life
• Musings: Feeling Blessed
• Musings: Kicking the Spiritual Doldrums!
• My Bonsai Tree–Finally

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

“It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”                         (George Eliot)

“It’s hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.”                       (Sally Kempton)

“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”        . . . → Read More: Shared Wisdom: Short & Sweet]]> I love coming across words that are lush, that have deep meaning, that carry a wealth of wisdom.  I also love economy of words.  You know, that short phrase that says so much with so little.  The following quotations are a combination of those short and meaningful sentences and some that are slightly longer.  All are worth reading and remembering.

“It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”                         (George Eliot)

“It’s hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.”                       (Sally Kempton)

“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”        (African proverb)

“If I don’t have red, I use blue.”                                                              (Pablo Picasso)

“God is a verb.”                                                                                    (Buckminster Fuller)

“Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets.”                                             (Paul Tournier)

“I celebrate myself, I sing myself.”                                                          (Walt Whitman)

“You can only perceive real beauty in a person as they get older.”                (Anouk Aimee)

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”                             (Albert Camus)

“The easiest kind of relationship is with ten thousand people, the hardest is with one.”              (Joan Baez)

Not quite so short but still so sweet!

“Perfection is never about the past or the future.  It is always and only about now.  You are perfect no matter how many mistakes you think you have made.  There is nothing you have thought, felt, or done that prevents you from realizing your perfection right here and right now.”          (Paul Ferrini)

“What a joy for two people – each to be a shady covering for the other.  A place to rest when the sun is too hot or the wind too biting. ………Real friendship grows when we are prepared to be there equally in the bad moments and the good, when we weep with those who weep – and rejoice with those who rejoice.”         (Sheila Walsh)

“The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much of what is not shared between them, and lessens the threat of their difference.”                                                                     (Audre Lord)

“While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside of us.”                                       (Benjamin Franklin)

“It’s great to love, but another person’s love cannot fill the hole in your heart.  Filling up your heart is your responsibility.  You need to love and affirm yourself day by day, moment by moment.  Without your love for yourself, no amount of love from your partner is enough.”                (Paul Ferrini)

And let me finish up with a beautiful short prayer that really uplifted me in a dark moment and reminded me that my God is always there for me, even when I don’t see Him or I turn my back on Him.  My husband Rich forwarded it to me from a web site called AmericanCatholic.org which provides “Minute Meditations” each day.  This one came on 5 August 2010.

“Dear Lord God, echo in our hearts at the right moment when life is most unpredictable, that you are never unfaithful and will never leave is.”

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: Some More Pearls
• Shared Wisdom: More Words On The Path
• Shared Wisdom: Words Both Past & Present
• Shared Wisdom: Latest Quotations
• Shared Wisdom: Collected Works

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

I sit at my computer desk two or three times a day almost every day.  I have had this desk for a few years now.  It’s a typical computer desk with the working area and . . . → Read More: Shared Wisdom: A Found Treasure]]> I love finding treasure.  It might be that I put on a jacket that I haven’t worn in a long time and there in the pocket I find a five dollar bill.  Or perhaps I decide to clean out a closet or a drawer and there, caught up in all the stuff, I find a piece of jewelry that I thought I had lost.

I sit at my computer desk two or three times a day almost every day.  I have had this desk for a few years now.  It’s a typical computer desk with the working area and then a series of cubby holes and shelves set at eye level.  Sitting there yesterday I noticed a little wad of papers tucked into one of the shelves.  I pulled them out and, voila – treasure!!  Here is what I found.

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.”     (Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics)

“If I had my life to start over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.”    (Nadine Stair, poet)

“After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery.  It’s better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe.  Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.”  (Sophia Loren, Italian actor)

“Getting married is easy.  Staying married is more difficult.  Staying happily married for a lifetime should rank among the fine arts.”     (Roberta Flack, singer and song writer)

“You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen.  But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul’s own doing.”     (Marie Stopes, writer and scientist)

“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.”     (Maya Angelou, author and inspirational speaker)

Notice that all those little gems come from women – great women!!  But, I have to be honest, some of those pieces of paper carried men’s names too!  Here are a few more treasures.

“To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.”     (Confucious, ancient eastern philosopher)

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.”     (Albert Camus, philosopher)

“Start by doing the necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”     (St. Francis)

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”     (Albert Einstein, physicist, philosopher, author)

And here is one final piece of wisdom that unfortunately carried no author’s name.

“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.  Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.  Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.”     (Anonymous)

Amen!!

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: One-Liners
• Self Nurturing: Reading and Writing
• Shared Wisdom: Words For The New Year
• Shared Wisdom: Words Both Past & Present
• Shared Wisdom: Kahlil Gibran

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

The joy of sitting in . . . → Read More: Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary]]> Much as I loved and enjoyed my trip to San Antonio, I am so grateful to be back in the spiritual sanctuary that is my garden.  I try very hard to keep my small personal routine on schedule when I travel but it is never quite the same.  Perhaps if I had lots of money and could stay in the kind of places where I could be guaranteed a quiet terrace, garden, or patio where I would not be disturbed by anyone or anything except God’s incredible creation, then it might be a little different.

