Re-purpose

Things with purpose seem to embody more worth, more value. The wilted lemon appears to have little value except for maybe adding nutrients to the compost pile. However, its user cuts the lemon open and squeezes out the still fragrant juice to clean his counter and sink, leaving behind a sweet essence of clean. What a valuable lemon! When we feel as though our value has been deflated, it may simply be that the universe is preparing us for a shift in purpose. Feeling lost does not always mean that you've left your path and somehow missed the signposts along the way. It may perhaps mean that is it time to create a new direction that leads you to an even more spectauclar vista. The tree that no longer produces fruit shifts its purpose to provide habitat and food for a new community. Look around your home, how will you re-purpose an old item? Look around your heart, how will you re-purpose an old mindset that no longer serves you?

Pressure release

When we feel pressure from the external world, it feels real and it is real, but only because we perceive it to be so. We feel energy telling us that the world wants something from us, as though it demands us to create change against our will. Cleaning the floors late past your bedtime just because you believe the universe expects it of you can cause unnecessary discomfort. Feeling like you need to have children to please your family's need for small people to spoil, is often an opinion created in your own mind without proof. Why we put ourselves through this test is unknown, but in nature, a flower doesn't become stressed because of a perceived thought. It reacts to a squeeze from the elements, a change in physical properties, not a whisper on the breeze. When this pressure builds up, before you recoil into a ball and coat your mind in guilt, ask an external reference if this belief is based in truth. Most of the time, your assumption will be met with confusion followed by a release and then, comfort.

To heal a heart

Darkness holds the heart And pumps black stones Into the engorged veins. Always there. Always calling for evil deeds. Time mends the open wounds And calms the shaking soul But bitter taste reminds the tongue Of lost dreams forever Hidden in the bitumen Far below the soil. A flush of new liquid enters. New hope. Rebirth. Rain, ocean, sky, Making love in an infinite dance Beyond the body Steam crawls through the pores Cleansing mind, body, spirit. The heart emerges from the ashes Light penetrates the arctic blue eyes. Love. Exists again.

Space to breathe

If you are like me you like to help others find happiness and avoid pain. But this rescuer action is not always as effective as we want it to be. We want a quick fix, a bandaid to stop the bleeding. But why not give the gift of space? Maybe this means a safe ear to listen to their fears, or it means sitting in silence and just holding hands for awhile, and maybe, just maybe they want time to fix their own hurt away from the influence of others. Offering healthy food, someone to clean their house for them, and a chance at a neighbourhood walk with a support can be the light needed for them to open their eyes towards hope. Suffocating may seem helpful but can snuff out the fires of emotion that need to burn off so the body and mind are a less toxic place to be. Giving loved ones a chance to inhale and exhale while knowing they are loved deeply and unconditionally is a chance for them to step in a direction toward the healing light and away from the stagnant darkness. Just breathe and encourage them to breathe as well.

Walk into wonder

Autumn is the perfect time for a walk with the sweet odour of decomposing leaves, the crisp call of birds through exposed branches and the low sun filtering through to light your grateful face. Let your fingers brush past shrubs and tree branches, playing with the soft leaves that still remain before their final drop to the leaf litter below. Say a sweet hello with an inviting smile upon your face as other walkers cross your path. You can even do a walking meditation if this is in your practice. Choose a destination at least a few kilometres away where you can really get into a walking rhythm. Any changes in elevation are an added bonus because your breath becomes audible and you begin to notice the now's as you inhale and exhale into the fresh fall air. Feel your feet plant firmly on Earth and know that you will make it through this winter…one step at a time.

