To master the art of living, it is wiser to sit back and observe than to rush ahead to be in front.

Like the flow of life itself, have no partiality toward and outcome. Instead, move with the experience and allow Life’s current to guide you through the process.

With clear intentions yet no attachment to an expectation, you can appreciate the moment to moment miracles on your journey because you are here, now with the moment, not there in the future yearning for an expected outcome.

If you are not here, you are missing the experience of your lifetime.

LIVING THE TAO: Where do you spend most of your time? Right here in this moment, or fixated on what will happen next? If you are not here, you are missing the experience of your lifetime. Start now by just focusing on the sound of your breath, or a piece of art for one minute and experience the miracle of your senses.

My 2018 focus is to intentionally live the Tao Te Ching. This is my fifth reading of Stephen Mitchell’s translation. I share my daily interpretations hoping to inspire you to do the same.

Embrace your journey. Experience bliss. Live the Tao.

Original image by Silvia & Frank.

Does time melt away as you do your daily work with enthusiasm?

Does your whole being scintillate with sparks of gratitude as you luxuriate in your home?

Do you feel grateful each time you partake of the nourishment that sprang from the earth to serve your physical health?

Do you take pleasure in each moment you share with people you care for?

Is your heart warmed with thankfulness each opportunity you are given to share your bounty?

Yes?

Then you are well.

LIVING THE TAO: Today, take stock of your whole life. If any aspect saddens you (career, finances, relationships, health, etc.) then your wellbeing is compromised. You can change it simply by deciding to do so. The Wellness-Purpose Connect  can help you get started on transforming your wellbeing.

My 2018 focus is to intentionally live the Tao Te Ching. This is my third reading of Stephen Mitchell’s translation. I share my daily interpretations hoping to inspire you to do the same.

Embrace your journey. Experience bliss. Live the Tao.

Image by Yeshi Kangrang on Unsplash.

We represent individual expressions of one Source.

Beginning as an invisible soul, you were joined by a physical body. Its contemplation is extraordinary!

You were created without your own doing.

You grew physically just by being.

Air was provided for your lungs and you did nothing.

Food grew for your nourishment because of natural design.

Embrace your astounding existence and honor this truth for us all.

As I read Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching daily, I reflect and document my interpretation with the intention of living the Tao.

It is Universal all-encompassing love that flows upon all places where it is needed, even to those judged as undesired.

Appreciate what feels undesired with compassion.

Welcome what flows to you.

Embrace simplicity in your thoughts.

Show compassion at all times.

Control your ego’s need to control others.

Cling to gratitude and joy as your purpose flows through you.

Be present in the company of those you love.

Accepting with grace—even that which feels undesired—as life flows to you causes esteem to follow.

As I read Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching daily, I reflect and document my interpretation with the intention of living the Tao.

Yesterday I made the very conscious choice to stop what I was doing  to simply experience the moments without feeling tied to commitments.

I drove for an hour to a specialty store to be able to sit in the warm sun an enjoy 100% all natural chocolate.

I drove some more then parked the car to be able to stroll the city with my love.

Then, I drove another hour to sit by the pier to watch the sun set.

While we sat I noticed two ducks swimming toward us. Of all the people on the pier they swam to my feet and just sat…and sat…and sat. After a few moments, instead of being nervous, I whipped out my phone to capture the moment. Then I became curious. I asked, “I wonder what ducks symbolize?” So of course I went to Google.

I chuckled when I landed on the first line of the first site I visited as I read this words, “The spiritual meaning of the Duck speaks the message: Be in the now, be in the moment, for this is where all of your power exists and is available to you.”

I’m not debating whether this meaning is valid or not, but I do want use this experience as a reminder to you to be in the moment.

It is so easy to be in the past–thinking about what you should have done or what they could have done or how something could have been done differently to make now better. It is equally as easy to be in the future–worrying about what needs to be done or your ability to fulfill your future commitment  or will you be able to complete a task well enough to meet others standards. But it is not as easy to remain focused at length for this present moment.

