Good Morning,
I was reading a book by wonderful spiritual leader that I have had the pleasure to have meet. She speaks and writes so clearly and beautifully that I wonder if she really knows how much she touches the lives of countless people. She certainly has touched my life in ways I could never have imagined. Women have a special instinct, a sense if you will in this area. It would do well for you guys out there in the blogesphere to always have in your consul a wise woman who can point out the flaws in your map. This is why it is so important to have input from many sources before you travel down your path to joy. You don't have to take every bit advise to heart, but it would serve you well not just hear, but listen.
So here I am, sharply aware of the finite nature of life, fleeting moments strung together in a series of experiences that make up a life. So how do we move forward knowing our limitations and yet strive to live life fulfilled in an environment where all the the consequences come rushing at us in such a manner that we are unable to move. In other words, the shear number of choices we have access to often overwhelm our senses rendering well thought out choices impossible.
However, nothing lasts forever, ( what I mean is, good or bad, where ever you are or whatever you are thinking will change as you shift your view of life), Life is all ever changing, every morning morning kinetic, and in every change, we experience both loss and gain. This is in fact the true nature of life. As one thing falls away, a space is created for another thing to takes its place. As one moment ends another begins. As one chapter of your life ends, another begins, this is life's promise.
How much of living is done unconsciously, a thoughtless movement through time, space connected and connected at once. When we live consciously, that is when we live with a sense of purpose; then there is a duality, a sense of being, at once a sense of the finality of life and a sense of everlasting. This is the nature of being, the glass we view our life and the whole point of our existance. KK
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday January 28, 2010
Good Morning!
I often hear friends and acquaintances complain about their lives. Their dissatisfaction with the turn of events which have made up the chapters in their Book of Life is not quite what they signed up for so many years ago. They even go to the point of saying," if only I had this break or that relationship, or if I had only gone in this direction or that one. Sounds all to common to most of you I suspect.
The problem with this type of misguided thinking is that where you are and what you are doing is exactly where you need to be and what you need to be doing in order to fulfill the order you placed so long ago. It is common practice to order something in a restaurant only to tell the waitress this is not what I asked for, when indeed it is exactly what you asked for. Then of course you want to send it back and get something else. Unfortunately life does not work this way, you can't simply order a new life, you don't get a new hand at the card game of life. You have play the hand you are dealt and you have to live the life you asked for.
Now this is not a permanent state of affairs, you do get to change directions as it were on your Spiritual Road trip. You do have the ability to turn one way of another, you can go down a different path if you feel where you are or what you are experiencing is not what you thought it would be. But you do have to be honest with yourself and the people you are involved with. Decisions are never unilateral, they do affect the people around you. So you need to think long and hard on what you want or need to do. You also have to figure out how you got to where you are on your journey, why you think it is "not working for you", and what are the lessons learned so you do not make the same mistake down the road.
So for now just remember that the life you think has no value may have tremendous value to someone else who is also not happy with their life and think that slipping into your shoes would be a perfect fit. How sad it would be for you to have missed out on your "wonderful life" just because your shoes did not need changing, just a slight adjustment. Like life itself, just adjusting our sights alters completely our view, our paradigm.
Have a Joyful Day,
Robb
I often hear friends and acquaintances complain about their lives. Their dissatisfaction with the turn of events which have made up the chapters in their Book of Life is not quite what they signed up for so many years ago. They even go to the point of saying," if only I had this break or that relationship, or if I had only gone in this direction or that one. Sounds all to common to most of you I suspect.
The problem with this type of misguided thinking is that where you are and what you are doing is exactly where you need to be and what you need to be doing in order to fulfill the order you placed so long ago. It is common practice to order something in a restaurant only to tell the waitress this is not what I asked for, when indeed it is exactly what you asked for. Then of course you want to send it back and get something else. Unfortunately life does not work this way, you can't simply order a new life, you don't get a new hand at the card game of life. You have play the hand you are dealt and you have to live the life you asked for.
Now this is not a permanent state of affairs, you do get to change directions as it were on your Spiritual Road trip. You do have the ability to turn one way of another, you can go down a different path if you feel where you are or what you are experiencing is not what you thought it would be. But you do have to be honest with yourself and the people you are involved with. Decisions are never unilateral, they do affect the people around you. So you need to think long and hard on what you want or need to do. You also have to figure out how you got to where you are on your journey, why you think it is "not working for you", and what are the lessons learned so you do not make the same mistake down the road.
So for now just remember that the life you think has no value may have tremendous value to someone else who is also not happy with their life and think that slipping into your shoes would be a perfect fit. How sad it would be for you to have missed out on your "wonderful life" just because your shoes did not need changing, just a slight adjustment. Like life itself, just adjusting our sights alters completely our view, our paradigm.
Have a Joyful Day,
Robb
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday January 27, 2009
Good Morning!
Today I am taking a personal day, and so I will not be posting my usual musings on spirituality.
But I didn't want a day to go without a little inspiration. So today's thought is about the difference between quiet and silence. We all know the generic meanings quiet is the lack of noise and silence is space behind the quiet. Simple, straight forward and to the point. Of course noise can be defined in so many ways that each of us has to define this according to our own experiences.
So here is my thought for today; It is the silence behind the quiet that we seek and find our peace. Because it is in the silence that we experience the clarity of mind that affords us this moment of inspiration and pushes us forward on our journey.
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Today I am taking a personal day, and so I will not be posting my usual musings on spirituality.
But I didn't want a day to go without a little inspiration. So today's thought is about the difference between quiet and silence. We all know the generic meanings quiet is the lack of noise and silence is space behind the quiet. Simple, straight forward and to the point. Of course noise can be defined in so many ways that each of us has to define this according to our own experiences.
So here is my thought for today; It is the silence behind the quiet that we seek and find our peace. Because it is in the silence that we experience the clarity of mind that affords us this moment of inspiration and pushes us forward on our journey.
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday January 26, 2010
Good Morning!
Metaphors
I love metaphors, especially the ones from movies. The writing is so clear, so meaning full, if only life were so straight forward. I remember in the movie, "The Holiday", it was in and out of the theaters so fast you may have missed it, a wonderful movie with Kate Winslit, Eli Wallach, Jude Law and Jack Black.
In an early scene, Kate's character Iris and Eli's character Arthur are having dinner, as Arthur is a widower and Iris is new in town and both are alone. They are enjoying a wonderful dinner and conversation when Arthur quite casually asks why a beautiful girl would be out with an "old cocker" on a Saturday evening. The long and short of is was that she was in a disastrous relationship with an engaged fellow and she was feeling rather sad to which Arthur (a former screen writer) quips, my g-d, don't you realize what a "smuck" your boyfriend is, to which Iris adds, yes a major smuck. Arthur goes on, you are an intelligent, beautiful woman, you are supposed to be the star of your own life. We all play supporting roles through out our lives, but in our own movie, you are suppose to be the star!
Well as you probably already have guessed, Iris gets something like gumption, takes control of her life, dumps the smuck and goes on to rewrite her movie script with her as the star instead as the supportive best friend who was always being stepped upon. Sound familiar, are you the star of your life or just in a supporting role or worse just a bit player. Wherever you are, or whatever part you are playing, it is never to late to rewrite your role. Change the writing, change the outcome, yes, it is that simple. Just as on your spiritual journey, change direction, change the road you are on and you change your journey and of course the destination.
By the way, this is not a problem. You may be thinking that why would I change direction, or the path I am on. To this I would just say, who is to say the road you are on is the best road for you. In this life you may have to change, that is redefine yourself and your journey many times. This may be uncomfortable at first, you may even be thinking if what I was doing is not right, how will I know what is, or if I am even on the right road. Not to worry, whether you are or not on the correct journey is not the issue. What is the issue is that you get an intuition and you follow it. Something that is right now may not be right for you a month from now. Exciting huh?
