"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Everyday  we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes. All is a miracle.  Thich Nhat Hanh

What miracles are you seeing today, right now, around you, outside your window? Do you really walk on this earth and in your life each day?  Are you in a story of past mistakes, lost chances, regrets and more? Maybe you are worrying about the next day, what will happen when you are 55, or will I make it to the next promotion. The pattern of suffering is one of our greatest challenges in this life we are navigating. This challenge does not care how much money you have, how beautiful you are, whether you have an education from a great college, what your credentials are, or what kind of place you live in. Suffering is passed down from generation to generation. The mind/ego thrives on ideas that cultivate suffering. We are so used to this way of viewing the world, it becomes difficult to find the gifts, the miracles as Thich Nhat Hanh calls them. Yet they are all around us in every moment if we pause and notice. The grace that brings these miracles comes softly with each breath, in the quietness of a gentle pause. Looking deeply into the eyes of some one we love, hearing a bird outside our window,  leaves floating down from a tree, water gurgling in a creek are all signs of the miracle around us. Yes, the mind wants us to remember all about Our Problems. It is a persistent and diligent task master, until it isn't anymore.  Until it is gently replaced periodically by the small miracles waiting to be seen, that bring smiles to our heart and beauty to our eyes.

Enjoy some miracles today!
Bobbe

"Don't just do something, sit there."  a page title from a book by one of my beloved teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh (Tic Nat Han) "How to Sit". A different twist on the age old saying I have heard people say in my life,"Don't just sit there, do something!"  In other words act now, you must move, don't waste time, get things done etc., you have heard them and could maybe add a few.

 I offer another view to ponder! Find a place outdoors or in, sit and breathing in and out, look at where you are, allowing the sense of the place to become part of you. At the end of a very long day, images, thoughts, ideas may be moving through you mind's eye so fast you cannot think any longer, sadness and grief may have come to visit, or a decision you must make is making you feel completely overwhelmed. We often act from this place and wonder why we are stressed and worn out!
 I love opening and finding other ways! Here is a chance to start building a strategy you can count on to slow you down and bring you to a place of calmness, feeling support from within, and receiving nourishment. I encourage myself and my clients to make this the top priority on my to do list, right next to gratitude. Being aware of your breath periodically all day long and then finding the time and place to sit, changes the way we receive life around us, brings our nervous system a much needed break and helps us find true freedom and power.
I know you have heard this before and is it really true? Yes, it is true.  Recently I attended a wonderful workshop, the Naturopathic Doctor said, " If meditation and visualization was a pill that a doctor could write out a prescription for and give to a patient, they would all be doing so."
Give yourself a prescription to sit, breathe and find the place to push the pause button. You will be glad you did. The results will be your reward!

Blessings and Happy Sitting,
Bobbe

I felt a crispness in the air tonight as I was walking before dinner.  There is a chill which presents itself as the sun fades and night slips into position, bringing my awareness to the seasons shifting once again. When I pay attention I can feel that the tiny shifts began several weeks ago.
 As in the seasons, so in life I can look back at my day, my week, my year and notice the shifts and movements.I begin to be aware of moments and my choices, which ones worked and how some did not. Doing so from a place of openness, curiosity and learning gets me in touch with the rhythms, music and patterns to my life.
Just before I close my eyes and move into sleep mode, I gently review my day, breathing in and out deeply and relaxing into the moments I enjoyed, interactions that were productive, places where I was more present and places that need some tweaking. If I have something that is still bringing me uneasiness, I try to not linger on it, just notice it and feel the feelings as I breathe in and out, relaxing and not trying to problem solve in that moment.  Breathing and relaxing into each breath! I begin to send gratitude to the day, the people, places and all creatures and elements in my life. Next I hold the next day in my heart and mind, seeing it laid out before me, not every detail, just an over view of the next day. I send gratitude to the coming day and already see it moving easily and gently as the new people, places, elements and creatures bring their gifts. Breathing in and out I am now ready to slip into the dream space knowing that my intention is for restfully sleep, dreaming/or not and awakening refreshed, grateful for another day.
We have the power to create ways to help our lives move more smoothly and bring more of the peace and harmony we are searching to find. The power of visualization and intention is at our disposal in every moment. Taking advantage of these incredible tools. Create more space to live and thrive!
Blessings and Gratitude,
Bobbe