The joy of sitting in my lanai fairly early in the morning, surrounded by hummingbirds, butterflies, cardinals, titmice, and mourning doves, as well as the flowers that bloom in my garden and the pine woods out back, is indescribable.  The quiet and the beauty restore my soul and fill my heart with happiness.

In my solitude here each morning there is a peacefulness that fills my whole being, a tranquility that I am blessed with, that allows me the perfect start to each day.  My meditation books are there within easy reach and I am called to a place of quiet communion with my Creator that sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Here I can bare my soul to the One who loves me always, no matter what.  Here I can tell Him my concerns, share my joys with Him, and make any specific requests that I may have.  I read recently that, “Faith functions in connection with prayer and persistence.  Persistence cultivates the belief that prayer will be answered.  A person with a persistent spirit will be blessed.” (The Power of Prayer by E.M. Bounds) 

And so I continue in my prayers for special causes that I have, for the many people who have asked me to pray for them, and for all those who have no one to pray for them.  And in my praying I am drawn closer to my God.  In my praying I go deeper on my spiritual path.  And in my praying for others I am released of the bondage of self-importance and of self-centeredness.

I am immensely grateful for my sanctuary.  For my special place where I can retreat from the chaos of the outside world.  For the quiet that offers me the time to recharge and regenerate to face whatever challenges the day may bring.  For the time each day that I am blessed with to nurture my soul. Amen!!    

Along the same lines:

• Prayer: A Tool Of Spirituality
• Spiritual Growth: Friendship & Prayer
• Spirituality: More about Prayer
• Musings: The Power Of Words
• Spiritual Growth: My Quiet Time

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

I have worked hard to make this creation but it is work that I enjoy and find to be very therapeutic.  Gardening is good physical exercise and therefore is a great workout for my body.  It is also wonderful spiritual exercise because I usually combine plenty of prayer work . . . → Read More: The Garden: Hummingbird Haven]]> I created my garden to be a place of joy and happiness.  Somewhere that I could retreat to and rest.  A sanctuary away from the chaos that is the world outside.  I created it to be full of God’s natural beauty with flowers and plants and small items of garden art.

I have worked hard to make this creation but it is work that I enjoy and find to be very therapeutic.  Gardening is good physical exercise and therefore is a great workout for my body.  It is also wonderful spiritual exercise because I usually combine plenty of prayer work as I dig, plant, prune, and weed.  So the garden offers me the chance to nurture myself on the physical as well as the spiritual level.

For me there is nothing like being close to God’s creation to fill the heart with happiness and the soul with joy.  Watching green shoots emerge from seeds sown several weeks earlier is like having access to my own personal miracle show!  And when the plants grow and flowers bloom, filling the garden with perfume and color, I experience a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment like no other.

However, what I did not plan or expect was the incredible daily show that the hummingbirds put on for us.  In past years I have certainly been aware of the presence of hummingbirds in my garden.  But this year has been an amazing experience.  It is almost as though they have made my backyard their official playground.

I have a wonderful plant, which I know as Orange Trumpet Vine, that grows along much of the border fence in the back yard.  It also grows up and around the mailbox out front, and climbs up one of the columns on the front porch, trailing over towards the other column about six yards away. 

When I made the major renovation to the garden this spring, I “transplanted” the trellis archway from the back yard and made it the focal point of the newly enlarged front flower bed.  With the help of my friend Linda I managed to transplant the original Orange Trumpet Vine (I grew it from seeds from the island of Ischia in Italy) that grew all over the archway.  Thankfully it tolerated the move well and is now healthily flourishing in its place of pride out front.

The hummingbirds love the nectar in the glorious globes of trumpet blooms that hang richly from the Vine, and so I have always seen them in the summer gorging on their sweet treat.  But I also put a new hummingbird feeder out back and would see them from time to time there.  I moved this feeder a couple of weeks ago and had my husband hang it on the back wall of the house fairly near the window near my desk computer.

I noticed immediately that there was great activity at the feeder on a very frequent basis during the course of the day.  Richard and I also realized that the birds seemed totally unfazed by us being on the other side of the glass and he was able to get some great video and photos of them.

Then it occurred to us that we were hidden from them because Richard had applied a mylar screen to the windows to cut down on heat in our office.  So we began to spend quite a bit of time at the window watching these amazing creatures really “up-close-and-personal”.  They are nothing less than miracles.

Over the last few days we have keenly observed them.  Several times we have noted there were about seven or eight of them zooming in and out of the garden,  up into the trees of the pine wood behind our house, then swooping down to “dive-bomb” each other off the feeder.  This evening in particular we watched them as we ate dinner in the lanai and noticed some very interesting behavior.

One hummingbird would zoom down, seeming to go the feeder.  But she would pull up short and just hover there as though suspended from an invisible thread – a minute angel-like figure with wings spread, beating furiously.  Then a second bird would swoop in and hover about a yard above the first.  And they would both just hang there, in space before suddenly zooming off up into the trees.

A little later another couple came buzzing across the yard like two F-16’s on a training flight.  They twisted and turned, mirroring each others movements until suddenly one turned to face the other in mid-flight and they seemed to do a short dance in mid-air.  I am not sure if all this activity is part of mating behavior or if they are just being naturally playful.