Release and recover

Our emotional body was not designed to hold in grief, worry and negative self-talk. We need to release these dark and often harmful thoughts. We expel toxins from our physical bodies every day. We exhale carbon dioxide, we sweat and we visit the bathroom several times a day. But how often do we flush our emotional body? Maybe when you come home and see your dog waiting for you? Maybe when you hug a loved one? But what about a big release, when could you take time to honour this need? In my weekly yoga session, our teacher would say "whatever you did this week, you did ENOUGH". I would weep each time in response to this pressure release in my heart. We can discharge grief when we reach a state of ecstasy and security with our self or with a loved one. Dance is a fantastic release or any fitness really. Singing and musical vibration can expand the soul. Writing as many of you can attest to, is a powerful exhale of the mind. Crying is….amazing. Soldiers cry, cops cry, and so can you! My favourite release is in meditation. I take all the heavy weight from my shoulders and place it into a beautiful urn for safe keeping while I walk away with freedom and and expansive spirit. True story. How do you release from pain?

Sun shine

The yellow sun gave Superman his other-worldly powers and fuelled him up to save the world another day. The sun is also a fuel centre for Earth. Water evaporates and separates into a fine mist that re-enters the atmosphere to provide moisture to the thirsty planet. Plants grow in the sun's rays and create oxygen for the wild ones to inhale safely. Food only grows with the power of our glorious star, creating diversity of species throughout every eco region. Temperatures warm enough to help creatures search for food and find shelter and keep their bodies from reaching hypothermic conditions. But what about us, do we need sun? Are we connected to this light just like the rest of the planet? Heck yes. As emotional beings, the sun also helps us to break through depressive symptoms and relaxes us following stressful events. Make a plan to honour the sun this week. Pick a day when you will watch the sun rise or the sun set. While your witness the miraculous colours and change in temperature, give thanks to this universal energy centre. Have you given gratitude lately for the light in your life?

Proactive pondering

We are always told to live in the moment and experience what is happening for us in the now. But is there value in future planning to make sure we are set on the right path? Our future is created from our now's and if we don't point our sail in the ideal location we may get distracted and end up in a less than ideal scenario. Monday mornings at work are my proactive time. I plan out what I want to accomplish in the week and figure out how I might achieve this goal or if I need to adjust my expectations. I write down my goals in my task book and I highlight my top tasks to target my efforts to on my whiteboard. The whiteboard is also a public commitment. I aim to work on these goals and if I am distracted from that my co-workers might notice I am not on task. It is a bit intense but I know my weaknesses and laying down a set but flexible plan for my week gives me confidence, feedback, satisfaction, direction and a bit of peace knowing I am in the right place. How do you future plan?

The truth hurts

Tricky, but well needed post. Read with caution. Being real with friends an family is a present. Their intentions are always well meaning but our ego bruises when helpful but painfully real words scrape the surface. But each time our heart feels hurt know that the intent was kindness. The driver of those words came from love. Accept real and be real with friends and family. Relationships cannot grow in a safe vacuum of candy-coated non truths that are used for protection as opposed to expansion of a connection with another. Some friendships do well in silence and if that is your practice, keep it and learn how to use its benefits to enrich relationships with others. Accept your loved ones as is but know that anger or concern can fester if it not given air to breathe. Use caution and tread lightly but with care and well meaning emotions your message might be communicated in an effective way. Do you have something you need to get off your chest but are not sure how to approach it?

We are all travellers on planet Earth

Like inimitable snowflakes, we are all a unique specimens with distinctive emotions, features, hopes and struggles. This planet has one type of person on it, the human person. We spend so much time in this mental comparison, actively and subconsciously separating ourselves out from the pack, noting our many differences and individual tendencies and often placing judgement on these qualifiers.This judgement interrupts our perception of the world around us and makes us feel different and alone. Each time we open up and listen to other points of view or practice empathy and loving kindness to others regardless of sexual orientation, religious influences, career choices,parenting skills, or even wardrobe decisions we practice living as one. One love as the wonderful Bob Marley shared with us via song. Thank you for listening to my inspirations and following me on my journey. You are practicing acceptance and it is a beautiful thing. No real challenge today. Just celebration of the efforts you are already making.

