Vicky Johnson - UPDATED

Click to read an amazing entry from an amazing site!

http://www.writeinmyjournal.com/2008/07/18/vicky-johnson/

Be The Change:

Take the time to truly listen to someone today.

Knowing When to Improvise...

Knowing When to Improvise
by Patricia Ryan Madson[Listen to Audio! ]

A successful life involves both planning and improvising. Sometimes we actually do need a script. Those scripts that are working well for us (positive habits, for example) should be preserved and treasured. Spontaneity for its own sake is never the key. Knowing which strategy to use involves examining things clearly. Our moment-to-moment experience is improvisational, even though it exists within a structure or plan. That is, life brings us opportunities, question, and problems to solve, and we respond in real time, trying to make sense out of each challenge or offer.  How we live our lives within the structure of our day is an eternal improvisation.

The invitation to improvise is not a prescription for a careless approach to life. True improvisation is always an act of responsibility; it implies a conscious morality. We may know individuals who flaunt spontaneity as the supreme virtue and excuse thoughtless or selfish behavior in the name of "going with the flow."  I am reminded of an inscription on a gold-lettered plaque over an oak bar in a Welsh bar: Pisces Mortui Solum Cum Flumine Natant. ("Only dead fish go with the flow.") Failure to plan can have real consequences. Scheduling medical checkups is important. It is important to buy airline tickets in advance, fill up the gas tank before the fuel gauge signals empty, and pay a parking ticket the day you receive it. [...]

You are always the one steering the canoe, however. Sometimes on the white-water-rapids course it is both relaxing and exhilarating to be swept along by the swells, oars at rest, watching the scenery and marveling at the ease of it all. And sometimes we must paddle [...] against the current in order to take a fork in the river.

In 1982 I took a year off from teaching to circumnavigate the globe. I bought a one-way around-the-world airline ticket. I was allowed to make as many stops as I liked, in the line of direction, but couldn't backtrack or go too far north or south of my last stop, and I had to complete my journey within twelve months. Buying the ticket gave me a sense of stability (planning); experiencing all the places was the great adventure. Planning provided a platform for me to improvise. Taking an improvised step always leads you somewhere.

Notice where you are going.

--Patricia Ryan Madson, From "Improv Wisdom"

Be the Change...

Do something "little" today to make a positive difference.

Inspiration of the Day:

"When I was about four of five, I was walking down the street with my Mum one day. Ahead of us, an elderly lady was walking slowly when suddenly she tripped and fell off the curb and couldn't get up. My Mum made a call to an ambulance to come help her and we waited with the old lady until they arrived. She thanked my Mum and we continued walking. I turned to my mother and asked, "Will that lady be on the news? Will you be on the news for helping her?"" So begins this charming real-life reflection on life's unsung, humble heroes. [ more ]

Daily Good...

Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things -- a chance word, a tap on the shoulder, or a penny dropped on a newsstand -- I am tempted to think...there are no little things. --Bruce Barton

Ideal Bite...

Food for a sexier brain. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids protect the connections between your nerve cells, enhance memory, and help you think quickly.

Wanna Try?
All these contain plenty of omega-3s (some have extra benefits):

• Egg Yolks - also contain choline (a precursor to neurotransmitters that enhances memory and reaction time).
• Fish
• Flax
• Pepitas/pumpkin seeds
• Soy - also has natural choline.
• Walnuts - pack lotsa arginine (a blood-flow inducer).

Stolen from the Ideal Bite Daily Tip...

Be the Change...

Next time you feel despair, remind yourself of the choice between feeding your heart, and feeding your fears.

Dose of Daily Good

Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that. --Norman Vincent Peale

Meditation...

We have many compartments in our lives. When we practice sitting meditation and when we do not practice sitting, these two periods of time are so different from each other. While sitting, we practice intensively and while we are not sitting, we do not practice intensively. In fact, we practice non-practice intensively. There is a wall which separates the two, practicing and non-practicing. Practicing is only for the practice period and non-practicing is only for the non-practicing period. How can we mix the two together? How can we bring meditation out of the meditation hall and into the kitchen, and the office? How can the sitting influence the non-sitting time? If a doctor gives you an injection, not only your arm but your whole body benefits from it. If you practice one hour of sitting a day, that hour should be all twenty-four hours, and not just for that hour. One smile, one breath should be for the benefit of the whole day, not just for that moment. We must practice in a way that removes the barrier between practice and non-practice.
When we walk in the meditation hall, we make careful steps, very slowly. But when we go to the airport, we are quite another person. We walk very differently, less mindfully. How can we practice at the airport and in the market? [.] I have a friend who breathes between telephone calls and it helps her very much. Another friend does walking meditation between business appointments, walking mindfully between buildings in downtown Denver. Passersby smile at him, and his meetings, even with difficult persons, often turns out to be very pleasant, and very successful.
We should be able to bring the practice from the meditation hall into our daily lives. How can we practice to penetrate our feelings, our perceptions during our daily lives? We don't deal with our perceptions and our feelings only during sitting practice. We have to deal with them all the time. We need to discuss among ourselves how to do it. Do you practice breathing between phone calls? Do you practice smiling while cutting carrots? Do you practice relaxation?

