Joanne

I recently came across a quote by Anne Lamott which had to be shared with the many light workers I know. Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save, they just stand there shining. Such sage advice in just eighteen words! It hints at beliefs that you many hold – a belief that bringing light and love to the world requires an around the clock commitment. Some might suggest that underlying these beliefs are unmet needs projected on the needing to be saved.  Even when this might be a contributing factor, there is something more important to consider. Is prioritizing the needs and care of others preempting your self-care? In my book Awakened Soul: Discoveries of Healing, Self-love and Spiritual Growth, I spotlight Carla, a client whose story highlights what happens when self-care is neither a [...]

Take a moment to look around and you will realize that God is quite an artist! As we rush through life, heading here and there to take care of the matters of daily life, we often fail to notice how stunning the world is. Beauty is a mere glance away. Can you pause to look out the window or stop when you are walking the dog to truly notice what surrounds? You may agree especially if you’ve been fortunate to travel beyond your local area. My state of Maryland is a great example of the visual interest and diversity that is everywhere. Scenic pasture lands, rolling hills aspiring to be mountains, rivers, bays and the Atlantic coastline -- visual feasts ready for you to indulge. Elsewhere you can find grasslands, farms, ranches, deserts, savanna and towering peaks that stretch to infinity. [...]

I recently stumbled upon Faith Hill’s When You Cry and was reminded of a curious pattern. I have never been one to pay much attention to music. Despite this, it seems that when I am overcome with sadness a song pops up, seemingly out of nowhere, that speaks to my aching heart. Noteworthy, the lyrics seem to have been scripted in the heavenly realms to remind me that the spiritual beings stand ready to help. On the surface many songs appear to suggest that another person awaits to fill this role. But within the lyrics of the songs that just pop up, I have discovered a much deeper meaning. The songs are a reminder to look beyond the surface to the ones who are always there for us – The Divine and her cadre of assistants. When You Cry is just [...]

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. This quote by Willie Nelson arrived in my email recently. In its brevity it captures the essence of gratitude and how we are its beneficiaries. It is a beautiful reminder especially as we gather to give thanks. Its arrival was perfectly timed for me and perhaps for you. Consider this. Recall the last time you were upset, dismayed or disappointed. Too often when we slip into these or even more gripping emotional states, we can get sucked into a vortex of despair. If the whirlpool is strong, these feelings intensify whether or not the situation or circumstances that started the downward spiral warrant. Once this happens it can take lots of effort, energy and time to release the hold. Some of us are feeling this now given the state of [...]

I recently spent treasured time with my grandniece. Her antics like those of many her age can leave you gasping for breath as you are doubled over in laughter. When her actions combine humor with something dangerous, the supervising adults are challenged to keep a straight face while they swallow their laughter in hopes of sounding stern. It is so wonderful to be in the presence of pure innocence. To see aspects of the world experienced for the first time – eliciting wonder, delight, and awe. Most of us do not remember much about what it was like to be a toddler. Even photos meticulously preserved by a family member capturing cherished moments cannot teleport us back in time in the same way that watching a young child can. I am struck during each visit at how valued the small joys [...]

The following is by Danielle LaPorte via Mary Standing Otter, Unify.org. It is such a beautiful message that it bears sharing at this time of year when we pause to remember our many blessings. Right now there are Tibetan Buddhist monks in a temple in the Himalayas endlessly reciting mantras for the cessation of your suffering and for the flourishing of your happiness. Someone you haven't met yet is already dreaming of adoring you. Someone is writing a book that you will read in the next two years that will change how you look at life. Nuns in the Alps are in endless vigil, praying for the Holy Spirit to alight the hearts of all of God's children. A farmer is looking at his organic crops and whispering, "nourish them." Someone wants to kiss you, to hold you, to make tea for you. Someone [...]

I paused for self-care, originally for travel last autumn, but upon return out of necessity. An early winter flu, morphed into bronchitis and then pneumonia. When all of that was said and done, I was headed to the surgeon for pre-arranged spinal surgery and then for months of physical therapy. As I write I am hopeful for discharge sometime this summer and more importantly, moving about unencumbered. I have been mindful for a long time that having full mobility is a gift, one that is easy to take for granted. Likewise, I have known that taking care of oneself is a physical, emotional as well as spiritual priority. During these many months of restricted activity, I have had many moments to think about the choices that I have made regarding self-care. Hmmm….. Let’s say if I was giving myself a grade, [...]

I was recently a guest in a home that had a TV screen saver that featured undersea life. As I sipped my morning coffee, the diversity and beauty inhabiting this other world mesmerized. Your own screen saver may have introduced you to life under the sea. If so, you may be similarly amazed about this foreign world that occupies our planet. Most know that the oceans and seas cover 71% of the planet we populate. How many of us know much about what is truly another world right within our reach? Cursory research confirms an extraordinary volume of different life forms! There are 228,450 known marine species and an estimated two million more remain a total mystery. When I facilitate spiritual hypnosis sessions for clients who traverse other realms, I often wonder where exactly have they traveled? One of the questions [...]

Have you ever been so upset that you can’t think straight, your mind moving in zigs and zags. When this happens to me an observer might see me quickly turning from one thing to the next with no one thing seeming capable of holding my attention. Numerous metaphors come to mind, some leave me laughing at myself even when the precipitating circumstance is not funny. But being upset is just one of the emotions that reminds you that life is full of challenges and can shatter your equanimity — anger, disappointment and frustration among them. Not having any constructive way to resolve anger can shatter your sense of calm. This is especially true if the precipitating circumstance is recurring — not to mention the precipitator is someone who is regularly present in your life. Disappointments large and small might also disrupt. [...]