It's All About Joy!

The Ultimate Unknown

Why are we really here? What is the meaning of life?

Those are two questions I pondered for the first time during meditation recently. See, I always used to take what others told me on this topic at face value, and never stopped to wonder for myself. Why? I’m not sure, but maybe it’s because I was happy with the answers I had.

All of my past intellectual pursuits of spirituality have shown me that the following is our reason for existence:

We are spiritual entities that originated from the Divine (aka, the Creator, God, the Universe, or insert any other name that feels comfortable here), and took on a human form to experience the trials and tribulations of living on this planet. Supposedly this planet offers the greatest challenges imaginable, and helps our spirits ascend very quickly, which is the definitive goal. All of the challenges we face offer us lessons on unconditional love, which is what we need in order to ascend.           

As I was meditating this weekend, however, my inquiry took me down this path:

If we originated from the Divine, and some would say that we are Divinity in human form, wouldn’t that also mean that we are Divine intelligence and love? If so, wouldn’t we have already started off ascended? Or underneath it all, aren’t we already what we’re striving to become?  

What benefit is there to having a human body? I don’t know about you, but if it’s true that we came from something all-powerful, omnipresent, and omniscient, I have to question why we’re hanging around in these ill-fitting monkey suits and banging our way through life? It seems like a cosmic waste of time. And what about our brains? I couldn’t help but wonder why, from a spiritual standpoint (not a medical one, because I get that), we need brains to begin with. If we emanate from an all-knowing creative force, how on earth could these paltry little thinking caps – which don’t even function at 100% of their capacity – measure up to the Divine intelligence that supposedly flows through each of us?

Then I began to question how our spirits and brains are connected. Does one drive the other? (And if so, I’d have to assume that our spirits drive our brains.) That got me thinking about people who have had out-of-body and near-death experiences. If someone has had an out of body or near death experience, often they describe themselves as having looked down upon their human forms and having been very aware of what was happening to them at the time. I’ve even heard some people say that once they regained consciousness, they were able to tell the people who were attending to them what was being talked about in the midst of such an event. One woman told her surgeons word for word what all of them were discussing while they operated on her anesthetized body. How on earth does that happen? I mean, when someone has an out-of-body or near-death experience, their brains are unconscious, right? If so, how are they able to process with seeming full awareness what’s going on around them if it’s not their brains doing the processing? (Can you tell that this was a fun meditation?!)

After I worked my way through that line of questioning, I started wondering about the validity of out-of-body and near-death experiences to begin with (please bear with me here). Even though I’ve always been a supporter of this type of thing, who am I to say that these experiences are real? How would I know? How could any of us know? Isn’t it possible that all out-of-body and near-death experiences are the result of chemical misfirings in the brain? There’s so much we don’t know about how our brains work that it seems limiting to label those experiences as being “X” instead of “Y.”

That led me to question if we can ever know anything for certain, which is a theory I’ve embraced before. This time, however, I wasn’t just asserting it after hearing someone else talk about it. I was applying it to this crazy mode of meditative inquiry I found myself entwined in. What I ended up realizing is that none of us has proof of anything in this world beyond a thought that we think. “I think, therefore I am.” The only proof for the things we think would be another thought. So really, there’s no deductive method for proving anything in life beyond the thoughts that we think. Therefore I had to conclude that I could never know the answer to the questions I originally asked: Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?

When I came up against this wall in my meditative inquiry, it’s as if I entered an abyss and crossed the threshold into the ultimate unknown.

 

What do you think? Have you ever thought about these questions before, and if so, where did you end up in your reasoning?

The Magic of Meditation

I’ve been struggling lately, and I’m thrilled to admit that. Who doesn’t like a good struggle after all?! After riding a high from May to September where it was safe to say I was the funkiest, freshest JoyGirl! around, I crashed and burned and became more along the lines of a funked-out JoyGirl. If it had lasted just one day, I could have written it off to bad hair. Unfortunately, this funk had teeth and held on for a few weeks. Egads! (And I still have the bite marks on my thigh to prove it, although unless you’re my boyfriend, y’all can’t see it!)