Bridging Practice and Non-Practice

I thoroughly believe in the healing power of meditation. During last Spring Semester I did my research project on the benefits and healing powers that meditation holds for us. I wasn't just shocked on the research or my findings, I was inspired. When I received this email today I wanted to share...meditation can seem so useless or even very difficult to quiet the chatter in your mind, but after practice the connection you make to your inner consciousness and the awareness you gain leaves you limitless.


"We have many compartments in our lives. When we practice sitting meditation and when we do not practice sitting, these two periods of time are so different from each other. While sitting, we practice intensively and while we are not sitting, we do not practice intensively. In fact, we practice non-practice intensively. There is a wall which separates the two, practicing and non-practicing. Practicing is only for the practice period and non-practicing is only for the non-practicing period. How can we mix the two together? How can we bring meditation out of the meditation hall and into the kitchen, and the office? How can the sitting influence the non-sitting time? If a doctor gives you an injection, not only your arm but your whole body benefits from it. If you practice one hour of sitting a day, that hour should be all twenty-four hours, and not just for that hour. One smile, one breath should be for the benefit of the whole day, not just for that moment. We must practice in a way that removes the barrier between practice and non-practice.



When we walk in the meditation hall, we make careful steps, very slowly. But when we go to the airport, we are quite another person. We walk very differently, less mindfully. How can we practice at the airport and in the market? [.] I have a friend who breathes between telephone calls and it helps her very much. Another friend does walking meditation between business appointments, walking mindfully between buildings in downtown Denver. Passersby smile at him, and his meetings, even with difficult persons, often turns out to be very pleasant, and very successful.



We should be able to bring the practice from the meditation hall into our daily lives. How can we practice to penetrate our feelings, our perceptions during our daily lives? We don't deal with our perceptions and our feelings only during sitting practice. We have to deal with them all the time. We need to discuss among ourselves how to do it. Do you practice breathing between phone calls? Do you practice smiling while cutting carrots? Do you practice relaxation after hours of hard work? These questions are very practical."



-- Thich Nhat Hanh, from "Being Peace"

Slumber My Darling

From Peace: 12 Reflections On The Path

I highly recommend checking this link...it's inspiring.

http://www.ijourney.org/index.php

While you are there subscribe to iJourney.org, and be the Change!

Swing-set

Do you think you are just too old to swing? Well they aren't just for kids you know... rushing thought the air can bring you back to the fun in your life. That's not the only plus, the movement inhibits relaxation in your mind and body. Joining in the rhythm of the movement can help to open you up to new thoughts or realize feelings you may experience. So I say go with the flow!

"To a young heart everything is fun."
-CHARLES DICKENS

Mothering Magazine Gem...

As I searched through my latest issue of Mothering Magazine I came across this beautiful poem. I related so much to this, as I have always had issues with my weight and body image...I'm sure there aren't many women out there who haven't. The beauty of this urged me to share it with you all...

antithesis

I am large in my skin

I make no apology

This belly grew three babies

Why should it be flat?

It curves with the memory of the womb.

These breasts fed three babies

Why should they be pert?

They swell with the memory of milk.

These hips carried three children

Why should they be slim?

They are full with the memory of this life.

My bones are secret under flesh

My skin plump and white and fine

Mine is the face of Botticelli

Mine is the water of the Nile

Mine is the shape on things forbidden

Daughter of Gaia, grown beautiful and wild.

-Lorri Barrier

The Highest Spiritual Path

This was written by... Michael Singer. I recieved it in the email I get from Chartyfocus.org... join me in reading these words of wisdom...they can change your life. I know they will mine.

"The highest spiritual path is life itself. If you know how to live daily life, it all becomes a liberating experience. But first you have to approach life properly, or it can be very confusing. To begin with, you have to realize that you really only have one choice in this life, and it's not about your career, whom you want to marry, or whether you want to seek God. People tend to burden themselves with so many choices. But, in the end, you can throw it all away and just make one basic, underlying decision: Do you want to be happy, or do you not want to be happy? It's really that simple. Once you make that choice, your path through life becomes totally clear.Most people don't dare give themselves that choice because they think it's not under their control. Someone might say, "Well, of course I want to be happy, but my wife left me." In other words, they want to be happy, but not if their wife leaves them. But that wasn't the question. The question was, very simply, "Do you want to be happy or not?" If you keep it that simple, you will see that it really is under your control. It's just that you have a deep-seated set of preferences that gets in the way. [.]It's not a question of whether your happiness is under your control. Of course it's under your control. It's just that you don't really mean it when you say you're willing to stay happy. You want to qualify it. You want to say that as long as this doesn't happen, or as long as that does happen, then you're willing to be happy. That's why it seems like it is out of your control. Any condition you create will limit your happiness. You simply aren't going to be able to control things and keep them the way you want them.You have to give an unconditional answer. If you decide that you're going to be happy from now on for the rest of your life, you will not only be happy, you will become enlightened. Unconditional happiness is the highest technique there is. You don't have to learn Sanskrit or read any scriptures. You don't have to renounce the world. You just have to really mean it when you say that you choose to be happy. And you have to mean it regardless of what happens. This is truly a spiritual path, and it is as direct and sure a path to Awakening as could possibly exist."

