Wednesday, September 21, 2016

The Homeless Healer


While on our Sunday bicycle ride Rick and I stopped at a public beach pavilion. Picnic tables sat in rows waiting for the weekend onslaught of beach goers.  As we headed toward our favorite spot we noticed a woman at a table with a dingy bed roll, a bag of clothing and a cup of coffee. It was 8 am and she was barely awake. Giving her some privacy, we seated ourselves to rest, refuel and regroup.

We were having a conversation about some discomfort I was experiencing during the ride when I heard a voice coming from her direction. 
“Sleep with a pillow between your legs.”  she said.
“Oh, right,” I replied, “I had forgotten about that! Thanks!”

With little encouragement she began to suggest several exercises to alleviate the pain. She had information to share that would help me heal. She wanted to contribute. As we mounted our bicycles to continue our ride I thanked her profusely for pointing me in a proactive direction of healing.

She advised me to sleep with a pillow between my legs. But she had no pillow and she had no bed. Her kindness touched me and I realized that on the surface she could be judged as lazy, mentally ill or an addict. For all I knew she might be all of those things. But she was something else as well. She was a healer, a fallen angel gone off track for whatever reason, but her knowledge was just as helpful as any doctor could offer.

This generous healer reminded me that I should not judge a person by her or his appearance. We are all more than we appear to be.

Holding you in love and light,

Nora

Thursday, September 15, 2016

It's Life Long Learning

Are you same person you were 5 years ago? 10 years ago? Is the way you process identical to last year, or the year before? Most likely the answer is no.

We are constantly evolving. Our passions, desires and commitments lead us, our experiences mold us and our failures teach us. Sometimes as adults when we embark on a new study or develop a new skill we have selective amnesia. We forget the time and effort it has taken to foster the qualities and talents that define us today. We compare ourselves to others, want instant mastery and berate ourselves when things seem to "take too long".

The most precious times are often those of novice or student. We recall our childhood or college years with misty-eyed nostalgia and inner longing forgetting how hard we worked and how many times we stumbled along the way. Have you ever heard a child practicing the violin? It can very painful. But through years of study and discipline the musician in her begins to blossom. So it is with the inner blossoming of your spiritual path. It takes practice, it takes forgetting and remembering. It takes returning again and again to the desire to live in kindness and love. It takes patience toward oneself. 

What are you studying today? What do you seek to develop? Whatever it is remind yourself that it is truly life-long learning and resolve to enjoy the journey. Keep your sense of humor easily at hand, forgive quickly and rejoice in the daily opportunity to do better, live better and be better.

"Patience is the companion of wisdom"
St. Augustine

Keys to Nowhere



Do you have a secret place in your home where you accumulate junk? I certainly do. One drawer in my kitchen was randomly designated as the junk drawer for years. The other day I decided it was time to do some purging. After sifting through bottles of sticky bubble stuff, half-burned birthday candles, keys to nowhere, gadgets and gag gifts received over the years three items remained: a ball of string, a tape measure and a bag of kitchen hooks. 

While admiring the now spacious drawer I began to wonder. What about the "junk" people keep in their hearts and minds?  How often do you find yourself remembering an old slight, a thoughtless snub or a petty argument? How frequently do you ruminate on memories full of pain and suffering? 

The thoughts that occupy the "junk drawer" of your heart rob you of the joy of living in the present. Beneath our suffering lies longing to be loved. The perception that love is absent creates pain. Step back and examine the memories that trigger your sadness. Recognize them as moments in time where love appeared to be missing. Accept that even the perpetrator of your pain was acting out of a perceived loss of love. 

Don't let past wounds take up space in your heart. If you find yourself consumed by painful recollections stop for a minute and breathe. Release the visceral reaction to your memory by breathing deeply into your solar plexus. Say these words silently or aloud: 

"I release and let go. I forgive and free my heart to love. I am loved and loving."

Love and light,
Nora