In those moments when I’m feeling down, it’s not like everything’s wrong in my life. Instead it’s simply that the shine has worn off the apple. My eyes, ears, and mind only perceive the very surfacy things in this world, and that surface is covered in grime. I can’t see through the illusion, get stuck inside my head, my head then overanalyzes everything and takes me down some very scary, dark pathways where lions and tigers and bears hide out (oh my!).

Definitely not a fun place to be.

When I’m in those moments, I tend to call on the Universe (God, the angels, Auntie Em, anyone who will listen) in a very separate – and desperate – way, “Please send me a sign. Please give me something to let me know it will all be okay.” On the contrary, when I’m feeling blissful, I recognize that I am one with the Universe, so everything around me is a sign and I work in tandem with God, creating magic on a daily basis.

But I digress. Back to that sign I asked for. It came from a new blog I started reading a month ago. If you haven’t seen what Stacey Shipman’s up to over at her blog, I encourage you to check it out. She’s a great writer with a very open, loving, and wonderfully discerning viewpoint that’s strongly aligned with spirituality and all things yoga. Interestingly, her web site crashed a few weeks ago, and she had to rebuild it. As a result, because I’m on her email subscription list, I was getting old posts blasted to me as she restored her archives.

Well, the other night I was pretty much at the end of my rope emotionally. Just before I went to sleep, however (and a few hours after asking for a sign), I heard my email beep indicating that I had a new message. My inbox had been pretty bare that day, so of course I checked it out and saw that it was an archived post from Stacey Shipman's site. The moment I read the title, though, I knew it was so much more. It was the Universe talking to me, or rather, extending a helping hand. Here’s a snippet:

When Meditation Helps Find Clarity

"...  Will she continue to meditate regularly? That I don’t know. I hope she remembers the success of this experience and reaches for meditation the next time she needs it instead of…something else.

"Life doesn’t always hand us easy to solve problems, sometimes more time and more action is needed. Often a little peace and quiet – sitting without any distraction – can help, even if you only have a few minutes. Sometimes it’s that stirring within that needs to be stirred and released, not stuffed, in order to ‘let it flow’ and continue moving in a forward direction."

Ah, meditation. The thing I’d been abandoning for a few weeks in favor of rushing around like a madwoman. The thing that always seemed to drop to the bottom of my to-do list, even though other activities like two-hour workouts, watching Conan O’Brien, reading my favorite books, or other such varied nonsense got my full attention.

Suddenly I understood that meditation would point me back in that wonderfully blissful direction and get me off of those scary paths I’d unwittingly chanced upon.

Meditation.

Meditation.

Meditation.

15 minutes here, 12 minutes there… 8 minutes is fine, too. As Stacey said, “Often…sitting without any distraction…can help, even if you only have a few minutes. Sometimes it’s that stirring within that needs to be stirred and released…in order to ‘let it flow’ and continue moving in a forward direction."

And so it was for me.

I’m thrilled to say that the funky fresh JoyGirl! is back, and it only took twelve minutes of quietude and introspection. All I can say is, “There’s no place like joy… There’s no place like joy…”

Oh, and also a huge thank you to Stacey!

The Unique Gift Awakening Brings

A wonderful friend of mine (well, they’re all wonderful, actually!) gave me a copy of Adyashanti’s The End of Your World on CD last week. I had been hoping to listen to it since March, but wouldn’t have been ready to hear its message until now.

Just like when I listened to Spontaneous Awakening the first time, I can feel a shift happening deep within me.

This particular excerpt offered reassurance on something that until now, I have struggled with:

“…it’s like…life is just waiting to express itself through each being in a totally unique way… And we can never know what…[it is] until we really let go. And in each of us, life is seeking to express itself fully and purely in a way that’s totally unrepeatable… Jesus was not a copy of someone else. Buddha was not a copy of someone else. The great beings that we revere… are not copies of anybody else. They are examples of life freed up from its fixation… and therefore able to express itself through a particular human being and bloom in a totally unique way.