I understand that breaking out of your mold or shell is difficult, even unnerving, but please believe me when I say it will all make sense for you somewhere down the road. The point is to follow your inner voice and go down this road for as long as it feels right. Some places like some people are only there for a moment, others longer. The amount of time is not the point, it is what you have learned that counts. So for now just go with the flow of your inner compass, it will always lead you in the direction you need to go. Remembering that it is up to you to write the word, line, page and chapters of your life's book. If you let others do the writing, why would you be surprised when you don't like the ending!
Have a joyful day!
Robb
Metaphors
I love metaphors, especially the ones from movies. The writing is so clear, so meaning full, if only life were so straight forward. I remember in the movie, "The Holiday", it was in and out of the theaters so fast you may have missed it, a wonderful movie with Kate Winslit, Eli Wallach, Jude Law and Jack Black.
In an early scene, Kate's character Iris and Eli's character Arthur are having dinner, as Arthur is a widower and Iris is new in town and both are alone. They are enjoying a wonderful dinner and conversation when Arthur quite casually asks why a beautiful girl would be out with an "old cocker" on a Saturday evening. The long and short of is was that she was in a disastrous relationship with an engaged fellow and she was feeling rather sad to which Arthur (a former screen writer) quips, my g-d, don't you realize what a "smuck" your boyfriend is, to which Iris adds, yes a major smuck. Arthur goes on, you are an intelligent, beautiful woman, you are supposed to be the star of your own life. We all play supporting roles through out our lives, but in our own movie, you are suppose to be the star!
Well as you probably already have guessed, Iris gets something like gumption, takes control of her life, dumps the smuck and goes on to rewrite her movie script with her as the star instead as the supportive best friend who was always being stepped upon. Sound familiar, are you the star of your life or just in a supporting role or worse just a bit player. Wherever you are, or whatever part you are playing, it is never to late to rewrite your role. Change the writing, change the outcome, yes, it is that simple. Just as on your spiritual journey, change direction, change the road you are on and you change your journey and of course the destination.
By the way, this is not a problem. You may be thinking that why would I change direction, or the path I am on. To this I would just say, who is to say the road you are on is the best road for you. In this life you may have to change, that is redefine yourself and your journey many times. This may be uncomfortable at first, you may even be thinking if what I was doing is not right, how will I know what is, or if I am even on the right road. Not to worry, whether you are or not on the correct journey is not the issue. What is the issue is that you get an intuition and you follow it. Something that is right now may not be right for you a month from now. Exciting huh?
I understand that breaking out of your mold or shell is difficult, even unnerving, but please believe me when I say it will all make sense for you somewhere down the road. The point is to follow your inner voice and go down this road for as long as it feels right. Some places like some people are only there for a moment, others longer. The amount of time is not the point, it is what you have learned that counts. So for now just go with the flow of your inner compass, it will always lead you in the direction you need to go. Remembering that it is up to you to write the word, line, page and chapters of your life's book. If you let others do the writing, why would you be surprised when you don't like the ending!
Have a joyful day!
Robb
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Monday January 25, 2010
Good Morning!
The great mystical traditions are centered on the belief that with a spiritual focus, joy is not only possible but the whole reason for our being. That a greater appreciation of the world is achievable not matter what our life's challenges maybe, no matter what pain we our currently experiencing. Making life more fulfilling and enjoyable, then, is the basis of any spiritual formula for living a highly evolved life.
Our great spiritual masters understood the simple truth of human existence; happiness is to be embraced and treasured into every aspect of life. The key to this thinking is found in the great books of spirituality, the 16th century Book of Instruction, which tells us that upon death every human being is asked a series of questions, the answers to which will determine where they go in their Journey.
Did you have a joyful life?
Did you bring joy to others?
Did you have hope?
Did you bring hope to others?
Simple questions with not so simple answers. So far reaching that they touch the very soul of your existence. So simple they lay at the very surface of life, yet so deep as to seem unfathomable to most people. This is the essence of what most people yearn for. These are the answers that bring peace and contentment. But as simple as these are, the fact is it our misunderstanding or not understanding the questions of our lives that leads to our discontent and dissatisfaction with life.
So what do we do? Actually there is simple answer and that is to seek true happiness and recognizing that cloth of joy and contentment are woven with the threads of spirituality. By concentrating on the positive emotions in our life, we can create the joy and happiness we crave and in so doing improve the lives of those we love which in turn improves our lives. Or a better way of saying this is, " By letting me help you, I have have helped my self, by letting me show you joy, I have brought joy into my life. A simple selfless act!
Have a joyful day,
Robb
The great mystical traditions are centered on the belief that with a spiritual focus, joy is not only possible but the whole reason for our being. That a greater appreciation of the world is achievable not matter what our life's challenges maybe, no matter what pain we our currently experiencing. Making life more fulfilling and enjoyable, then, is the basis of any spiritual formula for living a highly evolved life.
Our great spiritual masters understood the simple truth of human existence; happiness is to be embraced and treasured into every aspect of life. The key to this thinking is found in the great books of spirituality, the 16th century Book of Instruction, which tells us that upon death every human being is asked a series of questions, the answers to which will determine where they go in their Journey.
Did you have a joyful life?
Did you bring joy to others?
Did you have hope?
Did you bring hope to others?
Simple questions with not so simple answers. So far reaching that they touch the very soul of your existence. So simple they lay at the very surface of life, yet so deep as to seem unfathomable to most people. This is the essence of what most people yearn for. These are the answers that bring peace and contentment. But as simple as these are, the fact is it our misunderstanding or not understanding the questions of our lives that leads to our discontent and dissatisfaction with life.
So what do we do? Actually there is simple answer and that is to seek true happiness and recognizing that cloth of joy and contentment are woven with the threads of spirituality. By concentrating on the positive emotions in our life, we can create the joy and happiness we crave and in so doing improve the lives of those we love which in turn improves our lives. Or a better way of saying this is, " By letting me help you, I have have helped my self, by letting me show you joy, I have brought joy into my life. A simple selfless act!
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Thursday January 21, 2010
Good Afternoon!
THE SPACE BETWEEN
I was thinking about today's blog and it occurred to me that we often are in such a hurry in our daily lives that we don't take the time to give pause for reflection. Our great philosophers went to great lengths to literally stop and see where they were in their musings of life on planet Earth. They speak of the space between the lines of their writings. The space between the letters and words they wrote.
Life is not lived in the long drawn out passages in the Book of Life, rather it is the space, the moments, it is in the breaths in between, the silence as it were, that we see the colors of our world. So life isn't so black and white as we fast forward to get to wherever it is we think we are going or have to be. Can it be so simple, can life we truly enjoyed in the brief moments we take to inhale and exhale. Maybe so, or maybe what these great thinkers are trying to tell is to just slow down. Just let life catch up with us and maybe, just maybe we will not only enjoy whatever it is our soul is saying, we also will be able to see everything we have been missing and at that moment it all comes together and begin to understand and see the subtleties of life. A life with all the color and sounds we have been missing, not seeing or hearing due to all the noise we bring into our life.
So for now when we read a book, take a walk, or even during our busy day at work, pause and just let your mind and soul listen, feel, touch, smell the world around us and let it fill you up. So now we know that life in not lived on the pages of our daily journey we call life, but in these tiny spaces, in these precious moments that give true meaning and understanding to our existence.
Have a joyful day.
Robb
THE SPACE BETWEEN
I was thinking about today's blog and it occurred to me that we often are in such a hurry in our daily lives that we don't take the time to give pause for reflection. Our great philosophers went to great lengths to literally stop and see where they were in their musings of life on planet Earth. They speak of the space between the lines of their writings. The space between the letters and words they wrote.
