The 100th Human May 1, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Gratitude, Synchronicity & Mystery.Tags: Gratitude, Maya calendar, Meditation, Mexico, Mystery, Synchronicity
16 comments
December 2012 . . . the final day of the 5000-year-old Mayan calendar nears.
The world is in turmoil.
People are lost in day to day struggles.
Greed and avarice abound.
Jack Reese and Apu Chohan, two archaeologists on a dig in Mexico, uncover an ancient riddle hidden in a cave.
As they race to decipher the hieroglyphs, with the help of an expert Mayan epigrapher, Alana Borisenko, the secret Order of the Veni Victus seeks to silence them.
With synchronistic precision, the trio find each of the eight gatekeepers who share the keys needed for the world to transition from the Age of Man to the Age of Gods.
The premise and underlying story of The 100th Human makes for a decent read, but the book would have benefited from additional editing.
That said, I enjoyed tagging along with Jack, Apu, and Alana as they traveled from Mexico to California to Salt Lake City to Colorado, discovering these eight keys:
1. Live on Purpose ~ pursue life with passion, using an internal barometer.
2. Embrace the Silence ~ silence the mind, just be, focus on your breath, step into the world of pure awareness.
3. Be Open to Infinite Possibilities ~ when nothing is certain, all things are possible.
4. Unity ~ like patterned squares on a quilt, we are connected to all that is.
5. Know thyself ~ connect with your true power. Be patient. Let life unfold.
6. Freedom ~ in the Present Moment, we are free to be. No worries, mon.
7. Gratitude ~ focus on what’s right with your world and watch it expand.
8. Listen to your Heart ~ love completes the transformation, transcending duality.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Do you embrace any of these keys to happiness and inner peace?
Which ones?
To learn more, visit Chris Fenwick at her blog: the 100th Human
Appreciating the Absence April 9, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness.Tags: Gratitude, Happiness, Headache, Health, Migraine
56 comments
Health is a precious commodity, often overlooked, ignored, and taken for granted when it’s good and missed terribly when it’s bad.
Take the garden variety migraine ~ a debilitating companion, to be sure.
We all know how much better we feel when our head is not exploding due to blinding light slicing through cellular walls.
Right?
But do we notice the absence of pain on days when there is no migraine pounding inside our heads?
As a general proposition, I don’t.
But today I shall.
I will appreciate the absence of a headache.
Join me?
Aah . . . that’s better!
S~M~I~L~E! March 8, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Fun & Games, Gratitude, Happiness, Life Lessons.Tags: Gratitude, Happiness, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Smile
39 comments
Take a moment.
Think of something that makes you S~M~I~L~E.
Feel that S~M~I~L~E radiating positive energy, inflating your inner tube of happiness like a balloon.
That’s it!
Now S~M~I~L~E about something else. And something else. And something else.
Go, you!
We can create happiness anytime anywhere . . . if that isn’t something to S~M~I~L~E about, what is?
A smile makes the saddest man a little happier. ~ John Gilstrap (Nathan’s Run)
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related post: Good Vibrations
Rush At Each Day With Open Arms February 27, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance.Tags: Ageless Body Timeless Mind, Deepak Chopra, Happiness, Health
22 comments
Even if we can’t literally turn back the hands of time, might we erase the ravages of age by the thoughts we think?
In Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, Deepak Chopra summarizes a growing body of evidence which supports the conclusion that we can reverse aging through mindful awareness.
One experiment involved a sort of “inner time travel” with elderly participants.
In another “anti-aging” experiment, geriatric patients started a weight-lifting program with remarkable results ~ when beliefs change, aging changes.
In a third study . . .
Well, let’s save that for another day. Instead, let’s discuss a few observations gleaned from the book as a whole.
Nothing holds more power over the body than our beliefs.