“And somehow we intuitively connect with these beings…  And isn’t it ironic that we’re so drawn to that kind of being…and yet what most of us try to do then is copy them? We try to be like the Buddha. We try to be like Jesus. Which is actually in opposition to everything they…were. Jesus wasn’t like anybody. Buddha wasn’t like somebody else. That’s why they resonate with us. They were pure, undistorted expressions of life, itself. Which is what we’re all called to. And yet our minds are so deeply conditioned… [we] think by copying…I also will discover my own uniqueness… 

“But if we do that… we become the image our mind has…  And any time we are living as an image our mind creates, that life is inherently unfulfilling. It has the essence of fear living in it. And so the fulfillment of the whole journey to awakening – the realizing what we really are – is not simply so that we bask in this wonderful realization of freedom; it’s something far beyond that…  It’s so that finally life can express itself through us.”

Earlier in September, I was fortunate enough to guest blog on The Jungle of Life. In his gracious introduction, Lance referenced a post I wrote in July called Being The One. I was surprised when he mentioned it, since at the time I wrote it I remember thinking, “Is anyone going to connect with this?” I woke up one morning with a foggy mind, and was compelled to just sit down at my computer and start typing. It’s as if (don’t laugh) I was channeling something from an imperceptible part of me. It was then that the post birthed itself, and when I was done I thought, “Well, I’m not sure what anyone will think, but I’ll float it out there anyway.” The day it went live, someone very close to me said they thought it was inspired, and they could tell that I was inspired. Again, it surprised me, but I just sort of let it go.

In reference to the Adyashanti excerpt I shared above, I understand what was happening a bit better now. I didn’t try to overthink that post, or manipulate it into something I thought people would want to read. Instead I simply moved out of the way and let awareness take over my mind and body for awhile.

I guess the reason I’m sharing this is because for me, that post represents what is possible when I allow myself to be a unique expression of life. For a half hour that day, I pushed “me” out of the way, and awareness was given a chance to come to life, irrespective of blog writing best practices or anything I’d ever done before.

Unique, unrepeatable, and authentic; I let life express itself through me in those words.

And so as I sit at times, fearful of whether or not I can cut it as a long-term blog writer, let alone a published book writer, I am now reminded that my future success is not dependent on trying to mold myself after anyone or anything else. All I ever have to do is gently push my conscious mind aside and let the unique gift of awareness bloom in whatever space I allow it, knowing that when I do, I’m fulfilling life’s purpose for me.

And truly, in ways I cannot even describe yet, that makes me incredibly joyful.

** ** **

Two great posts I read this past month that I encourage everyone to take a peek at include The Bold Life’s What Really Matters (a phenomenal invitation to think about what’s important and what’s not in life) and The Conservative Buddhist’s What Is It You Want Most From Life (which, admittedly, is from his archives, but a great read nonetheless).

Happy Monday, everyone!

Runners, Bloggers and the Power of Applause

Yesterday morning was a stellar fall morning here in Western New York. The sun was out, Canadian geese were honking as they flew overhead, the perfect 65 degree-temperature was underscored by a slight breeze, and from where I stood I could see some leaves falling off trees in the distance.

I was perched atop a bridge in a quaint village overlooking what would turn out to be more than 500 marathon runners on a canal trail below me who, at mile fifteen and a half, were two hours into their run. I stood in awe at first, as I realized that the people I watched had been moving their bodies nonstop since 7:30 a.m. I was waiting to catch a glimpse of my older brother, a seasoned marathon runner, who stayed overnight with me to participate in the race.

At first, I just waited and watched, but then slowly began clapping for the two, three, and sometimes five or six runners at a time passing below me. I felt funny at first, since the cars traveling on the road behind me couldn’t see the small waves of people for whom I was clapping. All they could see was a strange girl standing by herself on a bridge, smiling and banging her hands together. Eh, such is life.

I figured once I saw my brother, snapped a picture of him and did some cheering, I could leave; in and out in fifteen minutes. But a funny thing happened when I realized the impact I was having on others. Now, I’ve run a few road races myself, and remember how good it feels to see spectators clapping and cheering me on when I pass. Even if it’s just one person, their enthusiasm energizes me.

So as I stood there clapping yesterday and saw the same good feeling spreading across the faces of the runners who looked up and caught a glimpse of me, I realized I didn’t want to leave. Even after I saw my brother, I stayed on top of that bridge for the next hour supporting each runner who made their way past.