Life is not lived in the long drawn out passages in the Book of Life, rather it is the space, the moments, it is in the breaths in between, the silence as it were, that we see the colors of our world. So life isn't so black and white as we fast forward to get to wherever it is we think we are going or have to be. Can it be so simple, can life we truly enjoyed in the brief moments we take to inhale and exhale. Maybe so, or maybe what these great thinkers are trying to tell is to just slow down. Just let life catch up with us and maybe, just maybe we will not only enjoy whatever it is our soul is saying, we also will be able to see everything we have been missing and at that moment it all comes together and begin to understand and see the subtleties of life. A life with all the color and sounds we have been missing, not seeing or hearing due to all the noise we bring into our life.
So for now when we read a book, take a walk, or even during our busy day at work, pause and just let your mind and soul listen, feel, touch, smell the world around us and let it fill you up. So now we know that life in not lived on the pages of our daily journey we call life, but in these tiny spaces, in these precious moments that give true meaning and understanding to our existence.
Have a joyful day.
Robb
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday January 18,2010
Good Morning!
Connectedness.
Connectedness is the key to the understanding of our lives and individuality. The idea that we are separate from life and people is an illusion. Everything and everybody are interrelated in time, space and being. Spirituality is the art of making connections and through these links we lay our the path of our journey.
We practice connectedness by consciously linking ourselves with other beings and in so doing we discover the secret to our joy. There are cerntain principles to connectedness, one thing leads to another, the one is made up of the many and everthing is related to everything else, simple huh!
You practice connectedness by purposely tracing the ties to others and then consciously creating unions or groups of unions thereby expanding your reach. This creative expansion not only enriches your life, but nt so doing, you enrich the lives in your immediate circle and beyond.
So the point of this exercise is consciously (being in the momment) making these connections you further your journey to the one thing that keeps you moving forward, and that is of course the quest for meaning in your life and the understanding that is through the interaction with others that we are able to see what is spiritually clear and right in front of us.
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Connectedness.
Connectedness is the key to the understanding of our lives and individuality. The idea that we are separate from life and people is an illusion. Everything and everybody are interrelated in time, space and being. Spirituality is the art of making connections and through these links we lay our the path of our journey.
We practice connectedness by consciously linking ourselves with other beings and in so doing we discover the secret to our joy. There are cerntain principles to connectedness, one thing leads to another, the one is made up of the many and everthing is related to everything else, simple huh!
You practice connectedness by purposely tracing the ties to others and then consciously creating unions or groups of unions thereby expanding your reach. This creative expansion not only enriches your life, but nt so doing, you enrich the lives in your immediate circle and beyond.
So the point of this exercise is consciously (being in the momment) making these connections you further your journey to the one thing that keeps you moving forward, and that is of course the quest for meaning in your life and the understanding that is through the interaction with others that we are able to see what is spiritually clear and right in front of us.
Have a joyful day,
Robb
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday January 15, 2010
Good Morning!
Stop worrying, we all worry so much , we worry about this or that. What a waste of energy.
I used to worry about meeting my goals. You may have had the same thought. We make resolutions, we write down goals, we have our life's dreams set out before us. Mine were pretty straight forward and of course they changed as i got older, as I attained certain levels of my preconceived idea of what was important and what wasn't. First, my goal was to get a drivers license, graduate high school and get through my early teenage years. Not very spiritual, but they held importance for me. I didn't want the world to get ahead of me and I certainly didn't want to miss what was happening in the 1960's.
Well as you can imagine, I got through these simple but important goals in quick order, and had to change my perception of successful, my goals had to change, I had to modify my list so to speak. My next set of goals were a bit loftier. I wanted to not only get accepted to college, I had the temerity to think that I could graduate. I wanted to swim in the Olympics and win a gold metal ( i know you are laughing now, but what the heck, if you are going to dream, dream big), I wanted to kick an NFL field goal and of course I wanted to be a millionaire at 30, or 40 or maybe even 50. Life does not always turn out as you may have imagined, and I didn't meet or even come close to meeting those goals, though I did come close to the millionaire thing. My point is I made my goals, I had a plan, I took a measure of where I thought i could go and it didn't quite pan out as I had figured it would.
Life is not a straight line, it does not follow a even path no matter how much you measure and calculate. It has twists and turns and detours, it gets messy out there and if you are like me, I hate messy, I had not knowing, I am not big on surprises. But this is the beauty of your life. It never does, "nobody gets what they want, they do always get what they need", as the old Rolling Stones song goes. Sometimes, maybe most times what you think is important turns out not to be so. Sometimes, what was so compelling, ends up having little or no significance to you. Life turns out that way sometimes.
What this meant for me, the pressure was off, I was not so consumed with what I thought I wanted out of my life, I got a whole different hand at my life's card game. And as you know you have to play the hand you are dealt. No reshuffle at this table. But remember, there is always another hand to play, that is until there is none. Getting back to my point, now where was I , oh yes, now that the pressure was off, now that I finally learned the point of my being here, my Reason De Etre, my reason for being, I was free to live my life as it is, really for the first time I could see the end game, the light at the end of the tunnel. Believe me I know I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, I just finally figured out what this was all about for me, maybe you feel the same way. You don't have to know all of the immutable laws of the universe, you only have to know how they pertain to you. And that is the easy part, you may not think so, but the more you get to just relax, sit in your favorite chair ad give yourself a few moments of peace, you will be truly amazed at what pops into your conscience. think about it, I always have a pad of paper to jot down a few thoughts. Then I look at it, swish it around, take it for a ride so to speak and see how it runs. I sit smooth and effortless, then I am on to something, is it a little awkward at first, does it take a little finessing, then I may go in a different direction.
The point is, there is no right or wrong, there is only this works, this feels good, this fits. Then I just go and see where it takes me spiritually and physically. I always have the option to change or adjust my plan. Remember, you own it, you take full responsibility for your actions so you can do whatever you want. Or just cast it aside and start all over. Who cares, no one, only you. It so not important what anyone has to say, if they are not encouraging you to expand your horizons, go for the spiritual gold, than they no longer have a place at your table. I will speak more about friends and acquaintances, but for now keep this thought, this rule if you will, if they do not add to your life's experience, if they do not bring you up, if they don't keep you wanting more after they have left you, then they do not belong in your life. So it is all up to you, no more excuse, you do, you go and you bring all that are good along. The others you leave behind, unfair, I think not!
At the end of your life's journey, you will be asked two very simple, but important questions," Did you have a joyful life", the second and equally important question is, "did you bring joy to others", or put another way, "did you help others in their quest for joy". Unnerving huh!
Have a joyful and loving day,
Robb
Stop worrying, we all worry so much , we worry about this or that. What a waste of energy.
I used to worry about meeting my goals. You may have had the same thought. We make resolutions, we write down goals, we have our life's dreams set out before us. Mine were pretty straight forward and of course they changed as i got older, as I attained certain levels of my preconceived idea of what was important and what wasn't. First, my goal was to get a drivers license, graduate high school and get through my early teenage years. Not very spiritual, but they held importance for me. I didn't want the world to get ahead of me and I certainly didn't want to miss what was happening in the 1960's.
Well as you can imagine, I got through these simple but important goals in quick order, and had to change my perception of successful, my goals had to change, I had to modify my list so to speak. My next set of goals were a bit loftier. I wanted to not only get accepted to college, I had the temerity to think that I could graduate. I wanted to swim in the Olympics and win a gold metal ( i know you are laughing now, but what the heck, if you are going to dream, dream big), I wanted to kick an NFL field goal and of course I wanted to be a millionaire at 30, or 40 or maybe even 50. Life does not always turn out as you may have imagined, and I didn't meet or even come close to meeting those goals, though I did come close to the millionaire thing. My point is I made my goals, I had a plan, I took a measure of where I thought i could go and it didn't quite pan out as I had figured it would.