The beauty of living the human experience is the ability to be touched by something as simple and exquisite as a red rose opening perfectly with softness you can see and feel even before you dare to touch one petal, voluminous clouds floating in a sea of blue sky, or a tiny hand grasping your finger for the first time. Moments in life can go from sweetness one moment to deep depression, resulting in despair and even loss of hope. Being able to navigate these fluctuations in day to day life is a most important focus for me.
Finding the balance of seeing the sweetness and the challenge from a place that has depth, strength and softness. Begin by creating an office, home, car and even clothing or purse/briefcase with beautiful colors, textures, patterns, and pleasing sounds. The Chinese know all about this way to bring balance with the ancient art of Feng Shui. Choosing foods that bring my body health and vitality. Eating foods cooked simply, grown without chemicals or pesticides, meats from animals that are being raised with kindness and good nutrition, greens, vegetables, good fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, fermented foods like homemade or plain yogurt, kefir, kombucha, bone broths and water from a good source. Exercise is extremely important to keep your body supple and your heart and nervous system strong. Sleeping in a good comfortable bed with enough rest each night to balance your daily routines.
Pausing frequently during your day to notice where you are right in that moment. Slowing the pace for just a few minutes with a few deep breaths. You can do this easily in your car, office or I have even taken the time when going to the restroom. Open your hands and gently place them in your lap or on your knees, close your eyes, take a breath and feel just your hands, become aware of them and the energy that is in them. You might choose to do this before you start your car, or make the next phone call. Looking around you might find a tree outside to focus on, take a breath in and breathe out and really see the leaves, the branches. What colors are there? Are the leaves moving? Is there a bird in the tree? What sounds do you here? Doing this simple exercise helps to keep you connected to what is happening right now!
We all have peaks and valleys in our days. Learning to bring balance is so important to our emotional, physical, mental and spiritual health. To enjoy your life in this moment you have right now is where I am concentrating my focus each an every day. When I forget and go back to old habits, I gently bring myself to this new and more joyful way to embrace the life I have been given.
Blessings and Joy,
Bobbe

The humbleness of service is something I am noticing and learning to cultivate more clearly in my life. Truly to be in a place of service the ego has to be tamed into the second position and the Heart promoted to First Chair. Being the cultivated, domesticated human being I am, this is not how I was taught to go through my life and succeed. Rather I was encouraged to learn vast amounts of knowledge, realize how to set goals and make sure I learn from my mistakes and don't make too many of them. Perfection was the encouraged model on my path. Not that knowledge, learning and success are the main problem. Who is the leader on this journey, the heart or the ego- mind.

The ego-mind wants to make sure I always get the prize! The heart is more willing to discover, enjoy and reach true understanding. Therefore when the heart is in the lead with an ego that has been tamed, service to all, including myself, can be realized.

How do you tame an ego? By shining the light of truth on our thoughts and beliefs. There are many ways. The Work of Byron Katie is a great tool, meditation, inquiry, sitting outside in nature observing and quieting the mind. We cannot stop the mind or kill the ego, rather it can be held lovingly by the quietness of truth and gently told a different way to approach life with investigation from the heart. Feeling and acknowledging our emotions from this different place allows new ways to embrace all the parts of us. When we truly love and embrace who we are, service is the natural consequence that follows.  We are all connected by Love, we just forget this truth, until we begin to remember. It is a process that takes patience, care and compassion for ourselves and the others in our lives.
The best part is the balance, expression and creativity that bloom like beautiful flowers from within,  as we find our way!
Blessings,
Bobbe

Expectations, we all have them. When I sign up for something, create an agreement with another person, I have in mind what I believe the outcome will be. When the result is different than my expectation, in the past I could have many different  feelings and reactions, especially when I had a strong desire for a particular outcome. Some of my reactions could be anger, great frustration, resentment, despair and many more. I have experienced my expectations in certain situations causing me a  great deal of distress. Until I learned a different way to enter into agreements and commitments.
I look at the reasons I am considering a next step, really feel out what my beliefs and desires are expecting from accepting and moving in a direction for myself. It is also worth looking at what you think the others involved are desiring and wanting out of this agreement. Once you have sat with these two, it is time to ask the others involved for their thoughts and desires around what you are both looking at. These desires and thoughts may surprise you or may be in line with what you were perceiving. The truth is you can never totally know what anyone is thinking and feeling unless you ask and listen. Even after you have done all of the looking and asking, once you begin this journey other factors and unknowns will invariably come into the equation. This is where being flexible, adaptable, resilient and open to other possibilities are tools to keep present at all times. My favorite mantra for myself is "Oh, I forgot, things always work out for me!" It takes a few breaths and moments of remembering, until I see a new pathway.
My journeys have taken me through many changes and shifts, when I least expected them! I challenge myself constantly to become resilient and adaptable. During one of those moments a song surfaced.  I was scheduled to sing at a two day workshop in Portland and the morning of the first day, slipped on the hardwood floor at the place I was staying and fell and broke my ankle.  Thus "Expectation Blues" was born, which is on my second album, Hold On Tight to Your Dreams. You can click on Songs and scroll down to hear it.
Blessings and Resilience to you,
Bobbe