Many shouted “thank you!”, a couple made jokes like “don’t jump!”, and many more smiled gigantic smiles that filled my heart with love. I had gone to the bridge to support my brother, but stayed so I could keep sending as much positive energy and encouragement to each amazing runner as possible, no matter how long it took. After all, I’d been in their shoes before, and knew the power of applause.

That’s when it dawned on me that I feel the same way about blogging. I’ve been very fortunate to have an incredible group of readers and commenters visiting here each week. (Thank you, each of you, from the bottom of my heart) As a result, I try to visit the blogs of anyone who comments to show equal support. After all, there was a time when no one commented on this blog. The day that changed, I remember how extraordinary it felt. So with every new name that appears, I aim to make my way to their corner of the world so I can see what they have to say. It fills my heart with joy to be able to do so. In many cases, I’m blown away by how much I like each new blog I discover. I invariably end up adding them to my ever-increasing reading list, so what started off as five or six regular blogs I follow has grown to more than 30. Sometimes I think, “You can’t possibly have time to read each one of those and make thoughtful comments,” and yet that’s just what I try to do. Each blog gives me a chance to learn something new about myself, and just like clapping on that bridge yesterday I consider it an honor.

So for everyone who puts on their best blogging shoes and heads out the door into the wild world of web writing, thank you. You are me, I am you, and it’s never been a more beautiful day to stand where I’m standing and cheer you on.

It’s a Jungle Out There

It’s All About Joy! just got a little more joyful. Lance over at The Jungle of Life invited me to be a guest blogger on his site, which thrills me to no end (thank you, Lance!). So please throw on your sassiest (sexiest?) jungle garb and meet me over there. Comments will be closed on this site in the meantime.

Click here to enter the Jungle

Click here to enter the Jungle

Click here to enter the Jungle

☺

Giving Freely

Still Working to Put My Money Where My Mouth Is

I still have lessons to learn around giving without expectation. It’s rather funny how I tested myself recently in this regard.

A couple weeks ago I was having coffee with a friend and we were talking about people who ask for money on the streets. My friend preferred to buy the person a meal rather than give them cash. My opinion was the opposite. He was afraid of feeding their addiction by giving them money without knowing what they’d use it for. I told him I felt like it was none of my business; if I had what they needed and wouldn’t suffer by giving it to them, it was theirs to do with as they pleased.

My friend shook his head initially when I said that. He didn’t feel right supporting a drug addiction or alcohol problem. I told him that was all right for him. For me, though, I wouldn’t feel right asking someone to justify himself or herself when God knows I’m not above reproach. If they’re addicted, well so am I! Everyone is addicted to something. I don’t care if it’s drugs, alcohol, food, cigarettes, approval, love, fitness, drama – it doesn’t matter! We’re all addicts. The egoic mind is the biggest addict imaginable.

From that perspective, the minute I say that my addiction is healthier or more acceptable than your addiction, it’s all over for me from an unconditional love standpoint. 

The very next day, I was given a chance to walk my talk where giving freely without judgment was concerned. I was on a city street with a different friend and we were approached by a guy who needed money. He had a whole story ready for us about how his car broke down, he needed money to buy a gas can, his daughter was with him in the car, etc. Both my friend and I asked how much the can would cost and he told us $9. We each gave him a few dollars. Without a thank you or anything else, he looked at us and said, “This isn’t enough! What am I going to do for the rest?”

At that point I found myself thinking, “Well how do you like that? We give him some money and all he can do is focus on what’s missing. Man, that just stinks.” Not ironically, it became clear to me that the very thoughts I was thinking were also centered on what was missing (his “thank you”). Funny how that works!

At that point I just sighed because I knew I had manifested an encounter with that guy, and I failed the very test I set up for myself. Rather than give him money happily, regardless of his reaction, I attached an expectation to it. I wanted a “thank you.” When I didn’t get one, I ran an alternate scenario through my head where I would have continued standing in front of him after he said, “It’s not enough!” and said, “How about a thank you? No? Well feel free to give back the money then.” (Again, big sigh.)

