Tag Archive | love

Let Love and Compassion Lead the Wayđź’ž

Nov7

 

One of the promises I made to myself and the Universe during my cancer journey has been to broaden my scope of awareness. That’s not always easy. In living our day to day lives we can get caught up in the grind and mundane routine of getting up in the morning, going to work (whether inside or outside the home), trying to check off all the items on our to-do list, going to bed and waking up to perform the entire exercise all over again.

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We want the best for ourselves and our families and in trying to achieve our goals can start to take a very myopic view of the world around us. I have been blessed for the positive by my fight against colon and breast cancer. Every morning I shout out, thank you God for waking me up to see another day and curing my body of cancer. Material possessions don’t have the same meaning anymore. At the conclusion of every day, I pray for the safety, health, and happiness of my family and friends. 

 

Love and compassion, as the Dalai Lama said, is essential for humans to survive. Once we lose the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and realize that just because it doesn’t affect us doesn’t mean it’s not important for those affected. I am a proud, progressive, liberal and want the best for mankind. People have the right to live their lives the way they want and it’s not my job or right to dictate for others.

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Love and compassion mean respecting the rights of others and not placing judgment on our fellow man and woman. If what you want hurts someone else it’s unacceptable. Plain and simple. Your rights do not trump the rights of others and being inclusive is an essential requirement of being human.

 

We can’t survive living in a world of hate. Hate is about fear of the unknown. Fear of others and sadly about hating oneself. I believe it all boils down to this quote from Buddha:

 

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So, in the name of Love and Compassion, let’s reach out a helping hand and pray for the mercy and grace of us all.

 

 

Mindfulness-Meditation-Affirmation🙏🏽

Oct29

 

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My experiences fighting colon and breast cancer played a tremendous role in my consciousness. My self-awareness was heightened by coming face to face in a real way with mortality.

 

But the fact is, you don’t have to experience some tragedy or moment of truth to start living a mindful and conscious life. The purpose of this post and the current series – “Mindfulness and Meditation” by Dr. Richard J. Davidson is to provide a life opportunity to learn to appreciate the silence in meditation and the awareness it brings.

 

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My wish is to be a conduit for making it a practice to live in the here and now, not the past or the future. Realize that NOW is the only reality there is.

So, as I promised in my previous post, this lesson’s Meditation Technique is:

 

“The Body Scan”

A Sensory Experience of the Body. 

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This practice will focus on:

• The systematic review of regions of the body.

• Connect the mind to what we’re experiencing physically.

• Improve our Focus and Intention.

 

Guided Meditation

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Led by Beverly Hays Center for HealthyMinds

University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Make yourself comfortable. Sit in a chair and allow your back to be straight, but not stiff, with your feet on the ground. You could also do this practice standing or if you prefer, you can lie down and have your head supported.

  • Your hands could be resting gently in your lap or at your side. Allow your eyes to close, or to remain open with a soft gaze.

  • Take several long, slow, deep breaths. Breathing in fully and exhaling slowly.

  • Begin to let go of noises around you. Begin to shift your attention from outside to inside yourself. If you are distracted by sounds in the room, simply notice this and bring your focus back to your breathing.

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  • Slowly bring your attention down to your feet. Begin observing sensations in your feet. You might want to wiggle your toes a little, feeling your toes against your socks or shoes. Just notice, without judgment.

  • Perhaps you don’t feel anything at all. That is fine, too. Just allow yourself to feel the sensation of not feeling anything.

  • Move your attention up to your ankles, calves, knees, and thighs.

  • Continue to observe the sensations you are experiencing throughout each region of your body. 

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  • Let your attention expand out to include the entire body as a whole. Bring into your awareness the top of your head down to the bottom of your toes. Feel the gentle rhythm of the breath as it moves through the body.

  • As you come to the end of this practice, take a full, deep breath, taking in all the energy. Exhale fully. And when you are ready, open your eyes and return your attention to the present moment.

 

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When we ground ourselves in meditation practice it benefits not just us but others as well. It reminds us to take the time to ask – “How am I feeling today?” What emotions am I aware of?

The practice of self-awareness in our physical body helps us better connect with our emotions. 

I love the idea of Meditation without judgment as a basic premise. Knowing that it’s okay to accept what is and move on. Understanding that loving oneself is paramount to loving others. We are all connected and when we reaffirm love for ourselves it can allow us to embrace and forgive others.

