Crisp Winter Day

Winter  has alluded the area I live in until the past few days when the wind and snow reminded me what winter can be like.  However, today the brilliant sunshine awakened me as it popped over the horizon reminding me the sun does come out after a storm.  This is such a simple analogy and one that is used so often it seems over done.  Days like today though I need the reminder as I witness storms in my own life.  It appears I am always changing and breaking new ground.

As I age and allow myself to open up I realize that as children we are sponges that soak up everything, good and bad and the ugly. Now I am a discerning adult I have the choice to let the bad and the ugly go and drop them into the depths of darkness and leave behind the bright light of love and free choice. When I take time to meditate and listen deeply to the spirit within, via the unconscious mind, I hear the messages from the divine source within. The higher self is the purpose of my life and as it speaks to the depths of me it is only through setting aside the 2% of my consciousness that I am able to hear that which is good and healthy.

I do this through meditative times, reading good work, staying away from the news, letting go those in my life that do not serve this higher calling and by aging with grace and understanding that we are not meant to remain young and vulnerable. We as the human spirit are meant to be ageless and free.

My journey has not been smooth. Quite rocky at times and those who have traveled it personally with me know I am always climbing on the next horse that wants to buck me off... is this good? I believe it has been the ride I needed to take in order to get where I am.

Nothing is a mistake. There are no mistakes in my life. Divine wisdom and depth of understanding come at a cost of listening. Sometimes I wouldn't listen ... and learned lessons the hardest way. Today I begin listening deeper once again, peeling back yet another layer of conscious candy coating placed there by the should's and need to's of society and culture.

Today may you be different, walk your own walk and listen deeply to that which is the authentic you .... Come along with me as we journey into the dawn of the new day. It is time...

Face in the Floor

Watch this before reading:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4

This morning I found a face in my floor. I have lived in this space for 18 months now and never realized there was a face in my floor. What else do I miss every day? Where could I be more observant?

I struggle every day with worry that I am letting life pass me by. I think about how I could have done better and how I might have made a difference. This is why I like to work with aging adults because as I age I realize how much I slow down and enjoy life. Although I struggle it is a good struggle. Last night when I dropped off my sleeping grandson we went from the quiet slumber of my car into an active environment of rushing and excitement. Hunter didn't have a chance to awaken before he was roused out of his carseat, from a warm car to a cold evening to a different carseat. That is life today. Shuffling children to accommodate the adult choices of busy life. How many grow up be taught to miss the face in the floor?

In a healthy spiritual journey I feel the most important thing is to let go and let happen. Let life unfold before you and walk into the open doors and look out the open windows. In my life, I always tried to dictate and control how things would go. So I was constantly running ahead of life in order to ensure I knew which door was going to open because I would drive my life that way. What a disaster.

In traditional language one might say "let go and let God" but I find then that tells me the traditional concept of a supernatural being in charge and moving us like chess pieces will take over where I do not control. Another traditional thought may stray to the concept that when we try to control we do not trust in God's plan; another way I hear that there is something or someone who is like a puppeteer.

Today may you rest in your own life and see the face in the floor. Today may you let each moment unfold before you and then engage with action in your own life. Today may you realize that stress is only fear, fear of the unknown, when the unknown is the safest place to land. Allowing life to happen does not mean simply throwing up your hands and quitting, it means watching for the face in the floor and reading the details and experiences in order to make good decisions to go forward.

My favourite story from Chicken Soup is The Worry Tree. It is a story about a man who touches a tree every night before he enters his home. The neighbour asked "why?" The man said it is his worry tree. He hangs his worries on the tree and picks them up the next morning. He noted to the neighbour, "it is interesting how when I come out in the morning there are always less than I left there the night before."

Have a wonderful day.

I have a dream...

As I work with people in community and watch the events around the world it saddens me how broad a paintbrush many people use. It is not just one thing either. It is many fields: religion, aging and homophobia. A broad stroke keeps the person safe in their own world never needing to understand "the other". I love the speech by Martin Luther King Jr. where he says "I have a dream..." Well I have a dream.

I dream I will be in a sacred space where there will be Christians bowing down with Muslims, Jews praying with Buddhists, Christians meditating with Bahá'í in they "emphasize the oneness of humanity, the oneness of God and the fundamental oneness of religion". This to me is sacred. This is what the great mystery that holds the planets in line, blossoms the flowers and is wide as the uni-verse (uni - one, verse-song).

I want to love all people and hear the voices of every person. As the voices are heard the questions will be answered, the anger will subside because behind it is fear, and flesh and blood with take the place of the unknown. Get to know your own neighbour ... put a face to what you fear so you can better understand it.

In a RUT?

Walking a path... staying on track.  Do you find veering off the track is much harder than staying in the rut.  Today I walked a country road, the cool wind in my face and the sun brilliant upon my shoulders.  I was mesmerized by the beauty of the day.  I loved it.  As I came to a "T" ... turn right or left...?  Or go off the road and follow the path into the woods.  Go off the path?  Move away from that which is trod?  YES!  So down the path I went.  There were two distinctive ruts I could follow but chose to stay on the high ground in the middle ... it was hard.  There were times when I lost my balance a little and fell into the rut.  My life story... falling back into ruts when I am determined to take the high road.