Whatever the reason, Richard and I are thoroughly entertained.  These delightful creatures are truly amazing to watch.  This evening among the many we were treated to the company of a handsome male.  As he moved around his ruby-red throat coloring was quite spectacular.  I am very happy that my garden has become Hummingbird Haven.

Check out these HD videos of the hummingbirds feeding.

Along the same lines:

• Self Nurturing: The Garden – Remodeled!
• My Garden: God’s Creation
• The Garden: An Inspiration
• Vignettes: My Kingdom
• Self Nurturing: God’s Great Outdoors

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

“The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.”   (Muhammad Ali)"

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”    (The 14th Dalai Lama)

“May the stars carry your sadness away, May the . . . → Read More: Shared Wisdom: Along The Road]]> It has been far too long since I posted some wonderful words of wisdom from other souls that have or still are travelling along this road of life.  I was searching for a particular piece of writing and came across some great quotations.  Here they are.

“The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.”   (Muhammad Ali)"

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”    (The 14th Dalai Lama)

“May the stars carry your sadness away,
May the flowers fill your heart with beauty.
May hope forever wipe away your tears,
And, above all, may silence make you strong.”
                                               (Chief Dan George)

“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.”   (Pearl S. Buck)

“As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.”    (Leonardo da Vinci)

“Moderation.  Small helpings.  Sample a little bit of everything.  These are the secrets of happiness and good health.”    (Julia Child)

“Ideals are like the stars; we never reach them, but like the mariners of the sea, we chart our course  by them.”    (Carl Schurz)

“I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes – the finer things of life – would make you happy.  My concept of happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense.”      (Coretta Scott King)

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: It is the time for home.”    (Dame Edith Sitwell)

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you’ll discover will be wonderful.  What you’ll discover is yourself.”     (Alan Alda)

So many words of wisdom. So many God-given truths.  So much shared by our fellow travelers. Sometimes I look at a phrase or a sentence and I wonder what was the author thinking.  What was going on in his or her mind?  Or perhaps it was something they were seeing or hearing or touching or tasting or smelling at the time. 

Some phrases leave me in awe with their simple beauty.  Others leave me breathless with their construction, the way the words are strung together.  One thing is for sure, words will always hold me caught up in  their magic like a child caught in the wonder of a firework display.

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: Some More Pearls
• Shared Wisdom: The Present Moment
• Musings: Relativity & Perspective
• Shared Wisdom: Words Both Past & Present
• Shared Wisdom: More Quotations

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

That done, I prepared my breakfast and brought it out here.  Because it is Sunday my husband is home with me, and he . . . → Read More: Self Nurturing: God’s Great Outdoors]]> Finally I get to sit outside in my lanai with my laptop and my Muse.  The temperature out here today at almost 1.30pm registers seventy seven degrees Fahrenheit.  It was already seventy one degrees at about 11am this morning:-).  I was able to enjoy sitting out here in the warmth, with the birds singing and eating greedily from the feeders in the yard, the breeze sighing gently through the pine trees, and truly appreciate my quiet time.

That done, I prepared my breakfast and brought it out here.  Because it is Sunday my husband is home with me, and he too made some breakfast and came out to join me in the lanai.  It is such a simple thing, a husband and a wife sitting and quietly enjoying breakfast together in the open air, but it brings me much joy.  

I am happy!!  There is nothing I enjoy more than to be out in God’s creation, breathing in the fresh air and watching His creatures in their natural habitat.  My head seems much clearer.  Not sure what it is with artificially controlled air, whether it be winter heating or summer air conditioning, but I do not feel right in my head when I am forced to breath in that kind of air on a regular basis.

The sun has been shining on and off all morning.  But even now, with gray clouds obscuring the sun, the underlying feeling is one of natural warmth and life.  I can even smell the warmth in the air.  Real oxygen energizes me in a way that nothing else does and the warmth makes my body feel alive, open, and at the same time, comforted.  I could just sit outside and experience this all day, every day, and feel totally content.  I guess I am a very simple person at heart.

Yesterday I added a new bird feeder to the garden.  This morning it was swarming with birds.  A short while ago my husband put up another hook and we added yet one more feeder.  The little guys have yet to discover it, but I’m sure it won’t take them long. And as I watch them, a black butterfly with bright markings flutters outside the lanai screening as though trying to enter: good morning Mamma:-)

And in the meantime, Mokka cat is also enjoying the gift of this wonderful day.  She is lounging luxuriously on top of the storage chest here in the lanai, basking in the sun’s warmth.  Her tail is swishing slowly from side to side as she watches the bird activity outside the lanai.  From time to time her nose or an ear twitches, and I am wondering what is going on in her cat brain.

There is nothing exotic or grandiose about all this, and that is the true beauty contained therein.  I do not need riches or an extravagant lifestyle nor do I need to be surrounded by material wealth in order to feel rich.  I just need a day like today and the undeniable gift of being able to enjoy it.  

Along the same lines:

• My Garden: God’s Creation
• God’s Creation: Minnesota
• The Garden: Hummingbird Haven
• Musings: Open And Closed
• Musings: A Day Off – Sort Of!