Life is not a straight line, it does not follow a even path no matter how much you measure and calculate. It has twists and turns and detours, it gets messy out there and if you are like me, I hate messy, I had not knowing, I am not big on surprises. But this is the beauty of your life. It never does, "nobody gets what they want, they do always get what they need", as the old Rolling Stones song goes. Sometimes, maybe most times what you think is important turns out not to be so. Sometimes, what was so compelling, ends up having little or no significance to you. Life turns out that way sometimes.
What this meant for me, the pressure was off, I was not so consumed with what I thought I wanted out of my life, I got a whole different hand at my life's card game. And as you know you have to play the hand you are dealt. No reshuffle at this table. But remember, there is always another hand to play, that is until there is none. Getting back to my point, now where was I , oh yes, now that the pressure was off, now that I finally learned the point of my being here, my Reason De Etre, my reason for being, I was free to live my life as it is, really for the first time I could see the end game, the light at the end of the tunnel. Believe me I know I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, I just finally figured out what this was all about for me, maybe you feel the same way. You don't have to know all of the immutable laws of the universe, you only have to know how they pertain to you. And that is the easy part, you may not think so, but the more you get to just relax, sit in your favorite chair ad give yourself a few moments of peace, you will be truly amazed at what pops into your conscience. think about it, I always have a pad of paper to jot down a few thoughts. Then I look at it, swish it around, take it for a ride so to speak and see how it runs. I sit smooth and effortless, then I am on to something, is it a little awkward at first, does it take a little finessing, then I may go in a different direction.
The point is, there is no right or wrong, there is only this works, this feels good, this fits. Then I just go and see where it takes me spiritually and physically. I always have the option to change or adjust my plan. Remember, you own it, you take full responsibility for your actions so you can do whatever you want. Or just cast it aside and start all over. Who cares, no one, only you. It so not important what anyone has to say, if they are not encouraging you to expand your horizons, go for the spiritual gold, than they no longer have a place at your table. I will speak more about friends and acquaintances, but for now keep this thought, this rule if you will, if they do not add to your life's experience, if they do not bring you up, if they don't keep you wanting more after they have left you, then they do not belong in your life. So it is all up to you, no more excuse, you do, you go and you bring all that are good along. The others you leave behind, unfair, I think not!
At the end of your life's journey, you will be asked two very simple, but important questions," Did you have a joyful life", the second and equally important question is, "did you bring joy to others", or put another way, "did you help others in their quest for joy". Unnerving huh!
Have a joyful and loving day,
Robb
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday January 14, 2009
Good Morning!
Being Present
As we prepare for our "Spiritual Journey", we have been going through the many things we need to bring along, and somethings we leave behind. Today I would like to mention "Being Present", or more aptly put, "Being in the Moment".
The word present spiritually speaking almost always has a double meaning, as do most concepts of an esoteric nature. There is being present or being in the moment, as in here and now, a moment in time, as in attendance. There is also the more personal meaning of a gift, as in your being (a) present here is a gift to me or a gift from the cosmos or the Creator. We speak of being in the moment as if it were a foreign idea, as if only you would study the worlds most profound writings would you cull the mean. This is arrogant and further from the truth than you can imagine. We all live in the moment, we all just don't do it knowingly or often enough. It is the same as hitting a whole in one if you golf or if you are playing tennis and you just get your ball to the line. Unless you know how you did it, and do it consistently you never learn to hone your skill. The same with your spiritual performance, unless you understand how you get and stay present in your life and in the lives of the people you love, and get to this place often enough, it never has the desired result or impact.
There is no question that the world's religions and philosophies all recommend living in the moment with full awareness. Zen Buddhism especially is known for emphasis on "nowness". Other faiths and teachers urge us to make the most of every opportunity that comes our way as to not squander these precious moments that may never come again. There is this rubric about a traditional spiritual exercise of "practicing in the presence of the Creator. This means recognizing that the Universe is here, even now moving through our everyday activities, no matter how trivial or mundane.
This contrasts with the other two alternatives of living in the present, that being living in the past and living in the future. We live in the past when we hold on to regrets, constantly reviewing and second guessing things we have already done, often explaining these in terms of own or worse, someone else's actions. This kind of thinking often leads to guilt and blame. While living in the future causes us to loose our grip on realty and fantasize about what could be, and owning these unrealistic dreams. This becomes your new realty which leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction with what would normally be a happy, useful life. Whether we are obsessed with positive expectations (optimism) or negative projections (pessimism), we are not living in the moment.
When you find yourself constantly reacting to your experiences in one of these ways, when you always want to be otherwise and elsewhere, it is time to be present. The companion to this practice is contentment, being present and appreciative of ones life.
I love this oft quoted phrase, " Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, that is why it is called the present"! Succinct and to the point, and as with most spiritual quotes loaded with subliminal meaning that it would take many posts to ferret out the subtleties.
Being Present
As we prepare for our "Spiritual Journey", we have been going through the many things we need to bring along, and somethings we leave behind. Today I would like to mention "Being Present", or more aptly put, "Being in the Moment".
The word present spiritually speaking almost always has a double meaning, as do most concepts of an esoteric nature. There is being present or being in the moment, as in here and now, a moment in time, as in attendance. There is also the more personal meaning of a gift, as in your being (a) present here is a gift to me or a gift from the cosmos or the Creator. We speak of being in the moment as if it were a foreign idea, as if only you would study the worlds most profound writings would you cull the mean. This is arrogant and further from the truth than you can imagine. We all live in the moment, we all just don't do it knowingly or often enough. It is the same as hitting a whole in one if you golf or if you are playing tennis and you just get your ball to the line. Unless you know how you did it, and do it consistently you never learn to hone your skill. The same with your spiritual performance, unless you understand how you get and stay present in your life and in the lives of the people you love, and get to this place often enough, it never has the desired result or impact.
There is no question that the world's religions and philosophies all recommend living in the moment with full awareness. Zen Buddhism especially is known for emphasis on "nowness". Other faiths and teachers urge us to make the most of every opportunity that comes our way as to not squander these precious moments that may never come again. There is this rubric about a traditional spiritual exercise of "practicing in the presence of the Creator. This means recognizing that the Universe is here, even now moving through our everyday activities, no matter how trivial or mundane.
This contrasts with the other two alternatives of living in the present, that being living in the past and living in the future. We live in the past when we hold on to regrets, constantly reviewing and second guessing things we have already done, often explaining these in terms of own or worse, someone else's actions. This kind of thinking often leads to guilt and blame. While living in the future causes us to loose our grip on realty and fantasize about what could be, and owning these unrealistic dreams. This becomes your new realty which leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction with what would normally be a happy, useful life. Whether we are obsessed with positive expectations (optimism) or negative projections (pessimism), we are not living in the moment.
When you find yourself constantly reacting to your experiences in one of these ways, when you always want to be otherwise and elsewhere, it is time to be present. The companion to this practice is contentment, being present and appreciative of ones life.
I love this oft quoted phrase, " Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, that is why it is called the present"! Succinct and to the point, and as with most spiritual quotes loaded with subliminal meaning that it would take many posts to ferret out the subtleties.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wednesday January 13, 2010
Good Morning!
Forgiveness, is there a more important word in our lexicon. To forgive is to pardon or release, isn't this what we do when we forgive someone? To pardon ones sins, ones mistakes. Not to forget, not to give a pass, but to acknowledge ones wrong doings, shortcomings, but still able to embrace them and then move on.