 

The Universe dictates that Love, Compassion, and Empathy are the essence of what our lives are meant to be. As John Lennon once wrote:

 

“I am the Walrus”

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Living a Life of Loveđź’–

Sep18

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Sometimes I feel like a walking ball of emotion. For example, I was enjoying my morning coffee while reading Facebook and came across a video post highlighting President Obama’s tenure as President of the United States and his beautiful family and started to cry. Every time I see him and the First Lady and the incredible job they’ve done raising their daughters, I weep for what this country is losing that can never be replaced.

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My cancer fight has made me profoundly aware of the fragility and the preciousness of every day. It makes my “Purpose” of uplifting people to embrace faith and adopt a more positive attitude all the more important. However, in my efforts to bring hope and vision to others, I realize sometimes I’m less patient with those who take their daily blessings for granted. 

Well, this is a perfect opportunity for me to take that realization, adjust my attitude and turn this into a positive opportunity for continued self-discovery. With that intention, and per my usual approach, I started to research about the meaning of patience and found the above quote resonated with me.

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I’ve written in a previous post, “Deconstructing Love”, about the John Lennon quote: “All You Need is Love” as not being an easy proposition. Walking in Love is far more difficult than hating. I believe that’s why we get so frustrated with those who hate on others and say and commit the most despicable acts. Walking in Love means we can’t lower ourselves to retaliate on their level because then we become just as deplorable as they are. We have to rise above, continue to Love and have Faith. 

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It’s so important to surround yourself with positive thoughts and people. If I concede that Love is Patience, then I always need to be aware of that when a situation or person pushes that particular button. If I can’t practice what I preach then I need to shut up for that means I’m not really living a mindful life and staying true to this practice is tantamount to my happiness.

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We all have choices in how we interpret and handle a specific situation or event. Do we think what opportunity may lie in the moment or do we fight, blame, or cop out and put our head in the sand? I wake up every morning and remind myself that our lives are a result and accumulation of the choices we make. As a reinforcement, this quote by Norman Vincent Peale is strategically placed in my bathroom as one of the first thoughts I see each morning.

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I have a conviction that the quality of our lives depends on practicing mindful intention. Conducting ourselves each day with a sense of consciousness. Being aware that the only real control is determined by and a consequence of our state of mind. 

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We can be our own best friend or our own worse enemy. The choice is up to us. I’m crafting my life so I leave this world with no regrets. As an expression of awareness, my sister posted a very heartfelt sentiment on Facebook this morning that read:

The people we love need to hear those words from us. When we relate to the world from a positive position we are more likely to respect these feelings and understand the importance of the 3 little words that can change the course of someone’s day.

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Don’t take your blessings and the loved ones in your life for granted. Engage with a positive mindset and reject the negative. Change our relationship to the daily happenstances and decide to wield the only real power; the power to accept, deny, or make that lemonade. It’s totally up to you!

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Belief in the Power of You đź’“

Nov23

Feeling inspired by a message of Hope, Belief, and Love I put together this video filled with some of my favorite Believe quotes. Hopefully, it will move and empower you to have faith in yourself and your dreams.

 

Believing in yourself is where it all starts. Waking up in the morning feeling blessed and sure that something wonderful is going to happen. The mind is incredibly powerful and shapes the life we live and the world we understand. 

From the beginning, I announced and claimed to the universe that in my fight against Colon and Breast Cancer I wouldn’t have any major side effects and that although this battle is a challenge, it is also an opportunity to learn about my true self, grow in my faith, and share my blessed journey.

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This is what my heart believes, this is what my soul believes so this is what will be.

Acts of Kindness âśŚđź’ž

Nov20

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I was reading this wonderful, “Acts of Kindness” article on Upworthy, a website for viral content started in March 2012 by Eli Pariser, the former executive director of MoveOn, and Peter Koechley, the former managing editor of The Onion and thought what a great philosophy of life and being the season of Thanksgiving, a wonderful opportunity to give back.

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Here are 10 super easy acts of kindness you can do to continue to spread the love and make the world a kinder place:

1. Thank someone who’s supported you in the past, like a teacher, friend, or mentor, by giving them a hand-written letter.

2. Spend a couple hours volunteering at a local nonprofit organization.

3. Donate goods to a local shelter.

4. Buy lemonade at a child’s lemonade stand.

5. Call a friend and tell them how much they mean to you.

6. Send kind words to someone getting a lot of hate on social media.

7. Send groceries to a friend who is busy and/or going through a difficult time.

8. Put a quarter in an expired parking meter to help a stranger avoid getting a ticket.

9. Send flowers anonymously to a receptionist or security guard.

10. Leave an encouraging note somewhere on a store shelf or in a popular library book.

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We all have the power to change a life, to change the world with a simple act of kindness. Let’s uplift the world and ourselves by reaching out, lending a hand or sharing a smile.

The Beatles – “I Am The Walrus”

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