The Original You

"Wow! You are amazing!" What is the first thought that goes through your mind when somebody says that to you? Be honest now... I can tell you the first thought that goes through my mind is usually not very supportive. It usually runs somewhere between "If you only knew me", and "Are you sure?" Why this reaction? Why the doubt? I know I am not alone in this. So many of us question the wisdom of fully embracing our greatness. Maybe, it's because we don't want to be seen as arrogant or pretentious. Or, maybe it's because somebody told us that we should not build ourselves up so much. Maybe our confidence was a threat to somebody who didn't feel so great about themselves. Whatever the reason is, this not being willing to embrace our greatness is something that we can change. This is the good news. This doubting ourselves does not have to be a permanent condition. It is possible for us to believe in ourselves. This is where the...

Beyond our mind is a place. It's beyond thinking. It's beyond comprehending. It's beyond believing. It's the place of direct experience. Some of us experience this in meditation. Some experience this while exercising. Some will even experience it while traveling to a new place. I don't know what this place is called, but I know it when I am there. It is a place of deep peace and contentment. It is a place where the opinions of other people don't matter anymore. It is the connection to Source. What is Source? Source is anything that gives you a feeling of safety. It is anything that will give you that feeling of being connected to everything around you. When you encounter your Source you know it. There is never a doubt. Never any ambiguity about what this is. We all have a different name for it. Some call it God. Some will call it The One. Some will call it Nature. Some will call it Mother Earth. Whatever name you attach to it is fine. But, we all kno...

I love sitting on the edge of a river or a stream, and just watching the ripples as the water cascades from one place to another. There is a very natural flow to everything. A leaf floats by. A fish swims past. There is a beautiful rhythm to it all. It all just feels like everything is happening without struggle or stress of any kind. Is life usually this natural? Is there a flow to it? In my life there are days when it definitely does not feel that way. Those are usually the days when I think I know how things are supposed to go. I had a plan. It changed. Now, I'm asking the questions about why things are not going the way I think they should be. These are the days when I'm trying to control. These are the days when I am not letting the natural order of things happen. Why do I think I know how things are supposed to be go? It's a complicated issue, but essentially it comes down to fear. Fear that my plan will not be valued. Fear that my needs will not be met. Fear that I...

How many of us can relate to being distracted? How can we not? Every five seconds there is another notification on our smart phones. And, life just being what it is will always be presenting us with another situation to deal with. It's life. It's reality. It seems that it has always been a struggle for me to simply stick with whatever project I embark on. Whenever I start something, it seems that the follow through becomes challenging. Maybe there is some psychological issue I could look at. Maybe I'm just human. Maybe it's just normal. To stay the course in life I believe requires a commitment to the thing we set out to do. It requires saying to ourselves that we will let nothing ultimately stand in our way. And, this commitment has to be so important to us that we will not let the distractions through us off the path. It's about priorities. When we know what is important to us we will find the resources to make it happen. I absolutely believe in the adage th...