Eat Chocolate

I have friend named Maximilian, a very charming and wise man. The other day I asked him what advice he would give me about life and he said "Eat chocolate and say YES!" Many of you know that I rarely eat chocolate even though I think it tastes heavenly. Well, I decided to have a piece, at his urging. It was rich and smooth and tasted so good that everything else faded away. Ahhh...this was Max's point. The sensual experience of eating chocolate took me inward. I stopped thinking and talking and just relished the sensation. As Max would say - think less, feel more. I bet there are lots of ways to apply that adage. Eating chocolate was certainly a good way to start.

The part about saying "yes" was a bit more challenging. I decided I would try saying "yes" at every opportunity during my day: running late for an appointment, having a great talk with my son, being annoyed with a friend, a misunderstanding with my husband, a good yoga practice. Then in addition, I would say "yes" to the politics of the day, earthquakes and our severe winter drought. As I said "yes" more and more throughout my day, I discovered that "yes" was a testimony, a declaration of my power. That despite the complexities of life unfolding all around me, a big, bold "YES" was a clear assertion of my intention to live my life with grace and gratitude. Max describes "YES" as a big warm bear hug. As I said, Max is very wise.

I Have No Words!

This post begins in dreamland, like the last one I wrote. In this dream I was visited by a huge sea mammal. I asked her what kind of animal she was and was told it is not important. She simply wanted me to "come on in and feel who I am." So I did. I became huge yet I swam with grace. Water swished across my body and shafts of sunlight hung in the water above me. I flapped my flippers and glided with ease while little fish darted by, tickling my skin. I knew this animal, and I needed no words or categories to describe her.

As my day unfolded, I took several opportunities to ignore descriptive vocabulary and look, feel, smell and touch instead. I inhaled the scent of lavender oil; I tasted the smoothness of homemade hummus on my tongue; and I felt music coming from my heart. But, of course, I have no words to describe to you the experience. Each experience began with my senses; from there I dove in and made a connection. If I had begun my experience with words I would only have skimmed the surface and never had the chance to swim in the depths of the sea.

Gratitude

Where does gratitude come from? I am little hesitant to admit that it just dawned on me. This is how I discovered it…try this…for the next two hours become a receiver. Just use your senses. Receive the taste and aroma of a delicious fresh tomato and basil sandwich, the warmth of a hug from a dear friend, the fall breeze rustling your hair, the lull of the wind chimes in your neighbor’s yard, the goose bumpy feel you get from looking at a beautiful twilight sky. The opportunities are, quite literally, endless.

After this concentrated intention to receive, you will notice a kindness in your interactions and a patience and love that you bring to what you do. That is the expression of gratitude, imbued in every encounter you have and action you take.

The secret for me was to stop being a doer all the time and to receive. Then gratitude began to flow and I knew that I could bring a fuller and richer expression of my Self to the world.

Let's Think....

A friend told me that she took 15 minutes out of her busy thought-burdened day to sit out in nature. She was amazed to hear the flapping of birds' wings, smell the pine scent and feel the warm sun on her cheeks. Her senses woke up! But she was still aware of her thoughts. Only now it was different; her thoughts had more space around them and were less rushed. There was a calm and clarity to them.

We hear that our thoughts are the product of our egos, that we are way too attached to what we think. Thoughts bog us down and make us the victims of our own stories. But thoughts also guide us and teach us when they are born from a calm and nurtured spirit. So head outside, tune in to Mother Nature. Be in her embrace for just 15 minutes and then see where your thoughts take you.