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

The corner of the lanai where the clock is located is the most sheltered and the warmest spot in my garden.  It is protected from wind chill and receives sun for the better part of the day. Now that the lanai has . . . → Read More: Musings: Prisoner of the Cold]]> The thermometer that is incorporated into the clock located on the wall in my lanai has not registered higher than 44 degrees Fahrenheit at about 7.30am for the past week.  This morning it indicated 34 degrees Fahrenheit at 8.35am. It has not climbed above 58 degrees Fahrenheit in the past seven days at any time of the day!

The corner of the lanai where the clock is located is the most sheltered and the warmest spot in my garden.  It is protected from wind chill and receives sun for the better part of the day. Now that the lanai has been built it is even more protected from the elements.  And it is “bloody cold out there” as my true Brit self would say.  And I know that it is even colder out in the open, more exposed garden.

I am not a happy camper.  I feel like a prisoner to the cold.  Today especially the sun was shining and it looked glorious outside.  The sky was blue and everything was in clear and sharp focus – including the frost that sparkled like diamonds on the house immediately across the street from mine!!

I have waited patiently for the number to go higher.  I have waited patiently not to feel the immediate chill when I slide open the lanai door.  It feels just like standing in front of an open freezer door.  I have waited patiently to be able to go out to my sanctuary, lap top in hand, to invite the Muse out to play. 

I can wait no longer.  So I have dragged a small table over and placed it right in front of the sliding door that looks into my lanai and I have set up the lap top so that I can at least see out into the garden via the lanai.  It’s not quite the same; the fresh air, the usual Florida warmth, and the songs of the birds are missing.  I don’t feel the usual joy in my heart, but it’s better than succumbing any longer to this sense of total imprisonment.

It’s not that I cannot or have not been outside the house this week.  I am not a wimp and I do carry some memory in my bones of dealing with a cold English winter.  In fact a few days ago I received an email from an old school chum who reminded me of the previous “worst English winter” that we all experienced as students returning to our various colleges and universities in January 1963.

The college that I attended, Coloma Teacher Training College, was set in a very rural area (read “out in the sticks”, or perhaps here in America you say “out in the boon docks”), south of London.  It was located a couple of miles outside a very small village called West Wycombe.  We were so isolated that the local villagers thought we were a college full of unwed mothers or mentally handicapped women.  Being typical college students, we made sure our behaviour did nothing to change their minds.  Many was the evening that, bolstered by a drink or two and with pillows stuffed under our coats, we would carousel through the village singing slightly “naughty” songs. 

Other evenings would find us trudging down to the village store with the hoods of our duffel coats up over our heads. Like most female (and male) students in those days we all had long long hair and we would comb it forward over our faces.  We limped along, one foot in the gutter, the other on the curb, muttering indecipherable words and stopping suddenly to peer through our hair at people we passed.  We thought we were being very risque’ and very avant garde.  (It was cool to think in French phrases in those days.)

But that winter was quite spectacular.  I remember returning after the Christmas holidays, getting off the bus (I lived outside the college with a college-picked family), walking through the village and thinking how picturesque it all seemed with the flurries of snow swirling all around me.  I walked out the other end of the village and turned the corner to cross the recreation fields that separated the village from the college.

I clearly remember stopping in my tracks, jaw dropped, and not sure quite what to think.  It suddenly seemed as though I was at the North Pole as a vast expanse of pure white opened up in front of me.  The falling snow was  thick enough that I couldn’t see to the other side of the field.  There was not another soul in sight.

I stood there for a few moments just taking in the whole God-beauty of the scene.  I was well dressed for the weather and had on a pair of knee high boots.  When I took my first step out into the field I sank into soft snow so deep it came over, and into, the top of my boots.  I think I took maybe three or four more steps before I realized this was not a very wise thing to do, and jumped back quickly onto the pavement, all the time aware of the icy cold that was surrounding my feet.

I tramped back a hundred yards to a small cafe and sat down to empty out the snow from my boots.  My feet were soaking and freezing cold.  I looked up at the woman who owned the cafe and to whom we had been very risque and avant garde on several occasions.  I guess she overlooked my past transgressions and took pity on me because she handed me a dry tea towel. 

These were not the days of cell phones.  She allowed me to use the telephone in the cafe to call the college, and I found out that they had not been able to telephone all the out-students in time to warn them not to attempt to come into college.  Grimly I made my way home with very cold feet.

The snow lasted well into March that year.  We were all sick and tired of it by the time the last little mounds had disappeared from the sides of the road.  I spoke to my sister in London two days ago and she too remembered that winter. She confirmed that the snow at the moment is very reminiscent of back then.  Let’s hope for their sake that it doesn’t last so long.

Well, I have beaten the cold and done my writing.  The Muse was fairly happy at playing indoors because she could at least see the outdoors.  But I will be much happier when the temperatures rise a little and I don’t feel so hunched up in my body and my soul.  Warmth has a liberating effect in both areas.        

Along the same lines:

• Musings: Commitment Now
• Musings: The Changing Seasons
• Musings: Open And Closed
• Self Nurturing: The Garden – Remodeled!
• Musings: Sliding Into Autumn

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When I think about it, prayer makes up the greater part of my day.  Now don’t start thinking I’m some pious freak who spends all day in church.  Not so.  But prayer has become an integral part . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: More Prayer Power]]> I have focused on prayer in several of my postings: Prayer- A Tool Of Spirituality; Spirituality & Shared Wisdom- Tough Times And Prayer; Sacred Riding- My Harley Prayer Time; Spiritual Growth-  Personal Prayers.  I have also mentioned prayer many times in other postings which relate to different subject matter. This is probably because prayer is such an important part of my spiritual life.