Forgiveness is a choice. A choice to be sustained and affirmed, or to move on and carry this burden with you. Not all are worthy of your forgiveness, but you grant it any way. You grant it not only to release the petitioner, but to also to release yourself. For to doom the wrong doer would also doom yourself. Or another way of stating the obvious, "So that is how I saves you by letting you save me". An odd turn of the written word, but it rings so true to all of us. Is it not a fact that when we forgive someone, we spontaneously forgive ourselves. Of course it is, we feel an immediate and lasting release and relief when we forgive someone. No matter how egregious the crime, without forgiveness we relinquish our power and been come the captive. Without forgiveness we are forever trapped in our pain and sorrow. We can't ever move on, move forward, to advance, we are frozen in time, in agony, in frustration at the inequity of life and in failing to understand the intricacies in a system we have created we doom ourselves to this insane cycle of forbearance instead of forgiveness and in so doing release ourselves from a self imposed hell.
All the spiritual traditions acknowledge the supremacy or the value of forgiveness, but many people still find it nearly impossible to do so. Just try it. Look honestly at one hurt you might have forgiven but just could not. Feel the anger, denial, guilt, shame or embarrassment. Imagine what it would be like to live without feeling this offense. Then embrace it with all your being, and just let it go. Wheeeeeeeeee!, Pretty powerful stuff. Other steps may be necessary for healing, but you get the picture. Confessing to your self and the aggrieved is a good start. making amends, acknowledging your contribution to the conflict, changing behavior, claiming or owning your feelings.
Forgiveness is a specific act, an attitude, an art and a way of life. Forgiveness then is a spiritual practice and a way of letting go of the past. of settling accounts, of doing good, and of moving forward into the future with hope. It is the first step on a path to a journey to wholeness, where guilt, anger, resentment no longer take center stage in your life. Forgiveness is not sympathy, generosity or acquiescence, it is the simple and pure declaration of equality where all pain may not be equal, but it is all pain none the less and it requires being acknowledged. It helps you see hurt for what it is, understand it, break it down, own it, then place it where it belongs. Since it can no longer hurt you, or enslave you, it can no longer cast its evil spell upon you. All connection is severed, broken forever, allowing you to move forward with your life, isn't this what it is all about.
Have a joyful day!
Robb
Forgiveness, is there a more important word in our lexicon. To forgive is to pardon or release, isn't this what we do when we forgive someone? To pardon ones sins, ones mistakes. Not to forget, not to give a pass, but to acknowledge ones wrong doings, shortcomings, but still able to embrace them and then move on.
Forgiveness is a choice. A choice to be sustained and affirmed, or to move on and carry this burden with you. Not all are worthy of your forgiveness, but you grant it any way. You grant it not only to release the petitioner, but to also to release yourself. For to doom the wrong doer would also doom yourself. Or another way of stating the obvious, "So that is how I saves you by letting you save me". An odd turn of the written word, but it rings so true to all of us. Is it not a fact that when we forgive someone, we spontaneously forgive ourselves. Of course it is, we feel an immediate and lasting release and relief when we forgive someone. No matter how egregious the crime, without forgiveness we relinquish our power and been come the captive. Without forgiveness we are forever trapped in our pain and sorrow. We can't ever move on, move forward, to advance, we are frozen in time, in agony, in frustration at the inequity of life and in failing to understand the intricacies in a system we have created we doom ourselves to this insane cycle of forbearance instead of forgiveness and in so doing release ourselves from a self imposed hell.
All the spiritual traditions acknowledge the supremacy or the value of forgiveness, but many people still find it nearly impossible to do so. Just try it. Look honestly at one hurt you might have forgiven but just could not. Feel the anger, denial, guilt, shame or embarrassment. Imagine what it would be like to live without feeling this offense. Then embrace it with all your being, and just let it go. Wheeeeeeeeee!, Pretty powerful stuff. Other steps may be necessary for healing, but you get the picture. Confessing to your self and the aggrieved is a good start. making amends, acknowledging your contribution to the conflict, changing behavior, claiming or owning your feelings.
Forgiveness is a specific act, an attitude, an art and a way of life. Forgiveness then is a spiritual practice and a way of letting go of the past. of settling accounts, of doing good, and of moving forward into the future with hope. It is the first step on a path to a journey to wholeness, where guilt, anger, resentment no longer take center stage in your life. Forgiveness is not sympathy, generosity or acquiescence, it is the simple and pure declaration of equality where all pain may not be equal, but it is all pain none the less and it requires being acknowledged. It helps you see hurt for what it is, understand it, break it down, own it, then place it where it belongs. Since it can no longer hurt you, or enslave you, it can no longer cast its evil spell upon you. All connection is severed, broken forever, allowing you to move forward with your life, isn't this what it is all about.
Have a joyful day!
Robb
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
"To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I am born". I prefer my version of this iconic quote, "I begin my life with the ending of my life, i record that i have died, dead, dead, dead dead". I love Charles Dickens and especially Oliver Twist. You have to hand it to Dickens, he grabs you immediately, from the first sentence.
This is one heck of a way to start a day, and it may not be your brand of tea, however, it is precisely the way you should start your day! We spoke the other day of life as a "do over", well, that is exactly what the beginning of my new book, "The Puzzle", (do out later this Fall), is all about, or at least it is a way of getting your attention.
At the end of every decade, I believe you should take stock of your life, a review of where you are, an honest look at your life's to do list. We all see our lives Thur the filter of individual experience, it is this view of life that colors how we see ourselves and how we measure up so to speak. So how are you doing? Are you where you expected to be? Or are you wondering how the heck did I get here, and equally important what does it mean? Or where do I go from here? Simple questions with not so simple answers.
So if you could take stock of your life, if this was the end of your life, what would your "to do" list look like, and how much is left undone! Actually this is a pretty cool way to view life, whether one a decade, once a year or once a day. If you could do these mini reviews, what would they say of your life, are you where you always wanted to be? and if not why? It is not enough to say you were too busy or life just hot in the way of my goals. Here and now let me state categorically that you have to take responsibility for all your decisions, all your actions. You don't get left off the hook so easily, you have own your life, now this does not mean all your mistakes or short comings are etched in stone, rather it is the acknowledgement of your humanity that you recognize where you are in your life story. To understand it, roll it around in your head, ponder where you are and make the adjustments and then move on. Owning your life, is the first step in correcting the mistakes you know you have made ( on purpose or accidentally), and of healing your soul so you can move forward. And moving forward and getting smarter about your life in specific and the world in general is what it is all about. You want to know the purpose of your life, the whole point of living here, do you really want to know your "Reason DE Entree", your reason for being? Well that is the short answer, and that is to get smarter, that is it in a nutshell, simple yet complex.
"What does that mean, getting smarter, it can't be that you say, there has to be more", you say. Well that is it and there is more, so much more, and that is the journey you are on, that is your task at hand, that is the "Puzzle" you have to put together and then figure out the meaning. You really didn't think I could tell you what you need and what the answers are to your "Puzzle" did you! How can I know what you have spent a lifetime trying to figure out. But what I can tell, what I know is the answers to your life's questions, and where you have to look is close at hand. As immediate as your next thought, or as near to you as your next feeling.
So start today as if it were the end of your life, knowing that you can rewrite your life's script and turn to the next chapter in your journal and write the life you imagine for yourself and in so doing you begin the process of healing the past so that you can move into the present and enjoy the gift your life is.
Have a joyful day!
Robb
This is one heck of a way to start a day, and it may not be your brand of tea, however, it is precisely the way you should start your day! We spoke the other day of life as a "do over", well, that is exactly what the beginning of my new book, "The Puzzle", (do out later this Fall), is all about, or at least it is a way of getting your attention.