Being fixed in the past can create anxiety. Being focused on the future can create fear. But being in the moment creates peace, and when you are at peace you have power–power to deal with anything.

I read recently that humans’ attention span is less than a goldfish…8 seconds…YIKES! That being said, here’s a personal challenge: right now in this moment stop what you’re doing, close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus on the fact that right now, you have the power to focus…and do this for 12 seconds.

If you think you can’t, I’d suggest you keep practicing until you know you can. When you do, I suggest you reward yourself with the experience of being able to say, “I AM in the moment.”

Finally, you can smile knowing that you focus is better than a goldfish! 

So how do you feel? Let me know below.

My mother, always said that when she was parting ways with someone. Even when she’d hang up the phone–same thing.

Growing up, I always took that line for granted, but as an adult, I understand.

Every morning we wake up, we are still here. I like to think that we are still here to  make someone’s day, make someone laugh, and make someone feel loved by sharing our heart’s light with them. Every morning we wake up, we are still here to enjoy our friends and family, enjoy a good laugh and feel the love of those we care about. Every morning we wake up, we are blessed.

So if you are able to read this, whatever time of the day it is, I encourage you now to take in a refreshingly deep breath, break out into a big beautiful smile and say, “I AM grateful for my life.”

You’re still here to be blessed and to be a blessing.

If this post made you feel good, then please share what you’re feeling inspire someone else.

There is a saying, “You sleep when you’re dead”.
I AM alive.

And there you have it!

My hope is that her words will inspire others. If she’s inspired you pass on the love by sharing in the “Share Your Inspirations” section on my page. I am sure that you will inspire many!

If we do an audit of our thoughts we are likely to find that we are mostly in the past or in the present. We are either thinking (or fretting) about something that happened or thinking (or worrying) about something that may happen. But what about what is happening right now?

Once while in a yoga class, I was supposed to be aware of the movement and my body’s response to it. Instead my thoughts were into the next week. I was missing the moment! What the heck?

Then I thought, “my moments are limited, so why aren’t I in them?” From that moment I promised myself that whenever I become aware that I am in the past or future, I will get present. I am not perfect at this yet, but with practice it’s getting better.

Minutes before writing this message, a friend texted me sharing how she was feeling about an experience. In her message, a phrase stood out. She said,

We’re okay…we’re exhausted and just taking it moment by moment.

Moment by moment.

Her words have inspired this yogic exercise I am sharing with you now.

So now, get silent and do this:

• Inhale – feel the breath filling your lungs.
• Exhale – hear the air leaving your body.
• Inhale – feel the life force entering in.
• Exhale – release that which no longer serves you.
• Inhale – feel your appreciation for your breath.
• Exhale and say, I AM in this present moment.

My hope is that you have been inspired. If so, please share your inspiration below to inspire someone else.

Namaste

I remember thinking that once during prayer after hearing my son say, “Thank you for everything in my life—the good things and the bad things.”

When he was finished I asked him about what he said. “Why did you give thanks for the bad things?”

He replied, “Because all things help me to learn, and the bad things help me to learn about myself and life so that I can grow.”

“Wow! He has a point!” That’s what I thought.

Dealing with a few frustrating issues recently brought me back to that memory. In a moment of wanting to go off on someone, I remembered, “Thank you for everything in my life.” I remembered that if I would just look at the situation differently, I could see how that frustrating moment would one day benefit me.

I am absolutely sure that at some point in the next few days, something or someone will frustrate you. A co-worker may get on your nerves, you may receive some news you didn’t expect, or someone’s actions may disappointment you. But if you can look beyond the frustration in that moment and see that everything contributes to a bigger picture, then perhaps you’ll be able to give thanks.

Getting there takes practice because it’s not natural to show gratitude when something or someone rubs you the wrong way. Expressing gratefulness in all things is a practice—one that is good to do daily; one that you can begin now by simply saying, I AM grateful for everything in my life.