When do you choose to make changes in your life only to find yourself falling back into old habits and patterns.  I do this all the time.  But today is a new day and today is a day where I can make a difference.  I can change today .. yesterday is gone and behind me and has no impact on today. Today is what counts for my future, the positive things I do today is the rut of my future.

I was saddened as I moved further along to path to find unscrupulous people had dropped trash in this beautiful location.  I was angry at the people and angry for the disrespect of Mother Earth and our environment.  As I thought about it though, I realized I need to shed my own trash (but not literally) along my path.  Let go of the garbage ... let go of the baggage... put the garbage of my past where it belongs .. .appropriately in the trash bin.

The high road in the middle all of a sudden got wider.

I opened up into a larger median that I could walk upon and the ruts became less predominant.  This is the same with life ... as you persevere in the narrow paths of life and fight the urge to drop into the rut ... the grassy berm will grow wider and the ruts will fade to the fringes.

Today, is the day for change.  Today you can make a difference in your own life.  You need not make any changes in anyone else's life but your own.  It is the only place you have control!  It is the only place you can make a difference in life.  Let go of the garbage, open your heart to move off and out of the ruts you are in, let go and let life come to you as  you welcome spiritual changes.

The sun is there behind the clouds, waiting for you to clear the skies.

(All photos are my own... share them linking back to my blog)

Pictures in my mind...

The morning after... a full lunar eclipse .. the morning after.  Today on my FB feed there are a plethora of pictures of the moon in its full beauty and glory ... I almost feel imposed upon because I watched it with my naked eye with a lovely glass of white wine, crisp and sweet, in my hand.  I leaned on my car and experienced the marvel.  I watched no distractions, no concerns about the perfect photo, just the presence of a marvel ~ and I watched.  I took pictures with my mind and now whenever I want I can conjure up that moon, on that night, and along with that the peace of just standing, leaning on my car being in the presence of awe.

As a spiritual being living in this physical presence I wonder will I take these memories with me when this body is dead and cremated?  Will this spirit I am move beyond this reality and take with it the wisdom I have gleaned?

I hung, (hanged?) a glass prism pendulum in the west window this morning ... I wait now until the sun will catch it and glorify my kitchen.  Again I will sit and watch and experience when that happens.  I await in anticipation!

I hope you have a wonderful day, taking the time not to take photos but to file away, just for you, special memories that only you can hold.  Blessings and love to you as you optimally age.

May the eyes of wisdom find you as the fall leaves being to meet the ground in a loving embrace...

Fresh Five Friends

I have been working hard with spirit care and aging adult care.  I also have recently achieved personal trainer status and group fitness instructor.  These two designations are important for me to help those who are looking to start!  Start where?  Where ever you are.  I also will be engaging in a nutrition certificate in September to further learn about healthy eating.

I am looking for five friends to engage in a program with me so I can start where I am!  I am unsure of what to charge, what my skills and gifts are, how good of an instructor I will be and so on.  So maybe you can help me help you!

Contact me for more information!

Change for the better ...

August 13, 2015  and I am realizing time is clicking along.  I will celebrate another birthday soon and I remember my 48th birthday I had just started university in May of that year.  I was beginning the journey of discernment and academic study in order to become clergy in the Christian church.  Now eight years later I am finally wiser and have learned to let some things go and hover a little higher above my life.  I have been listening to Chropra Radio and the topic one day was clairvoyance.  That is where I am reminded it is not about having psyche insight into the future but simply letting go of micromanagement.

I love that feeling.  Letting go of that which does not serve me.

I am proud of the work I have done in 56 years, but moreso in the past eight.  I have accomplished wonderful things and have learned to love myself “just as I am” and THAT is tremendous work for anyone.  That is why I am proud of myself, because I choose to get life and live in the moment.  Listening to that which is the wisest part of me has become second nature.  Trusting in my own judgement and my own thoughts.

Today I hold a BA Hons., Religious Study, Certificate in Gerontology, Masters of Divinity, Fitness Instructor Specialist, Professional Personal Trainer, CPR, First Aid, Hospice Care training, and optimal aging passion.  I have 56 years of life’s experience and now eight years of academics to support that life’s experience.  I think of myself like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.  As the Wizard is leaving he awards the three with what they most desired.  He reminded the Scarecrow  that he had a brain all along and that all he lacked was a diploma.  The awarding of the diploma was the key that was missing for the Scarecrow.  I now believe in myself because of the diplomas.  I believe in myself because of all the life that happened while I was achieving working the programs!

The beauty of it all is I better understand challenges in life because I choose to take risks and look deeply at living life.  Whether your challenges are with body weight, food, exercise, spiritual understanding, grief or day to day personal boundaries maybe I can help.  I seek to rebuild spiritual community that is based on a faith in that which is the purest divine power and is a place where personal relationships grow in person and in community.

I live in Bradford Ontario Canada and want to build community through the local library, local coffee shop, on the telephone (maybe by text) and over a meal.  Come join me … there is no exchange of money just passions and love.   It used to be called church but dogma and doctrines and a false belief got in the way.  So let’s start again please, can we start again please, and come build community with me!

I can help, call or message me anytime.  Visit my website LesMar.ca and help me build community one friendship connection at a time.