GRATITUDE IS THE FAIREST BLOSSOM WHICH SPRINGS FROM THE SOUL

Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, 

and spend without fear of bankruptcy.

I was taking my yoga class this week and Jackie always leaves us a tidbit to mull over for the day. She gave us a gratitude quote and it reminded me that I have so much that I am grateful for these days. Especially, when I think of the passing of dear friends over this last year, I realize how wonderful life is and how precious our friends are!

 We should certainly count our blessings,

 but we should also make our blessings count.

Health is a wonderful thing that I often take for granted until I have an event that reminds me that I got to take care of myself cause that is all I have!! "Health brings a freedom very few realize until they no longer have it!!"

As I was driving around town the other day and saw the kaleidoscope of colors, I had to pull over and "drink in the beauty" of it all in and take a few pictures.  The leaves will soon be gone and another season commenced.  It is time to stop and smell the roses!

 

 

 Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

 

"MEDIA FAST". . . . "OFF THE GRID". . .. ."NO CONNECTION". . ."UNPLUGGED". . . . . . "MINDFULNESS". . . ."SERENITY!"

 "Don’t meditate to fix yourself, 

to heal yourself, 
to improve yourself, 
to redeem yourself; 

rather, 
 do it as an act of love, 
of deep warm friendship to yourself."

I was in need of continuing education credits to renew my nursing license, so I decided to attend a MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION RETREAT at Commonweal Center in Bolinas. I would receive 24 CEU's and it was promoted as:   a place where you can be “unplugged” for several days to recover a sense of personal presence and well-being.  The location was idyllic-- Point Reyes National Seashore.  I had no idea that "unplugged" would literally mean NO wi-fi or cellular service.

OUR HACIENDA!

The you that goes in one side of
 the meditation experience

 is not the same you that comes out the other side. 

I didn't know what to expect.  I just hoped I would have some good food and relax for the weekend. Didn't want to have to do any role-playing or oral presentations!  

I hadn't noticed that it advertised- "gourmet vegetarian meals"- I was just so set on getting the CEU's! 

We left Sac, the temp was 92 but as we got closer to the coast, it began to cool dramatically! The scenery was beautiful as we curved through the  green rolling hills and arrived at Bolinas. Our group was an eclectic bunch.  Some professionals in need of CEU's, several alumni, and then   others who like me had no idea what "mindfulness" 
involved, but thought their lives were so stressful, they would benefit from stress reduction. 

THE LABYRINTH

 I thought the weekend would be filled with lectures, maybe a few power point presentations, and a syllabus to follow along with.  I was in for a big surprise.  Basically, it was 3 days of meditating.  Sitting, walking, laying down for "body scan". Our leaders Steve & Bob, would talk a little, then we'd meditate. Usually once or twice a day, we would go around the circle, or divide into small groups expressing some of our thoughts or feelings, what we expected, feared , enjoyed or anticipated about our meditations. I confess that during our meditations times,  my mind at times became so uncluttered and blank that I nodded off now and then. But on the whole I stayed focused.


 

We started each day with some yoga or Qigong.  We even had one day of "silence".  For those of you who know me--not one of my strong suits.  I enjoy the fellowship with others and feel I learn a lot from hearing other peoples stories. Once again, I may have slipped a little on the "vow of silence", so guess I wouldn't make a very good Trappist Monk or Vestal Virgin for that matter.

There is no controlling life.
Try corralling a lightning bolt, containing a tornado. 

Dam a stream and it will create a new channel. 

Resist, and the tide will sweep you off your feet.
Allow, and grace will carry you to higher ground. 

 

NEW GROWTH!

As I mentioned before, I had no idea that the highlight of this retreat was the fantastic food!  Certainly gourmet and all vegetarian, organic and locally grown.  While there were books and CD's on meditation, I wanted THE cookbook.  However, our chef said it was "under construction"!  Every meal was a culinary delight!

MARSHA MEDITATING?!?!

There was plenty of time to take long walks and enjoy the countryside. I could meditate on the beauty of the ocean, blooming flowers and magnificent trees. I didn't miss the lack of cellular service one bit!!

WATCHING OWNER SURF!

 Mindfulness meditation doesn't change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart's capacity to accept life as it is.

FEET OF A DOG  RESCUER!

I was surprised that I really did come out a different person, more aware and that I really wanted to have a time everyday to meditate and quiet the chatter in my head.  It was amazing to watch many morph into kinder, softer, and less stressed persons.

 The time will come when with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the others welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, 

 to the stranger who has loved you all your life, 

whom you have ignored for another,

 who knows you by heart. 

 

I highly recommend you check out one of these retreats! 

You will find it is a rich and powerful program.

http://www.mindfullivingprograms.com 

HAVE A HEART?

So Valentine's Day usually brings visions of hearts, chocolate, roses, passion and 50 shades of whatever you want.  Yesterday as I was listening to: SCIENCE FRIDAY --Tales of Broken hearts. 
I realized I would be remiss to not mention the marvels of THE HEART-our human hearts. After all, we wouldn't be here without them.

I made me more aware of my wonderful heart and respect the pioneers that have made advances in healing "broken hearts'. 

Did you realize that there are 60-100,000 miles of blood vessels in our bodies!  Enough to travel the world 3-4 times. 

But the story that really captured my interest was about doctor that did the first human cardiac catheterization in 1929 - - -  on himself.  He had begged his chief to let him do one, but was repeatedly refused.   He persuaded the OR nurse in charge of the sterile supplies to assist him. She agreed, but only on the promise that he would do it on her rather than on himself. However, he tricked her by restraining her to the operating table and pretending to locally anesthetize and cut her arm whilst actually doing it on himself.  He threaded a catheter into his vein threading it partly along before releasing nurse (who at this point realized the catheter was not in her arm) because he needed her help to get to the Xray department a couple floors below. On the way down, they bumped into one of his colleagues who tried to get the catheter out. . . . But finally they did get to x-ray and a fluoroscopy and his achievement was official! Whew!! And the rest is history.  He did get a Nobel Prize 27 years later for his work.
 
I hope all of you are enjoying this Valentine's Day!  I remember when my sister was little and my mom told her that she loved her.  She said,"that makes my heart go piter-pat!"

May your heart keep going piter-pat. . . and you feel the love that wraps around and around us.