* Our cells constantly eavesdrop on our thoughts and beliefs. A remembered stress, which is only a wisp of thought, releases the same flood of destructive hormones as the stress itself. (Id., p. 5)
* Our cells map our experiences. Stresses forgotten on a conscious level are imprinted there, emitting signals like buried microchips, making us anxious, tense, fatigued, apprehensive, resentful, and doubtful. (Id., p. 12-13)
* Transplant patients may report an uncanny experience after receiving a donated kidney, liver, or heart ~ without knowing who the donor is, they begin to experience the donor’s memories and beliefs. (Id., p. 22-23)
* When we focus on the positives, we send positive signals to every cell in the body, drowning out negative signals from the distant past.
* And vice versa. When we focus on negatives, we send negative signals to every cell in the body, drowning out positive signals from the present.
We can harness the Mind-Body Connection for healing.
* Given placebo pills (“dummy drugs”), patients can kill pain, reduce gastric secretions, lower blood pressure, and fight tumors. The pills are meaningless; the power that activates the healing is the suggestion alone. (Id., p. 18)
* If the mind is given the appropriate suggestion, the body produces the needed biochemical response.
* “Belief creates biology.” ~ Norman Cousins
* Inserting positive intentions into our thought processes, such as, ”I want to improve in energy and vigor every day,” allows us to assert control over the beliefs that govern the aging process. (Id., p. 19)
When we change our underlying beliefs, our bodies respond.
* Despair and hopelessness raise the risk of heart attacks and cancer, thereby shortening life. Joy and fulfillment keep us healthy and extend life. (Id., p. 5)
* By renewing our intention to live active, purposeful lives, we can improve our motor abilities, strength, agility, and mental responses. (Id., p. 19)
* The Mind-Body Connection allows positive affirmations to work.
Physical exercise is the fountain of youth.
* When we give up physical activity and stop exercising, we invite a whole host of health problems into our physiology ~ heart and arteries deteriorate, bones become fragile, muscles atrophy, the risk of obesity increases, depression sets in, and aging accelerates. (Id., p. 85)
* Regular physical exercise can reverse the most typical effects of biological age (high blood pressure, excess body fat, improper sugar balance, decreased muscle mass, etc.). (Id., p. 67)
* Adopting a healthy lifestyle delays symptoms of aging by as much as 30 years. (Id., p. 60)
Rush at each day with open arms.
* Every cell in the body is seeking fulfillment through joy, beauty, love, and appreciation. (Id., p. 99)
* Learning new things and acquiring new knowledge and skills enhances our ability to stay young at a cellular level. (Id., p. 25)
* We benefit physically and mentally from the intention to experience more energy, alertness, curiosity, wonder, enthusiasm, and creativity.
* “People grow old and die because they see others grow old and die.” ~ Shankara (Ancient Indian Sage)
Rush at each day with open arms ~ awake, aware, and filled with awe.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Tomorrow . . . the pathway to timelessness.
Related post: When Things Go Terribly Right (Raptitude)
You Deserve A BREAK Today February 18, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Fun & Games, Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness.Tags: Fun & Games, Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Reward
50 comments
The busier our days, the more we benefit from breaks and breathers to keep ourselves sharp and on the ball.
Think of it as a short Intermission in the midst of a concert.
Giving ourselves small (and large) rewards as we move through jam-packed days pays dividends in productivity, mood, and stress levels.
* After a meeting or completing a dreaded phone call, you might fix a cup of coffee or a pot of tea and enjoy it away from your desk.
* After wrestling and wrangling with the laundry, you might put your feet up and read a chapter of a delicious book or put on music and close your eyes.
Other mini-rewards: a 15-minute power nap, a soothing bubble bath, a brisk walk around the block, a refreshing smoothie, meditation, yoga, sitting in the park, stretching, cycling around the neighborhood.
Other ideas? What mini-indulgence would you choose?
Share below.
Larger multi-day tasks, once completed, call for more elaborate rewards and rituals. Something that will make you smile for 2-3 hours.
* After completing and filing your income taxes, you might browse in a bookstore or enjoy an art exhibit at a local museum.
* After cleaning out the attic, garage, or your closets, you might schedule time for a massage at the local Spa.
* After painting the living room or scraping barnacles off your boat, you might get tickets to a play.