Map check

We have this voice inside us telling us to be more, do more, achieve more, have more. This voice is ego and it doesn't connect with your true self love emotions. More doesn't equal happiness. Gratitude and appreciation equal happiness if you take the time to reflect on what matters. How far down the road will you travel before you realise it is in the wrong direction? Stop, look at your compass. Are you on the right track? It is ok to admit the path is not taking you to a peaceful destination. Reflect on your map and see where your passions would rather you go. Life is short, getting lost isn't the end goal but we get determined and confuse our priorities. Ask the trees where you should go if you are unsure. The spirit will guide you out of the darkness and into a clearing where you can gauge your surroundings with a little more clarity. Have you been lost recently? How did you find the right path?

Sweat it out

On some hot days I secretly indulge in the heat by stepping into my steamy car and letting the waves of warmth wash over me, sweating instantly and letting the moisture mix with the sweltering air. I realise not many people do this, they immediately try to beat the heat with air conditioning or at least windows rolled down to let in a fresh breeze. Maybe I am unique? But...My winters are eight months of the year and while I enjoy the snow as much as the next outdoorsy Canadian, the heat just has this special quality to it. I feel happy to be alive and mostly, I FEEL. I recall travelling to Australia for the first time and how the sweat would begin pumping out WHILE I was in the shower, dousing myself with cool water to balance the intensity of the Australian summer air. To see if this works wonders for you make plans to try a hot yoga class, partake in a native sweat lodge ceremony or visit the local pool's sauna. Winter, summer, whenever. Heat can remind us how lucky we are to walk around in fairly "normal" temperatures and it can help us go deep into our emotions and see what might be sitting dormant, needing to get warmed up and comforted. Do you have hot practices that you enjoy?

Life as a musical

This post is in honour of my friend Keith and his bride to be. We are taught at a young age that all the fairy tales we read and watch are never, ever going to happen to us. This is about as silly as (insert strange organized religious practice here). Through meditation and prayer and hope and experience I have learned that thinking about THE BEST and hoping for THE BEST only has amazingly great outcomes. True, we rarely get what we wish for but that's because our wishes aren't always aligned with what the universe is prepared to give us. Send out seeds of positive energy and low and behold, a beautiful flower grows in its place. Plant stinkweed seeds of despair and complaints….and yeah you get the picture. Life can be a dream. Life can be a musical filled with song and dance and celebration. Will it ever come true? Maybe not. But at least you can swim in the waters of a good dream for awhile. What's wrong with that? Keep dreaming my lovelies.

Photo graph

This inspiration will be fairly hands on. Find photographs of yourself from ten years ago to today. Take the time to really look at each photograph of that moment in time and notice your smile or lack thereof, your hair, your clothes. Then take some time to go inside and remember how that time in your life FELT. Were you scared, excited, sad, elated? We tend to leave the past and move on but sometimes a view at the journey that got you to today can be a powerfuel fuel for creating strong tomorrows. 2004 - Italy 2005 - Met Alain 2006 - In love 2007 - Australia 2008 - The wedding 2009 - Fernie 2010 - Folk music festival 2011 - Pigeon Lake 2013 - Plan Canada Fundraiser 2014 - Costa Rica Thank you for letting me share this ten year storybook with you. I have gained a lot of insight, acceptance, self-love and pride from viewing these images. Maybe you can experience something similar with your own photo graph.

Find your bestie in your reflection

Each morning when we grab the toothbrush and try to refreshen our sleepy mouth we catch a glimpse of something miraculous, something bigger than ourselves. Look. What do you see? There is a figure of you, yes, but it is the only you that has ever existed and ever will. What you can't see is the energy expanded beyond your physical body, it's actually your soul body staring back at you. You are the essence of your yesterdays, nows and tomorrows. Treasure your reflection and create a short mantra to empower your day. Make eye contact with this person, this mirror image and say the words slowly. Notice your reflected mouth move with the words flowing over your lips. What mantra you may ask? Well this is very personal. What do you need to reach a state of peace and gratitude? Perhaps you struggle with obesity - tell that reflected self "you are beautiful". You may have lost your job and need to say "you are important. You are skilled in many ways". A loved one may have passed and you are grieving so say "I miss you and will love you forever". Make it yours and embrace it. Keep eye contact at all times and give yourself the gift of this verbal bear hug from your bestie. I leave you with a quote...Be yourself, everyone else is taken (Oscar Wilde)