--Michael Singer from "The Untethered Soul"

Defusing Conflict...

I'm going to give you all a challenge...not sure that there are any of "you" so I will at least challenge myself.

In different discussions at home and at work, attempt to respond positively to different ideas and opinions. Even if you don't agree with them, put forth an effort to understand their views. Before you point out things you don't like, or that you may be discouraged with, praise a few things you do like or agree on. In doing so this will help you create an ambiance in your home or workplace of harmony and acceptance, everyone will feel secure and open to different ideas and views.

Be the Change...

I opened my "daily Good" today, and it was great...

"In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich. -- Henry Ward Beecher"
and it closed with...
"Be The Change:Enrich your life by giving something up this week."

Now I'm just trying to convince my husband that he should give up smoking...haha...I even reminded him how great it would be for the environment.

Check out the following Karmatube...another great something to subscribe to...

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1310

Inspiring...

In frustration with my life, being overwhelmed, and sometimes just wanting to give up... my mom opened up a book that was given her . She read to me a passage that brought light to my darkness, and inspired me to move on. I want to share it with whoever is listening out there.

“We who fight for our dream suffer far more when it doesn't work out, because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: “Oh, Well, I didn’t really want it anyway.” We do want it and know that we have staked everything on it and that the path of the personal calling is no easier than any other path, except that our whole heart is in this journey. Then, we warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know that the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how.

I ask myself: are defeats necessary?

Well, necessary or not, they happen. When we first begin fighting for our dream, we have no experience and make many mistakes. The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

“Paulo Coelho”
Rio de Janeiro
November 2002
Translated by Margaret Jull Costa
From the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

Celebrating Life...

I recieved my first "Meditation Reminder" that I signed up to get from the link http://www.dailygood.org/ and it was great. I clicked on a link to the side which lead me to the following info....
"21 Ways To Celebrate Life
--posted by JZ on May 21, 2008
After Nancy Rothstein's son, Josh, passed away unexpectedly, she was seeking a way to offer a tribute for family and friends to honor his birthday. With each passing birthday, she adds one more item to the list.
Last April 16 would've been Josh's 21st birthday, and true to her tradition, Nancy shared these 21 ways to celebrate life:
1. Smile. Smiling makes you and those around you feel good. If you don’t feel good, a smile can trick your brain into feeling better.
2. Eat ice cream.
3. Run on the beach. If you can’t physically do this, use your imagination.
4. Call someone who is ill or lonely. Listen to their story. Take the time. Tell them your story, if they ask.
5. Listen to music that touches your heart and soul.
6. Sing in the shower, or out loud if you are comfortable.
7. Visit the grave of a loved one and celebrate your continued BREATH.
8. And tell your loved one what’s on your mind.
9. Play with a dog.
10. Thank yourself for putting up with all the things about yourself that drive you nuts! Activate your sense of humor!
11. Apologize to someone you have wronged in any way.
12. Take a day, or even a few hours, “off” to do something you always want to do but never take the time to do.
13. Eat something you never indulge in (unless allergic!) and savor every bite….slowly. No guilt permitted!
14. Re-watch your favorite funny or happy movie in your most comfortable clothes.
15. Make plans with 2 friends that you are crazy about but never see…near or far away.
16. Go outdoors to a natural setting. Sit. Close your eyes. Listen to the world. It’s all an extension of you! Your breath connects you intrinsically to the world.
17. Laugh. Do something fun or silly that evokes laughter. It has been said that laughter is God’s sunshine.
18. Place this list in an envelope and revisit it periodically to see how you are celebrating YOURSELF! If you are good to yourself, you can be much better to those around you.
19. Go to your heart and make all your decisions from there; and all will be well.
20. Follow the path that matters.
21. Believe and feel the change you want to see and you will BE the change you envision.
....Yet you must know that in the end, it is LOVE’s garden you must tend.
If you had to add one more to this list, what would it be?"
http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=9148
Simple Ideas, that make such huge impacts.

Thoughts on Work...the 4 letter word.

While study in an online class tonight I came across this section in a chapter, and thought what great insight. In a country of consumers the word work can seem dirty and unwanted, but seeing it as making a contribution may change your perspective.

"As a result of industrialization, the inception of increased information and technology, and the propaganda of the modern media, contemporary parents and children are being inundated with the message of consumption. Choosing to be a contributor to work, marriage, and family and not to be merely a consumer of their collective rewards is a major decision each individual marriage partner and family member must be willing to make for a healthy balance to occur. So, ask yourself the questions, "In what ways am I contributing to the balance of my work, family, and/or marriage relationships? Are there things that need to change? What things am I doing well?"

This came from my text book "Balancing Work and Family in the Real World" by V.William Harris, Alena Johnson, and Kaelin Olsen