At the end of every decade, I believe you should take stock of your life, a review of where you are, an honest look at your life's to do list. We all see our lives Thur the filter of individual experience, it is this view of life that colors how we see ourselves and how we measure up so to speak. So how are you doing? Are you where you expected to be? Or are you wondering how the heck did I get here, and equally important what does it mean? Or where do I go from here? Simple questions with not so simple answers.
So if you could take stock of your life, if this was the end of your life, what would your "to do" list look like, and how much is left undone! Actually this is a pretty cool way to view life, whether one a decade, once a year or once a day. If you could do these mini reviews, what would they say of your life, are you where you always wanted to be? and if not why? It is not enough to say you were too busy or life just hot in the way of my goals. Here and now let me state categorically that you have to take responsibility for all your decisions, all your actions. You don't get left off the hook so easily, you have own your life, now this does not mean all your mistakes or short comings are etched in stone, rather it is the acknowledgement of your humanity that you recognize where you are in your life story. To understand it, roll it around in your head, ponder where you are and make the adjustments and then move on. Owning your life, is the first step in correcting the mistakes you know you have made ( on purpose or accidentally), and of healing your soul so you can move forward. And moving forward and getting smarter about your life in specific and the world in general is what it is all about. You want to know the purpose of your life, the whole point of living here, do you really want to know your "Reason DE Entree", your reason for being? Well that is the short answer, and that is to get smarter, that is it in a nutshell, simple yet complex.
"What does that mean, getting smarter, it can't be that you say, there has to be more", you say. Well that is it and there is more, so much more, and that is the journey you are on, that is your task at hand, that is the "Puzzle" you have to put together and then figure out the meaning. You really didn't think I could tell you what you need and what the answers are to your "Puzzle" did you! How can I know what you have spent a lifetime trying to figure out. But what I can tell, what I know is the answers to your life's questions, and where you have to look is close at hand. As immediate as your next thought, or as near to you as your next feeling.
So start today as if it were the end of your life, knowing that you can rewrite your life's script and turn to the next chapter in your journal and write the life you imagine for yourself and in so doing you begin the process of healing the past so that you can move into the present and enjoy the gift your life is.
Have a joyful day!
Robb
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday January 11, 2010
A Poem
Sometimes our best thoughts are not expressed in exposition but in poetry, and even though I do not consider myself a poet per se, but i do like to speak from the heart in a multitude of ways. The following is a poem that appeared to me in a dream sequence I was having very early one morning.
We Remember!
From the break of dawn,
To the setting sun,
We remember.
From the gentle rain,
To the raging storm,
We remember.
From a newborn's first yawn,
To a love ones last sigh,
We remember.
From the "first" first kiss,
To the "last" last embrace,
We remember.
From in the beginning,
and to the end,
We remember.
From the Summit of our highest hopes,
To the Depths of our deepest fears,
We remember.
From the first,
And to the last,
We remember.
We remember because in Remembrance is immortality!
Have a joyful day,
Robb
We Remember, copywrite 2010, PoemTree, Robb Packer
Sometimes our best thoughts are not expressed in exposition but in poetry, and even though I do not consider myself a poet per se, but i do like to speak from the heart in a multitude of ways. The following is a poem that appeared to me in a dream sequence I was having very early one morning.
We Remember!
From the break of dawn,
To the setting sun,
We remember.
From the gentle rain,
To the raging storm,
We remember.
From a newborn's first yawn,
To a love ones last sigh,
We remember.
From the "first" first kiss,
To the "last" last embrace,
We remember.
From in the beginning,
and to the end,
We remember.
From the Summit of our highest hopes,
To the Depths of our deepest fears,
We remember.
From the first,
And to the last,
We remember.
We remember because in Remembrance is immortality!
Have a joyful day,
Robb
We Remember, copywrite 2010, PoemTree, Robb Packer
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Saturday January 9, 2009
A Joyful Morning To You All,
As I woke up this morning, I repeated my gratitude chant, which is very simply my choice for the day. " I choose joy or sorrow, I choose happiness over sadness and I choose Life! I do this to conscientiously remind myself that today is a gift, the present I receive every day as it were. Today is promised to no one. So I had better earn my stripes today and ensure a possible tomorrow. So even though I live in the present, I am cognizant of of the needs of my future and in so doing lay the groundwork for a possible and better tomorrow. I do not take the future for grant it, rather I accept the possibility of its existence even within the realm of my limited senses. What I mean in order to live as spiritually as I can, I acknowledge my limited abilities on this front.
In the movie "City Slickers", Daniel Stern's character is having a crisis in his life. Nothing has turned out quite as he has imagined,(sound familiar), and he is about to give up all hope of ever living any semblance of a "great" life. However, his friends have another plan for him, they remind him that as children when they would play there games and it did not turn out as planned, they would shout, "Do over", and they would start the game over. Well life is not so , simple, but the idea is still the same. Every December 31st, we resolve in some manner to make amends for the past year shortcomings, we acknowledge our failings and promise ourselves, we resolve to do better in the coming year, a do over. But we don't have to wait til New Years Eve to make promises we fail to keep, we don't have to wait twelve months to try to right the wrongs we have committed or endeavors we have tired and come up short.
We go to bed every night and for most of us, we wake up the next morning. We repeat this ritual every night of our life. So is this not the same thing we do once a year. What I am saying is we get another chance 365 days a year to make our lives better. We get a chance to resolve the conflicts and opportunities presented to us daily. I suppose if we thought of everyday and every evening as another chance at life, if we held sacred this nightly ritual, we would do more to correct, our behaviors and take advantage of the opportunities we are given (some of you may think of these challenges as problems or issues, but they are opportunities none the less).
So every night we give up the ghost so to speak and every morning we are reborn. In many cultures and religions this single idea is the main tenant of their Article of Faith. So imagine if you will that you have the power, the ability to to exact one more promise from the Universe, to make your plea in the sacred, spiritual court of the Creator, (an interesting thought).The slate wiped clean and ready for you to write a new chapter in your life. Now keep in mind that the Universe may be infinite in the number of "do overs" you may get, you on the other hand have a finite number of days, years and months, so it is up to you not waste a moment, second or hour of your life. Start today, right now to set your life in order, because in reality, we don't know our expiration date, so we may live in the moment, we must still make plans for our future, a kind of moment to moment plan layed side by side with our future hopes and dreams. Because it is our hopes that give us today, it is our dreams that give us tomorrow!
With much joy,
Robb
As I woke up this morning, I repeated my gratitude chant, which is very simply my choice for the day. " I choose joy or sorrow, I choose happiness over sadness and I choose Life! I do this to conscientiously remind myself that today is a gift, the present I receive every day as it were. Today is promised to no one. So I had better earn my stripes today and ensure a possible tomorrow. So even though I live in the present, I am cognizant of of the needs of my future and in so doing lay the groundwork for a possible and better tomorrow. I do not take the future for grant it, rather I accept the possibility of its existence even within the realm of my limited senses. What I mean in order to live as spiritually as I can, I acknowledge my limited abilities on this front.
In the movie "City Slickers", Daniel Stern's character is having a crisis in his life. Nothing has turned out quite as he has imagined,(sound familiar), and he is about to give up all hope of ever living any semblance of a "great" life. However, his friends have another plan for him, they remind him that as children when they would play there games and it did not turn out as planned, they would shout, "Do over", and they would start the game over. Well life is not so , simple, but the idea is still the same. Every December 31st, we resolve in some manner to make amends for the past year shortcomings, we acknowledge our failings and promise ourselves, we resolve to do better in the coming year, a do over. But we don't have to wait til New Years Eve to make promises we fail to keep, we don't have to wait twelve months to try to right the wrongs we have committed or endeavors we have tired and come up short.