When I think about it, prayer makes up the greater part of my day.  Now don’t start thinking I’m some pious freak who spends all day in church.  Not so.  But prayer has become an integral part of everything that I do throughout my days.  You see prayer for me does not have to be always in a formal “religious” or church setting.

As I go about my daily activities I have a conscious contact with my Creator, whether I am making beds, doing the laundry, or cooking the next meal.  I will either be thanking Him for blessings received (or those yet to come), or praising Him for the glory of his creation, or making intercessions on behalf of people who have asked for prayers. 

Sometimes I will be letting Him know about a resentment I may be struggling with, and at other times I let Him know how angry or upset I am about a particular situation.  And then again, I may be telling Him that I am tired and wished I had a wife to make the beds, to do the laundry, and to cook those meals!!!

I try to remember every day to invite God into my day with me.  When I get into the car I pat the passenger seat and ask him to ride along with me.  I usually tell him what I think about some of the other drivers on the road and ask Him to keep me safe!  Wherever I go, whatever I may be doing, I have my conversation with God.  I totally trust that He is there 24/7 for me.

The other day during a purge of some old files, I came across this exquisite prayer that I would like to share with you.

THANK  YOU

How wondrous are Your ways, God.  How wondrous are Your ways.  It is you I see in the beauty of the trees and the loveliness of the flowers.  It is You I feel in the stillness of the mountains and the grandeur of the seas.  When I gaze into the eyes of those around me, You are there.  When I look into a mirror, it is You I am looking at – and You I am looking with!

In my times of highest joy and most contentment, there You are.  In my times of lowest despair and disappointment, I find You still.  Thank You, God, for Your faithfulness even when I was not aware.

Your love expressing through me is as gentle as the baby lamb – unafraid, tender, pure.  It reaches out to bless the lives of those in my world.

Your power and strength expressing through me are as mighty and unyielding as the crashing waves and giant redwoods.  They give me courage to do what I must do and to help those I must help.

Your peace expressing through me is as deep and comforting as a thousand lullabies.  It soothes my pains and brings me the peace that allows me to bring serenity to others in my life.  Thank You, God for creating me and using me to express more of Yourself in all ways.

May my mouth ever utter only kind words.  May my eyes ever see only beauty.  May my ears ever hear only the sweet sounds of life.  May my heart ever harbour only compassion and love, for these are Your ways.  Thank You for my growing awareness of You – for the knowing deep within my soul that You are all.

How wondrous are Your ways, God, how wondrous are Your ways.

I have no idea where this prayer came from.  It is typed on a single sheet of paper with no reference to author or date.  It must be from a British source because of the spelling of the word “harbour” in the last paragraph.  I guess it really doesn’t matter where it originated from.  What matters is the content which I find to be utterly beautiful.

Along the same lines:

• Journaling: A Way To Heal
• Spiritual Growth: Personal Prayers
• Spiritual Growth: My Quiet Time
• Spirituality: More about Prayer
• Musings: The Power Of Words

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

“The meaning of life is listening to Pavarotti, feeling the sun on your face, drinking a bottle of wine, and then another.  The meaning of life is having a safe and healthy society, a happy family life, good health, a loving wife (husband), work that you like, smelling the smell of a new car and the ocean air, being able to hit a bull’s eye, coming home with the fish and . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: Thoughts On God]]> Many years ago I attended a CREDO Team Building Retreat in Naples, Italy.  At some point during the retreat, the chaplain who was leading us read the following quotation:

“The meaning of life is listening to Pavarotti, feeling the sun on your face, drinking a bottle of wine, and then another.  The meaning of life is having a safe and healthy society, a happy family life, good health, a loving wife (husband), work that you like, smelling the smell of a new car and the ocean air, being able to hit a bull’s eye, coming home with the fish and not another fish story.”

                                                       Carmine Pucci
                                                          (Butcher)

That’s right, he was an Italian butcher and these words of his struck a chord deep in my heart.  They resonated clearly within my soul.  It’s the kind of down-to-earth philosophy/spirituality that brings me home – to myself and to my God.

As I read these words again today I am transported to my beloved Italy where everything is experienced in the moment.  The senses are so alive in the Italian culture and emotions are right there, on the surface of the skin.  Italians most definitely have a passion about everything they do.  Even the most mundane thing is appreciated to the core.

So as I allow a wave of Italian nostalgia to sweep over me, and as I reread Carmine’s words, here are some God thoughts that come swimming to the surface.

• See the golden sunrise and the blood red sunset spreading their beauty over creation, and you see God.
• Smell the intoxicating perfume of jasmine and honeysuckle, or the aroma of freshly baked bread, and you smell God.
• Touch a baby’s cheek with the tip of your nose, or kiss the soft folds of skin on the back of his neck, and you touch God.
• Taste the exquisite flavor of a piece of chocolate, or a forkful of fresh home-made Italian pasta or exotic Indian curry, and you taste God.
• Hear the song of the blackbird in the evening dusk, or the crescendo of a full concert orchestra, or the whisper of a soft summer wave on the shore, and you hear God.