Other 1/2-day rewards: a picnic lunch with wine, cheese, and pastries, a trip to the zoo, a movie matinée, a sunset sail, dinner at a new restaurant you’ve wanted to try, or maybe just curling up in front of a roaring fire with the latest best seller.
Other ideas? How would you choose to spend 2-3 hours rewarding yourself?
What about monumental tasks? What type of reward would you enjoy after landing a new job, moving into new digs, finishing your first (or fifth) novel, reaching your goal weight, or training for and competing in a marathon?
How about a short cruise . . . on a boat that doesn’t catch fire and drift around the Gulf of Mexico for days without adequate food and facilities. Or maybe a weekend get-a-way at a cozy bed and breakfast with your significant other. Or perhaps you’d enjoy a Stay-Cation to see the sights in your own backyard.
What’s that?
Yes, of course, completing the task is its own reward.
Give yourself a carrot anyway.
You’re worth it.
You deserve a BREAK today!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Cultivate A Peaceful Mind February 17, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Meditation, Mindfulness.Tags: Compassion, Gratitude, Happiness, Laughter, Meditation, Peace
41 comments
Cultivate a peaceful mind.
Visualize yourself filled with joy, light, and love.
Find things to laugh and smile about.
You cannot transform negative situations into positive ones if you see them as negative and react to them with negative emotions.
To attract positives to you . . . you must vibrate at a positive level.
You must feel yourself filled with light, love, and laughter.
It doesn’t matter WHAT you think about . . . what matters is how you FEEL as you think it.
You attract positives when you feel positive vibrations swirling through you.
Meditate.
Be at peace.
Don’t worry.
Be happy.
Aah . . . that’s better!
This Bud’s For YOU! February 14, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Blogs & Blogging, Gratitude.Tags: Flowers, Gratitude, Valentines Day
40 comments
Thanks for swinging by . . .
Commenting . . .
Brightening my day . . .
And making me laugh out loud . . .
You ROCK!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Remember to Spit Out the Seeds! January 28, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Humor, Life Balance.Tags: Gratitude, Happiness, Humor, Life Balance, Misery, Sophocles
45 comments
Ego concerns like fear, anger, guilt, and resentment get in the way of our happiness:
* We hang on to things for days that we could (and should) brush off in minutes, robbing ourselves of peace of mind and creating unnecessary suffering.
* We perpetuate pain, and keep it alive, by replaying our hurts over and over again.
* We overreact to minor annoyances, and share them with others, fueling negative mental states (anger, jealousy, rage, envy, greed, hatred).
* We walk around in a state of perpetual disappointment because others are not who and how we want them to be.
Instead of challenging our thought patterns and changing them, we attempt to change others ~ expecting THEM to meet OUR expectations. When they don’t comply, we grow discouraged, disheartened, and disappointed . . . drowning in self-created despair and dismay.
The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves. ~ Sophocles
Whenever we choose to hang on to the past, rather than letting it go, we are robbing ourselves of the joy, peace, and happiness we could be feeling right here, right now.
The tragedy of life is not so much what we suffer, but rather what we miss. ~ Thomas Carlyle
Hardship is inevitable . . . misery is optional.
When life hands you lemons, remember to spit out the seeds . . . at the first opportunity!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Sinbad and Lovegood January 12, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.Tags: Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness
48 comments
Captain Sinbad and Captain Lovegood set sail from the Port of Happiness on a sunny day in separate ships.
Both captains had years of experience at the helm, weathering storms and navigating unfamiliar territory on land and at sea.
There, the similarity between them ended.
Captain Sinbad focused his attention on all the bad experiences he had encountered on past voyages, holding them front and center in his mind. He piloted his ship with one eye glued to the rear view mirror at all times.
Captain Lovegood used a different approach, allowing the past to recede from view except when recalling it would be to his immediate advantage in piloting his ship through a difficult passage.
As they set sail, Captain Lovegood hoisted anchor and charged ahead with alert curiosity and wonder, ready to embrace new adventures and experiences.
Captain Sinbad failed to fully raise his anchor or release the mooring lines that held him fast to the shore. As a result, he and his crew made little headway.