Funnier still, after I returned home that evening and checked my email, I had a notice in my inbox from an ad network I’m affiliated with telling me how much I earned during the last quarter. I saw it and thought, “That’s it?! That’s not enough!” (Are you rolling your eyes at me right now? I’d love to know, since I did, once the irony struck me 30 seconds later!) Yep, and checking the time on the email it would have corresponded to the same time I was dealing with my (now) friend on the street.
He was me; I was him. And man, what a lesson he taught me.

God help him, I hope he’s a quicker study than I am.

Be well, be joyful, and as best you can, give of yourself freely today!
 

Priceless Gift Giving

A couple weeks ago I was invited to my friend’s 4-year old son’s birthday party. When I went shopping for a gift, I found one that I liked and then another that I really liked. I liked the second gift so much that I wanted to open it up and play with it right there in the store! I restrained myself, though, and decided to buy both gifts since neither was very expensive.

As I went to wrap them, however, a thought went through my mind, “Why are you giving him both gifts? He’s going to be getting a lot of gifts at the party – more than he could possibly play with or even be aware of. Give him the one you really like, and then hold onto the other for a later date.”

Then a follow-up thought went through my mind, “If you only give him one gift, which is kind of small, what will people think?" This was immediately followed by the answer, "They’ll think you’re cheap!”

And then a third thought floated through, “Bah, I don’t care about that stuff… Besides, this one gift is really neat, and I think he’ll like it a lot. Being a kid, he’s not going to judge me one way or the other for how big or small my gift was. He’s going to remember how much fun he had, and that’s what it’s all about.”

With that I ended the tennis match inside my head and ruled in favor of giving just one gift. I had to laugh, though, because I can’t imagine I’m alone in moments like those. I have to believe that other people hang on to similar sentiments regarding the unwritten cost minimum attached to gift giving. If you don’t spend at least $XX on a gift, clearly you don’t care for the person. And the more money you make, the more expensive your gifts should be. Additionally, if in buying one gift you haven’t reached said cost minimum, you must buy and give another gift until the minimum is reached. That’s the only way to be looked upon as a good gift giver.

Egads, how pointless that seems to me now (and yet don’t you love how I let myself get caught up in a mental tennis match about it just two weeks ago?!).

The more I grow, the more I realize that the best gifts are priceless:

• warm hugs from friends,
• an encouraging email,
• an unexpected compliment,
• my niece grabbing my hand and kissing it,
• a homemade meal,
• being called “sweetheart” or “darling” by the one I love,
• a really thoughtful card with a handwritten note,
• positive thoughts & prayers, or
• my friend’s two little kids running around their yard screaming, “Chase me, Megan! Chase me!”

Even as a kid, my best memories didn’t involve things. They involved the experiences I had while playing with things. I had as much fun playing with hand-me-down toys as I did with brand new toys. Same goes for playing outside, whether it was climbing trees, jumping in leaves, hop-scotching up and down the sidewalk, or bouncing balls off the garage door.

Experiences are the real value in life, and even if as an adult I sometimes forget this very important point, kids always seem to get it.

So here’s to recognizing that the best things in life, as the old saying goes, are free, and you know what, sometimes so are the best gifts!

*** *** *** ***
Small Can Be Big is an organization I recently saw an ad for. They caught my attention because of how they structure and do things. From their web site:

“SmallCanBeBig.org is a new online model for charitable giving designed to help local families on the brink of homelessness by harnessing the power of small, direct donations. The site works with well-regarded Massachusetts charities to identify families in need and provide people who’d like to give a uniquely personal way to help – 100% of every donation goes directly to address a specific expense or urgent bill that gets a family back on their feet, so donors know exactly who they’re giving to and how their money makes a difference.”

Regardless of where you live, if you’re interested in helping those in need and giving whatever you can please visit them today at www.smallcanbebig.org.

Must Reads: Bloggers I Love

(Part I in what will likely be a long series!)

The best parts of my mornings are sending and receiving email and reading my favorite blogs. The list keeps growing since there is so much good content out there. Every so often I am compelled to just shout from the rooftops how wonderful I think all these people are who write about joy, love, and spirituality.