Amen!!

It’s amazing all the people, places, and situations where I find God.  Where I can meet him head on in my day.  Right now as I sit in my Florida lanai, I can hear the wind sighing strongly through the pine woods behind my home, and I hear God. The wind is picking up as we experience the outer reaches of tropical storm Ida, and the various wind chimes around my garden are tinkling and I think of heaven, and cherubs, and God.  

My cat, Mokka, lies peacefully sleeping on a chair beside me curled into a perfect circle, her body rising and falling gently with each breath she takes.  She is a perfect example of God’s creative powers.  And the tantalizing aroma of fresh made curried lentil and vegetable soup is wafting through the sliding doors and I am reminded of ……………… my humanity and the fact that I’m hungry and it’s time for dinner!!

Along the same lines:

• Joy: Tis the Season
• Italy: Experienced Through The Senses
• Going Raw: Part One
• Spiritual Growth: Bible Scripture
• Self Nurturing: Enjoying the Labyrinth at the Beach

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

Well, it goes by doesn’t it?  I mean it doesn’t go for a walk, or to the movies, nor does it go to bed or on vacation!!  It simply goes by, tick-tocking the seconds one by one.  It never stops, nor does it . . . → Read More: Musings: Time – Flying Or Not?]]> For the trillionth time in the past few years I heard someone say, “Oh my God, time is just flying by”.  And I mentally concurred as I noted the date on the calendar.  It’s November 2009, almost Thanksgiving with Christmas knocking on the door.  And, as usual, I found myself internally asking, “Where does the time go?”

Well, it goes by doesn’t it?  I mean it doesn’t go for a walk, or to the movies, nor does it go to bed or on vacation!!  It simply goes by, tick-tocking the seconds one by one.  It never stops, nor does it go back on itself.  It keeps on marching and no one can stop it or change it.

Sometimes when I think about the inexorable passing of time I get in a bit of a panic.  I suspect that’s the very human part of me that recognizes underneath it all that with the passing of time my life span gets shorter by the second.  However, there are other moments when I feel quite OK with the passage of time and I’m sure that’s when I’m more spiritually fit, when I’m more God-centered rather then me-centered.

I actually have a personal theory as to why time seems to be flying by.  I’m very sure that the closer my soul feels to home, the more it seemingly accelerates time.  It wants to get there, no delay!!  I am of course speaking from a Christian perspective.  I do believe in an after-life and I think that the closer I get to my transition date from this earth, then my soul is just in a hurry to get there.

Then I find myself thinking about heaven and what that might be like. When I was younger I used to imagine thousands of us, all glowing white and gold, surrounded by angels with long golden trumpets, just kind of bobbing around in this shiny nebulous place – rather like bobbers on a fishing line all massed together and smiling beatifically at each other.

Today my idea of heaven is greatly changed.  Seeing as it’s my goal to get there I’ve given it quite a lot of thought.  I’m very sure there will be activity rather than just sitting or standing around “bobbing” and beaming at the other souls.  I really imagine some of it will allow me to sit on a seashore or a riverbank with Jesus and Buddha, Gandhi and Gibran, Richard Bach and Og Mandino, Marianne Williamson and Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Princess Di and Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II and Wayne Dyer.

There will be time to talk with them, collectively and individually.  Unlimited time to ask them questions and have long discussions with them.  I am sure I will meet the spiritual beings that were my family members and friends and that we will be able to connect in ways that were impossible here on earth because of the lessons we were learning, or teaching, here.

Most importantly there will be love, complete and unconditional love which will be the true source of happiness and joy.  Practicing compassion will be the norm. There will be a beauty that transcends any earthly concept of beauty.  And there will be no pain and no hatred.  Now that’s what I call heaven.          

Along the same lines:

• Vignettes: Giulio’s Wedding
• Shared Wisdom: Kahlil Gibran
• Spiritual Growth: Personal Prayers
• Shared Wisdom: Words from Wise Ones
• Musings: Unblocking Again

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

“63rd Verse

Practice nonaction. Work without doing. Taste the tasteless. Magnify the small, increase the few. Reward bitterness with care. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness . . . → Read More: Shared Wisdom: Words Both Past & Present]]> In the last week or so I have been presented with some beautiful words of wisdom that span that sands of time and that I would like to share with you.  The first piece is the oldest of all of them and was written by Lao-tzu 2,500 years ago.  It comes from a translation of part of one of the eighty-one verses that form his book, titled Tao Te Ching. 

“63rd Verse

Practice nonaction.
Work without doing.
Taste the tasteless.
Magnify the small, increase the few.
Reward bitterness with care.
See simplicity in the complicated.
Achieve greatness in little things.”

Sometimes I need to remember that not taking action can be as important as, if not better than, taking action.  Because I tend to be impulsive a lot of the time this is a lesson that I need to practice. 

The opening words in this quotation also reminded me of another great person who lived in great simplicity but had an enormous impact on modern day history.  Here is a memorable one-liner from Ghandi that I found tucked in my purse.

“No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is important that you do it.”

