Grace Rubs

Whatever is going on right now for you, remember there's life afoot. And where there's life, there's change. Far from remote or esoteric, this is the key awareness through which to view any given moment. For me it's been the reminder that the being that I am is full of life amid community events such as miscarriage, mastectomy, divorce, a bedbug infestation, changes in staff, negotiating contracts, extensive travel, launching the Digital Guru download series, obtaining servicemarks for our ideas, watching the market, watching politics, watching my puppy, celebrating client successes, etc. Yes, yes, amid all that, all the maybes and maybe nots, there's a simple life form that is each of us and these twists and turns are all just scenery for the ride.

The image above of a plant managing to grow on a rocky surface says it perfectly. The yogis put it into their own words with the Mrityunjaya Mantra that says hey, look at the dance of creation and destruction, revealing, and concealing - it's all just a dance and how you think and respond to it influences your reality. If you ever doubted that thinking becomes action and influences reality, take a look at the current economic situation. Take a look at Palin's impact on the polls amongst the various populations. Look at how likely you are to postpone a big purchase right now.

The BBC Americas broadcast played dumb yesterday by reminding listeners that it's not as if there's less money in the world right now, and they're right: there's just less trust. There's just less confidence. There's just less focus on potential. And that emotional state drives actions which shape reality - both in terms of our individual lives and our collective situations.

In the Mritynjaya Mantra, the yogis pointed out that life persists no matter the constraints, and it is how we relate to the constraints that determines our experience of life itself. By remaining loyal to that awareness, loyal to life itself, we get out of the traps of fears of ruin or failure, fears of being unloved or lonely, and overcome attachment to outcomes of any sort - in all venues of life.

So what's your scenery? What's challenging your ability to remember that you are a living being navigating the changing terrain? Wherever you find the "rub" - that's where you are reminded to reconnect to life. Looking for grace in the midst of the most extreme challenges, you have already found it.

Live on KGNU - Work as Transformation!

Tune in this morning as radio host Leilani Henry and I explore the concept of Work as Transformation.

Here's the blurb:

Work as Transformation: Connect Your Best to Work and Life

What is work? Is work another 4 letter word? Gallup poll reports that only 27% of employees express being "truly engaged" in their work. Your relationship to work impacts everything in your life. Do you integrate the best of who you are into work?
What would the workplace look and feel like if we integrated our higher purpose into everything we do? Organizations thrive when we take responsibility for who we are at work.

In spite of barriers we may face at work, we can influence the culture of our institutions by examining our relationship to work. Listen to gain tools and a new perspective about work and life!

If you miss it live, you can catch it later as a download by going to http://kgnu.org/cgi-bin/programinfo.py?time=1220625000

Redemption from Brazil

Never underestimate the power of a kind word. Today I was having a moment of what-the-*&)%^...you know, that form of ancient mantra that seems to express itself tonally no matter the language. Whatever the issue in life - sales, management, growth, trainings, clients, invoicing, bookkeeping, politics, family, friends - there's lots to be excited about and sometimes we confuse excitement with overwhelm, embracing possibility with analyzing probability, thrilling eagerness with chilling anxiety.

All of that was in high gear when the stroke of grace in the form of a kind word reminded me of everything that IS a constant for me: the qualities I am emit as a habit and expression of who I am capable of being. An old friend 20 years lost to me in the concrete wilds of Sao Paulo reached out to say,

I was just telling a friend of mine about you, how incredible and determined you were, and fun too. You look absolutely radiant!

With total props to Facebook for making this global reunion possible, it's more than just cherishing an old friend. Owning the fact that it feels completely braggy to share her accolades, the story here is much more about being invited to remember those things about myself. When I remember I AM THAT, I become that. Reminding allows recognition. In recognition, we are redeemed.

So what do you need to remember about yourself? Is there a heartfelt reminder you can share with someone else?

Special shout in to Erica D. in Brasil: I so love your playful spirit and ability to smile from your heart with anyone you meet. You've got some lucky kids to have a mom like you.