Inner Peace

The ability to shift focus is basic to any meditation practice. Try this simple shifting of focus to see if perhaps you are submerged in love, but only lack the awareness of it.

Zazen is traditionally practiced sitting on a zafu pillow or bench in cross-legged full lotus with erect posture of spine and zero slouching. Part of the traditional character of zen is that it can require mental and physical discipline.

Life happens. My question is: How can we find true and lasting forgiveness? Can you look past the sometimes rapidly-imposed judgments and attempt to see through our eyes why things happened as they did?

We are always manifesting. Each thought you have informs your energy, and your energy manifests into your experiences. Your thoughts and energy create your reality.

Remember that you do have time, every day, to relax and cultivate peace. Let your everyday activities prompt these calming practices, and your old patterns of stressful thinking will begin to change for the good.

Who you truly are is alive and well deep within your heart. All you need to do is listen past the noise of the world, past the noise of your own self-critical mind. If you do, you will notice the quiet voice of your soul encouraging you to step into a brighter reality.

Today, give some thought to what an amazing thing it is to have been given the gift of life with which to be a unique and beautiful expression of the divine. Don't dishonor the gift by trying to be like anyone else.

This month my theme is authenticity. In my weekly vlogs, I will heighten your awareness of how deeply you connect to your inner guidance system. I invite you to ask yourself, "How deeply am I connecting?"

It's tempting to think that you need the tropical beach, the hammock by the lake, the walk in the woods, the yoga retreat or the special meditation cushion in order to feel the "ahhhhh" of inner peace. We all have certain props or places that we use to jump start that special sensation of anchored contentment.

I thought I would never find my way back home to a place where I no longer had to search restlessly. I wanted to be in a place that was settled, soft, open, and aware. Above all, I wanted to be content. That craving took me on a different kind of journey.

Mindfully living in the presence in the present moment can change our experience of life in a heartbeat. Living consciously, connected to the whole of life changes how we see ourselves and our world -- it makes the planet a better place because it makes us better people.

Let's face it: Sometimes romantic relationships can be totally nightmarish instead of wonderful. While there are a lot of reasons romance can be tough, most of the time the chaos begins within.

Notice the peace and joy it gives you to be in this moment with this simple object of beauty. What would life be like if you spent more moments like this, in the present with beauty and with all you have? How much of your waking time is spent in this way?

During tough economic times, many people think they need to sacrifice passion and focus solely on earning money. From a spiritual perspective, this is the exact opposite approach to generating real abundance.

"Why should I question myself?" You might wonder. The answer to that question is found in the question itself. The fact that one is able to question one's self indicates that there is more to awareness than incessant thought, as many assume.

At the end of the day I believe that what we are all seeking is a deeper experience of both sides of love -- the giving of it and the receiving of it. And yet, at times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the giving and receiving of love because we place too many conditions and qualifications on it.