Gratitude

Gratitude

Rumi-riff

I read a quote by Rumi recently that resonated. ❝Wherever you are, and whatever you do, be in love.❞ ~Rumi But, what is love? I really like Rupert Spira’s answer. ❝Love is just another word for consciousness. … Love is the recognition that we share our Being.❞ So, here’s my somewhat meagre riff. In all that you do, do it with love as consciousness. Sink deeply into knowing, being the connection that is life. In all that you do, do it conscious of being Love. Namaste, ✌️ ∙ 🌱 ∙ 🙏 ~~ This is my personal journey—a soulful sojourn in

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Vulnerability

noun 1. openness or susceptibility to attack or harm: 2. willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known; willingness to risk being emotionally hurt: I’ve realised lately that while I thought vulnerability was one of the scariest internal experiences I know, when I really dive into it I find a deeper aspect. It is one of the most beautiful and exciting aspects of life. The definitions above point mostly to the unnerving facets—susceptibility to attack, risk of being hurt, weaknesses. Showing emotion is an interesting rabbit hole. There was a time when I quite

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Happy Place

I’m in my happy place.ㅤBefore now, I always thought this contentedness was limited to a certain place, time, activity, solitude, or with certain people. These things matter. There are places, people, and movements that resonate more harmoniously with this person we call Howie. So, yes, they all play a role, but not in the way I thought they did.ㅤCurrently, it’s easy to feel positive. I’m healthy, my body is responding to training like never before, and my life situations are quite stable—simple and uncomplicated. I feel excitement for what’s ahead in the next few months and the beautiful people with

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Longing

❝ If you look at all our wisdom traditions and our literary and artistic heritages, across the world, across the centuries, they have been teaching all this time that the bittersweet side of existence is a way to creativity, it’s a way to connection, it’s a way to transcendence.❞~Susan Cain Several core themes in Rich Roll’s conversation with Susan Cain (RRP #699) landed as bull’s-eyes for me, stirring something that’s both beautiful and painful. The bittersweet essence of quiet aching gripped me early in this life. As a child, introverted sensitivity was evident as I shun assemblage and found solace

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Centre of The Circle

It was only by stumbling upon Laozi’s words (at bottom) that I began to find a way to express experiences from this past week and what is present now. Moving into the weekend there was uncertainty, self-doubt and fear. I exited with motivation, self-confidence and gratitude. A shift in viewpoint resulted in a transformation of attitude, but, as pointed to in chapter 29 of the Tao Te Ching, the place I find myself now is where always I’ve been. Both are true from their own perspective. ㅤ In a recent post, I shared that I’ve been struggling with frustration and

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Peace

❝ Peace is not an objective experience. It is simply the presence of Consciousness without an object. That is why it is peaceful! ❞ ** Even as I deeply feel the truth of Rupert Spira’s quote, I simultaneously encounter grasping for objects (in order to acquire Peace). The mind believes that certain objects have previously produced Happiness and Peace. But memory falsely attributes the source of the experience. Happiness is our very nature. Peace is inherent in presence. Objects are a part of the expression of Peace and Happiness, not the origin.ㅤReminding myself of this connection is an almost daily

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Crucible

I often feel disappointed that I can’t push this body as hard as I’d like to do. I question sometimes my ability to achieve some of my athletic goals. But what always stands out is gratitude for learning and experiencing. I inquire, enquire, search and experience; the result is that I’m ultimately thankful for this crucible. I’ve been to the edge of giving up an endurance path. It’s a lot of friggin work and requires a constant commitment to integrity. But my health is ultimately far better than it would have been had I stopped walking this route. Physically, metabolic

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How

❝ How you do anything is how you do everything.❞ I first heard this quote in a Rich Roll podcast with Buddhist monk Wu De (#RRP 151). The underlying teaching is that if one is sloppy or living without integrity in one area of life it bleeds over into how one is in the rest of life. I’ll provide the context below and then muse on it. ❝ You can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their shoes. Whatever you think defines you, the fact of the matter is that at the end of your

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No Separation – No Opposition

We humans divide existence into things, feelings, and ideas. We then separate them from each other by believing them to be independent parts. What we misunderstand or, more precisely, misrepresent in this process, is that there is no inherent separation. It is a mental projection that leads to discontent and internal noise. We believe in ‘I’ and ‘You’ and we fiercely protect that which we deem to be ours for fear of loss. In non-separation there is silence because we know that all is one and regard all equally. “All things, all bodies, all organisms, are from the same source

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Sanctuary

Nothing about the spot in front of this fireplace ever gets old. It’s certainly a safe place for me, but what else? While talking with my coach about movement patterns I shared that “I get wound up easily.” To counter this, I need to be as conscious as possible to move in exactly the opposite way, chill. I’ve spent my life investigating what this means. At first I thought it was about how I ‘acted’. It became painfully evident that there was more to it—something much deeper inviting, calling and guiding. It was a bit like seeing an object out

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Simplicity

❝ I have little to no interest in extreme mystical states—I have enough on my hands chopping wood and carrying water. I would be truly disappointed if some mystical shortcut bypassed these kind of efforts. I think I like to plod along and rub shoulders with the mundane, with its subtle surprises.❞ This quote is by a very dear friend who has a knack for clearly expressing small mysteries. For years I scaled back the amount of stuff I owned or travelled with. I needed to declutter. A lot of it had to do with cleaning house internally—mind, body, spirit.

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Infinite Pause

Occasionally, clarity presides. For me, it happens most often when sitting quietly in or after meditation. Life, in its wondrous simplicity …just …happens. Later, the individual ‘I’, believing itself to be the creator, moves about attempting to orchestrate and manage. This is both true and false at the same time. True because, the separate self creates all manner of illusions in pain and happiness. False, because these veils, overlaid on reality, mislead and complicate unnecessarily. Yesterday, while skiing, it was clear that no thought was required in order to transition the body effectively through the complex array of neural and

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Vulnerability

❝ Healing is not born of vanity. It is born of honesty. Honesty is born of pure love. And love is the most divine healer, the sweetest, holiest and most effective.❞ ~Val Kilmer I have no regrets, nor am I embarrassed. I make no excuses, nor do I feel shame. Instead, I hold dear, and strive to uphold in myself, authenticity and honesty. These two take me by the hand and lead quickly to their cousin, vulnerability. It is through this triad that I bear witness to existence, though it’s not always painless. Why is raw openness often uncomfortable? Perhaps

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Morning Light

Sediment

I wish I could figure out my cycles of anxiety so that I could better mitigate and manage them. I have origin theories but nothing concrete. Yesterday morning, the quietness inside was conspicuous. As the day progressed, however, I could feel anxiety building. I suspect that the underlying catalyst was disappointment in a task for which I had high hopes compounded by physical exhaustion that drains my mental and emotional reserves. (Note: The ‘task’ in this case was not the roof about which I’ve recently posted (on IG) and am incredibly proud.) When the waters calm then sediment falls out of

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Team Effort

I’m now 55, fit & healthy in mind, body, and spirit. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is a team effort. Friends and loved ones are constantly my teachers. They hold a mirror up for me. They support me.  I try to do the same for them. Thank you. Love you. Constant self-enquiry. Abiding in the present moment. These reveal the delusion of duality. ❝ The peace and quiet I thought I was experiencing was not really an experience at all. It was my own real nature. It was what I always am. ❞ ~Nothing Ever Happened Vol. 3: Papaji Biography.

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Keystones to Health

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