On sunny days with a lively breeze, Captain Lovegood and his crew soared across the water, enjoying everything the present moment had to offer ~ the wind, the waves, the creaking timbers, and the salt kissed air.
Not so, Captain Sinbad. He never relaxed into the moment. Instead, he oscillated between re-living past storms and worrying about imagined storms ahead. No matter how perfect the moment at hand, Captain Sinbad missed it ~ lost as he was in the past and the future.
When another ship came into view, Captain Lovegood called out a hearty greeting, expecting the ship’s captain to be friend, not foe. Tossing out the bowline, Lovegood invited the passing sailors to come aboard and share life experiences and a few laughs with his crew. The captains exchanged weather warnings and other pertinent info ~ alerting each other to what might lie ahead.
Not so, Captain Sinbad. He viewed every passing ship and its crew as a potential threat. If they drew too close to the side of his vessel, he took immediate offense and ordered his crew to fire off a few warning shots from cannons ever ready to chase passing ships away.
As Captain Lovegood and his crew traveled from the Port of Happiness to the Rock of Gibraltar, they enjoyed smooth sailing, delighting in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that greeted them as one moment of the journey unfolded into the next. Relaxed and happy, they weathered passing storms with ease.
In contrast, Captain Sinbad’s crew grew disheartened and weary from the paranoia, fear, and worry which Captain Sinbad wore like a badge of honor even on the fairest of days. Exhausted and tense, the crew grew sloppy. The slightest gale caused chaos and confusion on board, blowing Sinbad’s ship farther and farther off course.
Before reaching port, his crew jumped ship, leaving Captain Sinbad to fend for himself. With no one to assist, the once able captain ran aground at the Rock of Gibraltar, sinking his ship in the process.
After disembarking, Captain Lovegood and his crew regaled those they met with tales of their delightful voyage from the Port of Happiness. Asked about the storms encountered, they scoffed, “Those? Why they were nothing more than a bit of hot air ~ mere puffery ~ easily negotiated.”
After dragging his soggy self to shore, Captain Sinbad told a far different tale of the “same voyage.” His version included repeated attempts by pirates to overtake his ship and steal his cargo and dark storms which threatened everything he and his crew held dear.
On your journey through life, which captain do you want at the helm?
When We Get Stuck December 24, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Bulletin Board, Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness.Tags: Flow, Happiness, Holiday, Mindfulness, Newsletters, Tigger
62 comments
I’ve been writing annual missives for thirty years.
Sometimes, the words flow easily.
Other years, it’s a struggle to balance joys and sorrows.
This year, I got stuck, mired in memories.
To get unstuck, I flipped through 29 previous newsletters, noting the constant opening and closing of doors ~ births, deaths, marriages, graduations.
That’s life.
Like it or not, the arrival and departure of people, places, and things (friends, jobs, pets, homes, and hobbies) form the fabric of our lives ~ each milestone and experience woven into a seamless tapestry with no clear delineation or demarcation to mark the passage from one moment to the next as we live in the NOW.
2012, like a toddler throwing a tantrum while navigating the terrible twos, has been filled with difficult moments and not-so-subtle reminders that the only constant in life is change.
Dad died. Mom can no longer live alone. A house filled with memories must be sold. Tigger has diabetes. My sister is still seeking a cure for vision and mobility issues. Hurricane Sandy re-arranged the East Coast. A lone gunman stepped into a school and opened fire, killing 22 students and teachers.
Life, like time, flows in a single stream. We cannot double back, detour around rough patches, or request a “do-over.” There’s no “rewind” button. We cannot press “pause.” This is IT.
We live it . . . or we miss it.
Even when we are standing still, mired in memories of what was, life continues to ebb and flow around us . . . gaining momentum as we age.
But, just as Y2K did NOT signal the end of the world, neither will 2012.
Life will keep flowing forward and we will flow with it, doing our best to live happily ever after on a moment by moment basis . . . enjoying family reunions, playing miniature golf with nieces and nephews, relaxing on the beach.
We are HERE and it is NOW . . . what else is there?
Aah . . . that’s better!