We go to bed every night and for most of us, we wake up the next morning. We repeat this ritual every night of our life. So is this not the same thing we do once a year. What I am saying is we get another chance 365 days a year to make our lives better. We get a chance to resolve the conflicts and opportunities presented to us daily. I suppose if we thought of everyday and every evening as another chance at life, if we held sacred this nightly ritual, we would do more to correct, our behaviors and take advantage of the opportunities we are given (some of you may think of these challenges as problems or issues, but they are opportunities none the less).
So every night we give up the ghost so to speak and every morning we are reborn. In many cultures and religions this single idea is the main tenant of their Article of Faith. So imagine if you will that you have the power, the ability to to exact one more promise from the Universe, to make your plea in the sacred, spiritual court of the Creator, (an interesting thought).The slate wiped clean and ready for you to write a new chapter in your life. Now keep in mind that the Universe may be infinite in the number of "do overs" you may get, you on the other hand have a finite number of days, years and months, so it is up to you not waste a moment, second or hour of your life. Start today, right now to set your life in order, because in reality, we don't know our expiration date, so we may live in the moment, we must still make plans for our future, a kind of moment to moment plan layed side by side with our future hopes and dreams. Because it is our hopes that give us today, it is our dreams that give us tomorrow!
With much joy,
Robb
Thursday, January 7, 2010
January 8, 2010
Good Morning!
It is so wonderful how many people have responded to this blog. I truly hope I am reaching you with words of hope, support and joy. What could be worse than thinking you are alone, well let me tell you this is not the case, you are never alone (unless you choose this road). If you open up your soul to the universe, you can connect to any wave you care to. Kind of like a radio, you move around the dial (boy am I dating myself), listen to the message until you hear something that speaks to you, something that you connect to. The same with your life, you encounter people and situations on a moment to moment basis and you decide if there is a connection. Now maybe there isn't a conscience decision on the way you connect to people ( of course this is when you usually make a mistake), if you make a conscience decision, they are usually more right than wrong and the situations and the people you encounter tend to have a more positive result.
So now you kind of seeing where this is going, we a constantly making decisions, deciding this way or that, balancing what we want vs. what we need. So how do we walk two roads at once?
How do we balance our spiritual needs with our physical desires or responsibilities? How do we live in the moment, yet also plan, not an easy task. How do we let our souls soar to the cosmos while we must equally tend to our earthly more mundane chores. And so we do this dance, we get up and this is a choice, we get dressed and decide what to wear and make another choice, but we also dream, we ponder our lives, how did we get to this place, this is not what my life was supposed to be, what was is the point? How do I meet the needs of my soul and also live for today and tomorrow? The point is you have to listen, listen so deeply to the needs of your soul. Once your souls needs are met, the rest as they say is a piece of cake. Not so easy you say, I haven't listened to my heart, my soul in years, ages maybe. You need to nourish both, food for your body and food for your soul. What you say, food for my physical requirements I understand, but food for the soul? ( We will get to that later). Its not to late to learn to listen, but you have to find a quiet place, a place so quiet that you will hear what your soul is saying. A place so deep inside you that it scares you at first, a place you may never have been before. Listen, just listen so quietly, it may take a while to get to this place at first, but the more you practice the easier it will get. I promise you I am not sending you to a place I have not been myself countless times.
Some of my friends have asked me, "Where do you come up with this stuff", honestly I listen, and listen and then listen more. Sure I find wonderful ideas right here in cyber space, but it is thru the prism of my soul that I find the voice, the words I write. If it strikes a chord within you, then you have made a connection. Now do this again, and again and soon you will be able listen to your own words and this will help understand the point of your being. To answer your own"why I am here" question. But the first thing you really need to learn, to really take to heart is the answers are not in the material. What I mean is you first need to fill your spiritual needs before you can attempt to understand the material ones. You can't fill a physical void with material objects. Ever had a friend who seemed to have it all. I mean the condo, car, lots of money, traveling everywhere. Ever really look at this friend, does she seem to always been in turmoil, does she seemed so dissatisfied with her life. Does all she have leave her empty and lacking instead of joyful and abundant? She has a spiritual void, a space so large that there is not enough stuff to fill it. Her life is so filled with noise, noise blasting in her brain. blocking out the sounds of her soul. By giving some of this stuff away, leaving a space for her soul to fill, allowing the healing to begin, helping others, and getting in touch with herself, to quiet herself, to listen to her soul.
There is this tale told by the Sages, it goes something like this; when a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, yes?, like this (making a fist). Why? Because an infant, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, as if to say, "The whole world is mine." But when an old person passes away, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson." What lesson? the student asks. He stretches out his empty hand. We take nothing with us, so what is the point of living a life chasing after material objects which have no real place in the eternity of our lives!
Have a joyful day!
Robb
It is so wonderful how many people have responded to this blog. I truly hope I am reaching you with words of hope, support and joy. What could be worse than thinking you are alone, well let me tell you this is not the case, you are never alone (unless you choose this road). If you open up your soul to the universe, you can connect to any wave you care to. Kind of like a radio, you move around the dial (boy am I dating myself), listen to the message until you hear something that speaks to you, something that you connect to. The same with your life, you encounter people and situations on a moment to moment basis and you decide if there is a connection. Now maybe there isn't a conscience decision on the way you connect to people ( of course this is when you usually make a mistake), if you make a conscience decision, they are usually more right than wrong and the situations and the people you encounter tend to have a more positive result.
So now you kind of seeing where this is going, we a constantly making decisions, deciding this way or that, balancing what we want vs. what we need. So how do we walk two roads at once?
How do we balance our spiritual needs with our physical desires or responsibilities? How do we live in the moment, yet also plan, not an easy task. How do we let our souls soar to the cosmos while we must equally tend to our earthly more mundane chores. And so we do this dance, we get up and this is a choice, we get dressed and decide what to wear and make another choice, but we also dream, we ponder our lives, how did we get to this place, this is not what my life was supposed to be, what was is the point? How do I meet the needs of my soul and also live for today and tomorrow? The point is you have to listen, listen so deeply to the needs of your soul. Once your souls needs are met, the rest as they say is a piece of cake. Not so easy you say, I haven't listened to my heart, my soul in years, ages maybe. You need to nourish both, food for your body and food for your soul. What you say, food for my physical requirements I understand, but food for the soul? ( We will get to that later). Its not to late to learn to listen, but you have to find a quiet place, a place so quiet that you will hear what your soul is saying. A place so deep inside you that it scares you at first, a place you may never have been before. Listen, just listen so quietly, it may take a while to get to this place at first, but the more you practice the easier it will get. I promise you I am not sending you to a place I have not been myself countless times.
Some of my friends have asked me, "Where do you come up with this stuff", honestly I listen, and listen and then listen more. Sure I find wonderful ideas right here in cyber space, but it is thru the prism of my soul that I find the voice, the words I write. If it strikes a chord within you, then you have made a connection. Now do this again, and again and soon you will be able listen to your own words and this will help understand the point of your being. To answer your own"why I am here" question. But the first thing you really need to learn, to really take to heart is the answers are not in the material. What I mean is you first need to fill your spiritual needs before you can attempt to understand the material ones. You can't fill a physical void with material objects. Ever had a friend who seemed to have it all. I mean the condo, car, lots of money, traveling everywhere. Ever really look at this friend, does she seem to always been in turmoil, does she seemed so dissatisfied with her life. Does all she have leave her empty and lacking instead of joyful and abundant? She has a spiritual void, a space so large that there is not enough stuff to fill it. Her life is so filled with noise, noise blasting in her brain. blocking out the sounds of her soul. By giving some of this stuff away, leaving a space for her soul to fill, allowing the healing to begin, helping others, and getting in touch with herself, to quiet herself, to listen to her soul.