Don't go soul-o

There is pressure from our environment to be a better version of ourselves. To be healthier, stronger, happier. We sometimes even feel a push from the universe to discover and live out our purpose on this Earth. But is this meant to be a solo journey? If we sit in our basement and read self-help books all day will we find peace? This I am not so sure of. In the wild, wolves will go in search of a deer so they can be nourished by its flesh. Does one wolf approach the deer to take it down? Most likely the one, lone wolf would not be successful and he would starve after many failed attempts to catch his prey. But in a pack, the wolves come together to hunt and capture their meal. Like the wolves, we are a communal species and finding a better life by being alone is a little like trying to find your own image in the clouds. You may be waiting awhile. But reach out and ask for a hand or two and the journey may not seem as daunting. You can ask someone you admire to be your mentor. Maybe you meet once every couple months and talk about ways to improve your career. You can join a group in your community, religious or not, just real people who want to talk about real issues. You can introduce yourself to one of the other parents at the playground and swap stories while your wee ones stay busy. If you think that getting one person's help may not make a difference, answer me this: Can one person create a newborn? Or does it take a sperm and an egg to unite and create life? Human souls were meant to intertwine, not to stand alone. When have you reached out recently? Did it help or hinder?

And the walls came down

We have this habit of protecting ourselves using boundaries to keep us safe. We place blocks at our castle gates and stick firmly to our plan. We think that the barriers prevent negativity or hurt from creeping into our lives, which is absolutely true! However, is there ever opportunity to bend your boundaries to suit a new situation? Maybe you have a needy friend who you have cut off but they really need an ear. Do you stick to your original plan or do you bend and see where it leads? You might save another person from pain, or you could keep your walls up. It's a choice. The only person who sets our boundaries is us, we decide. Evaluate a number of your boundaries. Are they serving you well or do they need a slight adjustment? I have a number of boundaries from being hurt in the past. But I know sometimes the best way to protect a wound is to gently care for it. Give it air, massage the edges and see if healing manifests itself from your willingness to address the issue at hand. Do you set strict boundaries with family or friends? If you do, that's completely ok. This task is an evaluation of boundaries, no need to tear the walls down just yet.

Hold please

People come into our life to serve a specific purpose. Perhaps they teach us something about ourselves, about our world or about others. Perhaps they allow us to help someone or be helped in return. They may make us laugh, cry, scream, or all of the above. When it feels like a friendship is no longer serving a purpose, just know that it is perfectly fine to put the relationship on hold for a day, a week or a month. Think of it like a battery that needs charging. Set your friendship on the relationship charger and spend time with others who may not be causing you as much worry, anger or loss. During this time it is ok to grieve the former soul of your relationship. Recall the good times, reflect on where things may have gone wrong and give thanks that they walked into your life, no matter the reason. Friends bring us joy, happiness and connection. If your friendship has lost this sparkle, maybe it needs a quick breather. Inhale. Exhale. And return to your buddy when your heart feels ready. Have you experienced a friendship burnout? What did you do to heal yourself and the relationship?

Find a sacred space

Many of us feel that quieting and focusing the mind is an impossible task. Trust me, it can be done with practice and patience. Find a spot near your work, school or home with water, trees , flowers or birds. Seat yourself using a blanket, bench or rock to quiet the body. Bring a special item to focus your thoughts on, perhaps a stone or a photograph with meaning for you. Inhale your gratitudes towards the sky. Exhale your stresses into the Earth to be composted for future growth.

Everything old is new again

We often turn to retail therapy to help us cope. Consuming is something natural that we do to feel better. But, as an alternative to shopping, try to put love into the items you already have. This practice will help you give back to the planet and build pride while also saving you money and guilt. You could make cleaning or beauty products from ingredients in the kitchen like vinegar and baking soda or lemons and yogurt. Fix your old purse strap or use veggies from your garden for the ultimate feeling of satisfaction.