So consider this post a rooftop, and here’s me shouting some of my favorites:

Peggy at Serendipity Smiles wrote about overcoming her perfectionist tendencies and had this little gem of encouragement in there: “I don’t have to strive for  perfection today, tomorrow or next week. I’m perfect just as I am…I can be a four today, a five tomorrow, a two on Friday.  It’s all good.”
Click to read Dreaming Perfection

Jodi at Joy Discovered wrote about truth – what it is and what it isn’t (and how we frequently mistake non-truths for truth). If you want an eye-opening read, you absolutely have to check out this post. Here’s a great snippet from it, “…how many times have you recounted an incident, and as much as you try to tell only the truth you realize it is quite impossible; you realize that without the other person about whom you are reporting sitting there with you, recounting her side exactly as she experienced it, you don’t actually know the truth. In those situations you realize there is a difference between facts and perceptions.”
Click to read The Truth Will Set You Free

Positively Present always has a fresh energy in what she writes, and this post, in particular, took me all the way back to childhood. See for yourself how growing up is optional.
Click to read Growing Up Is Optional

Nadia at Happy Lotus writes so compellingly and with such peace and love... From day 1, I've been a fan. She wrote a post about the myth of perfectionism, which I loved since I’m a recovering perfectionist. If you find yourself falling into this category, her post is a must-read.
Click to read My Perfection Myth
 
Liara at Dream Builders Australia had the most fantastic post about dis-ease in our bodies, and how to not only view it differently, but in some cases, undo it. If you’ve suffered anything from a cold to emergency surgery, this post has something in it for you.
Click to read 7 Ways to Re-frame Apparent Dis-ease

Mark at The Naked Soul (love that title, by the way!) dissected the topic of self-worth in this post called “What Is Our Value?” Do we use money, love, or other external circumstances to determine how valuable we are? Or can we go inside and recognize that simply by being alive, we’re more worthwhile than we ever dreamed?
Click to read What Is Our Value?

Tess at The Bold Life had a guest blogger (Jan Lundy) who wrote a fabulous post describing how the first 30 minutes of our day sets the tone for how the rest will go. Did you know that? It made me grateful for my morning routine, which is infused with peacefulness and love. Read this to learn how to make more of your days enjoyable, right from the start. (And PS - Tess is also a brilliant writer... so I'll include one of the posts she wrote on Jan's blog here, as well!)
Click to read Mind Fitness: How About a Workout For a Healthy Mind
Click to read 75 Ways to Make The World a Better Place to Be

Oh my God, I laughed so hard when I first read about Millie on Suzen’s blog Erasing the Bored that I nearly fell off my chair. Millie is old, tells it like it is, and isn’t afraid to fart (that’s right… fart!). Please, please, please read this if you want some amazing “living right” advice and also want to laugh.
Click to read Millie Wisdom: Lessons in Living

Lance at The Jungle of Life writes inspiringly and gently, and quite often so succinctly that I’m awed. I absolutely loved this quote he shared from Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, and was greatly encouraged by it. If you’re looking to do what you love or find more meaning in life, read this!
Click to read Sunday Thought for the Day, June 21

Katie at You Can’t Say That on the Internet! is constantly writing from such a space of love – for both her life and her incredible partner, Patty – that I’m moved to tears. The love Katie and Patty share, and how they keep their love growing, is inspirational. The post Joyful Creators is a great testament to how they live their spirituality and love for one another right out loud, and in doing so, positively affect all of us who share this planet with them. Take a look.
Click to read Joyful Creators

And if you like food – to make or to eat – I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Patty’s site, affectionately called The Joyful Chef. I frequently read her step-by-step posts that are full of the most delicious pictures and think, “now I’m hungry.” Best of all, I’ve met Katie and Patty, who live on the opposite coast as me, and they’re even better and more delicious in-person than they are on their blogs! See what Patty’s been up to by reading her latest.
Click to read The Joyful Chef

There are more – my gosh there are more. So please know that this is just a start. I’ll be doing another “Man I love these bloggers” entry in the future and including even more of the fabulous writers who fuel my days and weeks with their brilliance, insights, and love.