Another ancient philosopher, Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273) wrote some of the most beautiful poetry that I have ever read.  Most of it is quite mystical and, I think, very spiritual. Just a week ago a good friend passed  me this piece of writing by Rumi.

“You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?
Absorbed in this world, you’ve made it your burden.  Rise above this world.  There is another vision.  All your life you’ve paid attention to your experiences, but never to your Self.  Are you searching for your Soul?
Then come out of your prison. Leave the stream and join the river that flows into the Ocean.  Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.  It will not lead you to stray.  Let the beauty you seek be what you do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.  Question the scholars and philosophers, but God is beyond their understanding.  Then look in your Heart and it was there where God dwells that you will see; God is nowhere else to be found.
Everything in the Universe is within you.  There is a link between matter and Spirit. And your heart is looking for that path.
Consciousness is clear and pure like water.
And pure water is a perfect mirror for moonlight.”

Coming closer to today, a gentleman was at a meeting that I attended a short while ago.  During a break he handed out small slips of paper to other attendees.  Mine contained the following quotation from Mark Twain.  I have been carrying it in my wallet so that I can take it out and read it frequently.

“Three daily reminders:  Have the courage to say no.  Have the courage to face the truth.  Have the courage to do the right thing because it is right.”

I have to constantly remind myself to practice the first reminder!

The last words of wisdom for today were written by a modern day writer/philosopher, Paul Ferrini.  I came across this quotation recently “by mistake” (in other words, by God-incidence).   There is so much packed into this one sentence that I remain in awe every time I read it.

“The door to the Divine Presence opens when you no longer need to make reality fit your pictures of how it should be, when you can surrender everything you think you know and come to each moment empty of expectations.”

Wow!!  Methinks I shall have to get some of Mr. Ferrini’s books.  He has written over forty of them.  I have never heard of him before but Larry Dossey says of him: “Paul Ferrini is a modern-day Kahlil Gibran – poet, mystic, visionary, teller of truth”.  I am always ready to read new (to me!) authors who may open up new doors, new visions on my spiritual path. 

Along the same lines:

• Musings: Living Life (Lost Treasures)
• Shared Wisdom: More Words On The Path
• Shared Wisdom: Some More Pearls
• Shared Wisdom: Latest Quotations
• Shared Wisdom: Short & Sweet

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

This is quite an amazing book which sets out a twelve week course.  The sub-title of the book is A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.  I have actually been through this book twice: the first time alone, the second time (about three years later) with a group of four other women.  I grew immensely . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: Personal Prayers]]> Over time I have been asked to write prayers for different occasions.  I would like to share three prayers with you today.  The first is an “Artist’s Prayer”.  At the time of writing I was following the book the Artist’s Way written by Julia Cameron. 

This is quite an amazing book which sets out a twelve week course.  The sub-title of the book is A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.  I have actually been through this book twice: the first time alone, the second time (about three years later) with a group of four other women.  I grew immensely both times around.

At the end of each chapter there are a series of “tasks” to be completed before the next week.  The following prayer was one of those tasks.

Artist’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, Artist Supreme,
You are the Divine Creator of this awesome universe.  I humbly, yet courageously, ask You to allow me to be a co-creator with You.

I open my heart, my soul, my mind, and my body so that Your creative energy may flow through my being, that I may experience Your divine talent.  Bless the products of my hands, my eyes, and my mind and let them reflect some measure of your majestic beauty.

Allow me to find and work with others who also seek Your divine guidance, Your artist’s touch, as they work to produce their own creations. Let me grow in light and love as I allow Your divine energy to flow through me.

Amen.                                         ( May 1999)

In March of 2005 I organized a Women’s Day event in my home.  March 8th is International Day of the Woman and while I lived in Italy I held about three of these events.  They were always very well received, so once I had established a grand circle of women friends in Florida I decided to go ahead and plan one here.  There were about thirty women present and this was the opening prayer that I wrote.

OPENING PRAYER

ABBA, help me to be humble enough and wise enough to recognize that all people do not call You by the same name, nor do they reach You by the same path.

You are known as God, Allah, Great White Spirit, Kali, Jesus, Grandfather Sky, Buddha, Jehovah, Messiah, LAKSHMI, Shivha, Holy Spirit, Ganisha, Grandmother Earth, Kwan Yin, just to mention a few of Your names.

Today we embrace You in the way best known to each of us personally. We ask that You be present here and bless us with Your love, Your light, Your energy, Your peace, Your joy, and Your grace.

We ask for Your guidance and Your wisdom that You may help us to reach our full potential as women so that we may accomplish our mission on this earth to the very best of our ability.

We ask this in Your name and for Your honor and glory.

Amen.                                     (March 2005)

The last prayer that I would like to share with you is one that I wrote for an evening of fellowship with the women of CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) at my church. 

Abba, Father, we yearn to grow abundantly in Your grace, just like the carefully tended vine that produces a bountiful harvest. We ask that You prune us when it is necessary, helping us to be rid of negative attitudes and defects of character. Nourish us with Your care, Your compassion, and Your love. Pour the refreshing waters of the Holy Spirit upon us, that we may grow more and more each day in Your likeness and then minister to others as Your disciples.

