January 3rd, 2013
I came across this poem by Carlos Castaneda that reminded me of living a path of vulnerability with heart.
You must always keep in mind that a path is only a path.
Each path is only one of a million paths.
If you feel that you must now follow it,
you need not stay with it under any circumstances.
Any path is only a path.
There is no affront to yourself or others in dropping a path
if that is what your heart tells you to do.
But your decision to keep on a path or to leave it
must be free of fear and ambition.
I caution you: look at every path closely and deliberately.
Try it as many times as you think necessary.
Then ask yourself and yourself alone this one question.
Does this path have a heart?
All paths are the same. They lead nowhere.
They are paths going through the brush or into the brush
or under the brush of the Universe.
The only question is: Does this path have a heart?
If it does, then it is a good path.
If it doesn’t, then it is of no use.
Tags: Awareness, Carlos Castaneda, Happiness, Journey, Listen, Meditation, Possibility, Spiritual Stories
Posted in Vulnerability | Toning the Om
January 2nd, 2013
Daring Deeply!
My focus in 2013 will be about taking chances on outrageous (and unknown) invitations for new workshops and retreats and daring myself to put my heart-centered work out into the world in greater ways. My purpose is to dig deeper inside my heart so that I can take peaceful actions and dare greatly into vulnerability.
I intend to open to my fullest, heart-centered, creative, vulnerable beingness. I am daring deeply!
What is 2013 the year of for you?
Posted in Peaceful Actions | 1 Comment »
December 31st, 2012
Back in January, I declared 2012 to be the year of adventure and outrageous bliss! My theme lived up to its name. I have had many adventures with lots of personal and professional excursions and have had several emotional inner journeys.
To hold myself accountable and focused on my theme, I met weekly with my good friend and Life Coach, Myron. We spent nine months meeting every week to set goals, share stories, and create our own mastermind group. Together we laughed, cried, shared success, and moments of challenges. What I loved most about my weekly meetings with Myron is that we could be real and vulnerable. We shared our big dreams with one another. When we struggled with personal and professional challenges we could share without being judged.
At the end of each year, I slow down before I speed up into a new year. I take time to reflect, to be grateful, and to acknowledge. There were so many moments of 2012 that were filled with bliss. Many were everyday moments that brought a smile to my face.
I am grateful for every lesson, every journey of my heart, every tear, every smile, every friendship, every laughter, and every moment that brought me closer to outrageous bliss. Thank you to everyone who shared themselves with me on my journey – whether you know it or not, you made a difference in my life. Everything became my teacher this year from the NYC subway, to my nine year old nephew, to the Pacific Ocean, to a new health condition. I allowed myself to be open to the adventures of my heart.
2012 brought some big, wild, outrageous adventures that I led or created. I am grateful for starting a new coaching company, Growing Edge Coaching, traveling to Peru and leading a ceremony on Machu Picchu, giving my Wild Cosmic Heart Retreat in Hawaii, and expanding Toning the OM with new beautiful meditation videos.
It certainly was a year of adventure and outrageous bliss! Thank you for sharing it with me. I look forward to many new adventures together in 2013.
This blog is dedicated to my dear friend, Myron Tucker. You made this year full of more joy, laughter, and love – thank you my friend.
Posted in Gratitude | Toning the Om
December 27th, 2012
My third grade teacher would say before taking a test, “Always keep your first answer.” After intense studying for tests, my teacher recommended that we trust our instincts (even in the third grade!). Research says that we instinctually know things within 2-3 seconds of situations.
This came to mind when I had to make a recent decision to follow my gut or instincts. I usually get a sense right away whether something is a yes or no. The harder part is listening to that answer. I find that when I question my gut or don’t listen to it, I am responding from a place of fear.
After some recent lessons of not following my gut and paying the consequences, I am beginning to really understand the theory of always keep your first answer.
Mantra: I trust my instincts. I listen to my heart. I follow my path of highest good.
Posted in Storytelling | Toning the Om
December 26th, 2012
In a social media world where we can like, follow, tweet, add, watch, text, and update a status in an instant, let us remember the importance of sharing a real conversation and developing healthy relationships. Perhaps we can put away the smartphone and enjoy a cup of tea with a friend. Perhaps instead of reading status updates, we can pick up the phone and hear about the status of a loved one. Perhaps we can kindle a conversation rather than add to a long thread on social media app. Perhaps we can have more personal experiences.
To invest in the life of another is perhaps one of the best trust funds we will ever have.
Technology has the power to ignite, connect, provide accessibility, increase workflow, and connect to others on a global scale. Yet, it can also keep us isolated, disconnected, and addicted.
This holiday season, I am inviting everyone (myself included) to use social media to kindle a conversation, connect with a community, create a tribe, lead powerful dialog, invite access to mindful practices, and provide opportunities that leverage social movements. We have the power to promote relationships over results.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I’m ready to kindle a conversation.
Posted in Gratitude | Toning the Om
November 21st, 2012
Have you listened to the fire in your heart?
Mantra: I listen to the fire in my heart
{Photo taken at a Fire Ceremony from the Wild Cosmic Heart Retreat in Hawaii by TK}
Posted in Learning | Toning the Om
November 13th, 2012
Have you listened to your wild cosmic heart?
What happens when you sit in your quiet center?
What is your wild cosmic heart asking of you?
What is the heartbeat of the earth sharing with you?
What is the fire of your heart telling you?
What gifts of your heart are you open to sharing?
How would like to celebrate your wild cosmic heart?
Posted in Meditation | Toning the Om
November 6th, 2012
I have noticed the sunrises lately – even get up early to watch them to begin my day. I noticed that I smile at sunrises. I smile at the light. I breathe deeper and calmer as the sky brightens. I notice the parts of myself that are the light. And I end each meditation with an invitation to be the light and to shine my light.
How do you shine your light in the world?
{Photo taken in Goshen, NY by Mary Anne Flanagan}
Posted in Gratitude | Toning the Om
October 25th, 2012
I am ready to let go.
I am ready to let God.
I am ready to let in.
I am ready to let flow.
I am ready to ask.
I am ready to receive.
I am ready to surrender.
I am ready.
{Photo by Mary Anne Flanagan}
Posted in Letting Go | Toning the Om
October 23rd, 2012
I came across the phrase Daring Greatly after listening to an interview about vulnerability with Brené Brown. The phrase comes from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, Citizenship in a Republic. This is the passage that made the speech famous:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly . . .”
When I read about daring greatly, I was blown away and began to ponder what vulnerability means to me. Vulnerability means getting into the arena, doing it afraid, doing it anyway – despite the critics. Unless you are in the arena in the world – in your work, your classroom, your stage, your art, your life – putting yourself out there, then your voice as a critic is meaningless. Being vulnerable means flopping and failing and rising up again and daring greatly.
I am discovering that the greatest act of courage is being seen – really being seen.
Dare to show up to life. Dare to be seen. Dare to be in the arena. Dare greatly.
Tags: Be in the Arena, Brene Brown, Courage, Daring Greatly, Vulnerability
Posted in Storytelling | Toning the Om
You must always keep in mind that a path is only a path.