What’s In An Opinion?

I spent some time in Seattle recently to attend my cousin’s wedding. While there, I made some incredible new friends, and connected in-person for the first time with a couple I met through the blogosphere (shout-out to Katie & Patty!). Each day when I woke up, I would walk to the nearest Starbucks and everyone I encountered felt like a friend. From the guy on the street who smiled and exchanged pleasantries with me to the baristas serving my lattes – Seattle was, by my yardstick, the best place to be.

In contrast, another person on our trip had a different experience. His encounters led him to think that many people in Seattle were standoffish or indifferent.

“That’s so strange! Everyone I meet seems so joyful,” I told him.

I found his response intriguing. He said it seems likely that we project our expectations onto others, and as a result see only what we’ve projected.

To me that sounded like another way of saying that who we are is what we attract. I went to Seattle with a song in my heart and a smile on my face, and therefore everyone I saw mirrored those things back to me. Maybe it wasn’t quite the case for him, so what he saw was more closely aligned with whatever he brought to his encounters each day.

The thing I like about that story is that it unearths a fundamental truth about hearing other people’s opinions. Have you ever listened to the good opinion of someone else, only to experience that same thing for yourself with the opposite results?

When it comes to people, in particular, I try not to form an opinion about someone until I’ve met them for myself. After all, our interactions with others are projections of what we hold inside us at any given time.

I remember four years ago when I met a new friend at Starbucks. He started chatting me up one day, and the next thing you know, he was treating me to a free spa day where he worked. I had a fantastic time, and felt great hanging out with him in that capacity.

When I told the guy I was seeing about it, he proceeded to tell me how a female friend of his knew the same guy and thought he was sleazy because he used free spa days to try and pick up women. Interestingly, in the four years I’ve known my friend, he’s never once put the moves on me or made me feel uncomfortable in any way, and there have been plenty of times when we’ve both been simultaneously single. Instead, this guy has been a tremendous confidant and a huge spiritual teacher for me. It makes me wonder what that one woman was projecting onto my friend!

My experiences have taught me to listen to others’ opinions and take them for what they’re worth. That is to say, someone else’s opinion and not necessarily my own. Who knows what energy people are putting out or drawing back to them when they form their opinions? All I know for certain is that it’s always best to investigate things for myself.

Just something to keep in mind the next time anyone shares an opinion… And yes, that also includes everything I’ve said in this post. <wink!>

Be well and joyful today!

Seeing God In Action

I was meditating outside not too long ago, and when I finished, I sort of bowed forward in my seated position and started observing a bunch of gorgeous little bees that were pollinating the tiniest yellow flowers in the grass. I thought, “My goodness, God really does take everything into consideration!” The flowers that the bees were flying to were smaller than a pinky nail, and incredibly delicate, just like the bodies of the bees they’d attracted.

Later on, I pondered the idea that God takes everything into consideration, and put it to work in the context of people I’ve judged harshly and about whom I’ve wondered, “What value do they add?”

Anytime I can step back from my negative judgments, I’m able to see a bigger picture – the roles we all play for each other, even those who may collectively be viewed as life squanderers. But God’s plan can be seen everywhere and in everything. That means all of us – saints, scoundrels and everyone in between – are part of God’s perfection. More and more I’m recognizing that it’s not my job to understand everyone’s function, but it is my job to honor that we all have one.

Those tiny little bees, were it not for the flowers I saw them pollinating, may have been grouped into the “useless insects” category in my head. Instead, they started me thinking about the Universe’s perfection in a much broader way.

For the rest of the day, I was able to suspend harsh judgments by repeating the phrase, “Oh look, there’s God in action…” If I saw a careless driver, I said, “Oh look, there’s God in action.” If I experienced a noisy neighbor, “Look, God in action.” Rude customers, litter on the ground, you name it and I said aloud, “Oh look… there’s God.”

It seems most people are pretty good at seeing God in so-called good situations. That’s certainly been true for me. It’s a little more difficult to witness God in bad situations, though. Yet, God really does take everything into consideration.

Thinking this way immediately softens both my heart and mind.

Be well, be joyful, and may you see God in action today!