These things we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.       (September 2006)

I love using the creative word to honor the God of my understanding.  I also enjoy being as inclusive as possible when I am working with a wider group of people than just my church group.  Prayer is a perfect way to honor God, to give Him praise, to thank Him, and to get closer to Him.  And we are all capable of creating spontaneous prayers, words that come straight from the heart to our Creator.

Along the same lines:

• Spirituality: More about Prayer
• Spiritual Growth: The Lenten Mission
• Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary
• Waiting For God
• Spiritual Growth: Being Called To More

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

However, Life Coaching is something that I have been doing for years.  I just didn’t call it that or realize that I was doing that until late last year.  That’s when . . . → Read More: Life Coach: A Way Of Life]]> I can no longer ignore the fact that some of you may be wondering why the words Life Coach precede the words Spirit, Body and Mind at the top of my blog page.  Life Coaching is a new career field that has opened up in recent years and I am, in fact, a certified Life Coach.  I chose to get my certification with the Certified Coaches Federation (CCF). 

However, Life Coaching is something that I have been doing for years.  I just didn’t call it that or realize that I was doing that until late last year.  That’s when I “God-incidentally” received an email through an unknown source that introduced me to CCF.  I contacted them to make inquiries about the certification course they offered and that was when I recognized that most of what they taught I already knew and practiced. I just didn’t have certification in the specific field.

I have already mentioned in previous blogs that I made a serious life change about thirty years ago.  This entailed much work on myself, changes in attitudes and behavior, in other words a major lifestyle change.  As a result of all of the above, I opened my heart, my mind, and my soul to many opportunities that I would otherwise have never seen.  I opened many doors that I had previously ignored and began to live a very full and rich life and continue to do so to this present moment.

I explored many paths on the road back to the religion of my childhood – Catholicism.  However, the practice of my religion is only one aspect of my spirituality.  Along the way I opened myself to being there for others, becoming part of the CREDO retreat team in Naples, Italy and also becoming a facilitator for a class called NADSAP. This acronym stood for Navy Alcohol Drug Safety Action Program, which was later known as Navy Alcohol Drug and Substance Abuse Program.  I believe that today this program carries yet another acronym and name which I do not know.

In order to undertake these roles I had to go through both programs as a willing participant then undertake paraprofessional training. They were both fairly stringent and involved a lot of personal growth and continued maintenance training each year.  I will not go into the details of those trainings but I can tell you the skills that we came out with were highly developed in the following areas:  active listening, empathy, compassion, tracking, objective feedback, personal disclosure, non judgmentalism, personality recognition, and genuineness.

So let’s get back to Life Coaching.  What is it?  And why do people need a Life Coach.  If you think about a sports team, whether they are good or bad, they got to where they are with the help of a coach, maybe many coaches.  The coach is there to assess the teams strengths and weaknesses, to see where they stand right now, and to look at what they can do to achieve future goals. He or she is there to make sure they don’t get stuck. 

And so it is with an individual person who is attempting to navigate the oceans of life.  Why can’t the team or the individual see that and work to change things without the help of a coach you may ask?  The best answer to that question may be because they are all too emotionally close to the the issue/s at hand.  In other words they can’t see the forest for the trees, or vice versa. 

This is where the coach comes in.  However, there is one big difference between a sports team coach and a Life Coach.  A sports team coach, once he/she has made all the necessary assessments, then makes a plan and gives instructions as to what the team has to do.  A Life Coach creates a professional rapport with the client from which he or she can then help the client recognize where they are at and what goals they want to achieve. Then through the skilful use of uniquely created tools, the Life Coach will encourage the client to take action to achieve their goals.

Life Coaching is most definitely a process which involves a commitment from both parties – the coach and the client.  And when I say a commitment I mean a signed-on-the-dotted-line-contract kind of commitment.  This creates a professional relationship between the two parties. The coach commits to be there fully and intentionally for the client, and the client commits to stick with the coach for a specified amount of time in order to reach his or her goals.

The main idea behind Life Coaching is to help people to recognize and break through their self-imposed limitations and to identify and achieve goals, dreams, and aspirations that will improve and enhance their lives, their careers, and their relationships.  The coach never tells the client what to do.  The coach is there to actively and objectively listen, to empower, and then to encourage the client along his or her path.

The beauty of Life Coaching is that it does not “brain wash” or take away from the client’s unique ideas, nor does it seek to interfere with or change their personality.  The coach becomes a “companion walker in life” if you will, however the client has to take his or her own footsteps. 

Another unique aspect of Life Coaching is that you do not have to be face-to-face with the client to do effective coaching.  In fact much Life Coaching is done over the telephone.  My personal preference is to have at least one initial face-to-face session with the client and then move to telephone sessions if that proves to be a convenient method for the client to be coached.

Life Coaching is a very satisfying career.  It is a privilege indeed when someone asks me to enter their life.  My sense of wonder increases a thousand fold as I watch a client’s sense of wonder at themselves increase through the coaching process.  I find that it is an honor to help someone to recognize their personal beauty, worth, and potential as they explore their relationships, their place on this earth, and the value that they can bring to anything they put their mind to.          

Along the same lines:

• Musings: A Day Off – Sort Of!
• Self Nurturing: Changing Lifestyle
• Musings: Serendipity With Sue
• Musings: The Football Game
• Shared Wisdom: Words From Others

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