There is this tale told by the Sages, it goes something like this; when a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, yes?, like this (making a fist). Why? Because an infant, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, as if to say, "The whole world is mine." But when an old person passes away, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson." What lesson? the student asks. He stretches out his empty hand. We take nothing with us, so what is the point of living a life chasing after material objects which have no real place in the eternity of our lives!
Have a joyful day!
Robb
January 7, 2009
Good Morning,
Brrrrrrrrrrrr, I know it is snowy and cold, but there is a warmth of soul that will carry you through the day. I was running this morning thinking about today's post and it struck me that getting through a day like today is very much like life itself. The weather like life is very unpredictable and when there is snow and ice on the ground and it is wet and slick you may have to balance yourself so as not to fall. Sometimes you are able to handle it yourself, sometimes a complete stranger lends you a hand. The same with life, sometimes you can handle the myriad of issues thrown at you each and everyday with aplomb and sometimes it requires a friends helping hand to steady you. Friends are like that sometimes. Friends can be close and life long or they may have popped into your life just yesterday. Time and distance does not a friend make, rather it is the effect one makes of their time that is the determining factor.
Friends are people, sometimes they are our soul points, they are able to touch us spiritually in such a way as to sometimes right our course, sometimes our guides and angels in the guise of friends who there at just the right moment with a kind word, a gentle embrace, or someone who will tell you in no uncertain words what a jerk you are and to knock it off. Sometimes though they are just the nudge you need to wrestle you out of your funk and help you past an insurmountable obstacle you are facing.
A friend is someone who knows the song of your soul and can sing it back to you long after you have forgotten the words, a friend remembers what we were, and sees what we can be. Friends like books should be few and well chosen. A friend knows when you are in trouble and doesn't ask what you need, they just give. A friend does not just cry with you, they can wipe away your tears. Friends are just like that sometimes. Please remember that you never walk this life alone, there is always an aura of love and joy that surrounds you, you just need to connect to it.
I look forward to your comments so please add them to this blog, or you can send them to: rpacker820@aol.com, if you have any suggestions please e-mail them to me, and also please forward this to anyone you think may enjoy it.
Thank you again for joining me on this journey,
Robb
Brrrrrrrrrrrr, I know it is snowy and cold, but there is a warmth of soul that will carry you through the day. I was running this morning thinking about today's post and it struck me that getting through a day like today is very much like life itself. The weather like life is very unpredictable and when there is snow and ice on the ground and it is wet and slick you may have to balance yourself so as not to fall. Sometimes you are able to handle it yourself, sometimes a complete stranger lends you a hand. The same with life, sometimes you can handle the myriad of issues thrown at you each and everyday with aplomb and sometimes it requires a friends helping hand to steady you. Friends are like that sometimes. Friends can be close and life long or they may have popped into your life just yesterday. Time and distance does not a friend make, rather it is the effect one makes of their time that is the determining factor.
Friends are people, sometimes they are our soul points, they are able to touch us spiritually in such a way as to sometimes right our course, sometimes our guides and angels in the guise of friends who there at just the right moment with a kind word, a gentle embrace, or someone who will tell you in no uncertain words what a jerk you are and to knock it off. Sometimes though they are just the nudge you need to wrestle you out of your funk and help you past an insurmountable obstacle you are facing.
A friend is someone who knows the song of your soul and can sing it back to you long after you have forgotten the words, a friend remembers what we were, and sees what we can be. Friends like books should be few and well chosen. A friend knows when you are in trouble and doesn't ask what you need, they just give. A friend does not just cry with you, they can wipe away your tears. Friends are just like that sometimes. Please remember that you never walk this life alone, there is always an aura of love and joy that surrounds you, you just need to connect to it.
I look forward to your comments so please add them to this blog, or you can send them to: rpacker820@aol.com, if you have any suggestions please e-mail them to me, and also please forward this to anyone you think may enjoy it.
Thank you again for joining me on this journey,
Robb
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
January 6, 2009
Good Morning Friends,
Today may be cold and brisk ( or down right freezing your tush off), none the less it is great to be alive so I start each morning with a brief salutation. I have a choice when I get up, and that is to choose joy or sorrow, to live in the moment or to look for a better tomorrow. Those of you who already know me get it. So I choose joy, I mean I say out loud ( much to the surprise of my bed mate Fern), I choose joy, I choose to live in the moment. It is not that I am not concerned about tomorrow, it is just if we live in the moment, not the day but this moment, we don't miss out on the true pleasures of life, we get to squeeze every last drop, both spiritual and material, leaving no room for regrets.
You may remember from my Facebook post a few weeks past that this life we live is really a journey, kind of a spiritual road trip. As with all road trips you need to be prepared for what may lay ahead while enjoying every moment of the ride. But what you don't bring, what you can never, ever take with you are the Twins, regret and guilt. Now for many of us we grew up with the Twins. We ate with them, slept with them, played and studied with them. They were certainly the favorites of my parents. The funny thing is that no matter what faith or background you claim as your own, the Twins were part of your family life. The twins are the excess baggage you schlep around, weighing you down, like a cloud on your brain, preventing you from ever finding true peace and happiness and of course the whole point of this, Joy!
So dust off the snow on your spiritual vehicle and get ready for the ride of your life. Buckle up, but not too tight or you may just limit your joy. At first you may just be learning to take charge of your life, that is fine, really it is ok. You will be the passenger until you feel ready or until your Guide pushes you to this decision. For that purpose I have provided you with a driver of sorts, a guide if you will. Let's call him Irv. Irv has been around many lifetimes in our way of seeing the world. He will help shepherd you thru the first part of this road trip and will alert you to the warning signs along the way. Now he can not, will not make decisions as to which way to turn or go, but what he is here is to show alternatives and to give a chance to think about what you may do or where you may want to travel. Of course you already understand this, if you decide to go this way, you will encounter this or that, the thing is to be prepared ( spiritually) for your choices.
Your life after all is a series of choices set before you, like a book you are writing, a series of chapters that make up your life, change the ending change the whole story. Same for your road trip, change your direction, change where you will go, pretty simple huh! So don't worry about your choices just yet, you need to get comfortable with this change of living, living proactively and not reactively. What I mean is you need to meet life on your terms, not the other way around. And even though life will try and throw you a few curves now and then, who cares, it is the curves and uncertainty that makes life interesting. Now you don't really want a boring life of complete certainty do you. Of course not, the curves on the road like the ebb and flow of the waves that may make you a little uncomfortable at first, ( or down right nauseous), but what the heck, life was not meant for a smooth, straight driving experience. Your life should be fun and exciting. At times you may yearn for that smooth, straight forward route, well ok, it is your choice always, so go ahead, take a safer, uneventful route, or may be your just need a a rest stop. Maybe you are getting a bit ahead of yourself, it is perfectly fine to just slow down and take the measure or figure out which way the winds are blowing. What I am saying is, there is no right or wrong way to journey thru life, the best we can do is to learn from our mistakes, embrace them and move forward or sometimes laterally, life is just like that sometimes.
Have a joyful day, and always remember you are valued and loved by so many and that your absence is a void in someones life.
Robb
If you have enjoyed this post, please sign up with Google and post a comment, just go to:
http://robbpacker.blogspot.com/
or e-mail your comments to: rpacker820@aol.com
Today may be cold and brisk ( or down right freezing your tush off), none the less it is great to be alive so I start each morning with a brief salutation. I have a choice when I get up, and that is to choose joy or sorrow, to live in the moment or to look for a better tomorrow. Those of you who already know me get it. So I choose joy, I mean I say out loud ( much to the surprise of my bed mate Fern), I choose joy, I choose to live in the moment. It is not that I am not concerned about tomorrow, it is just if we live in the moment, not the day but this moment, we don't miss out on the true pleasures of life, we get to squeeze every last drop, both spiritual and material, leaving no room for regrets.
You may remember from my Facebook post a few weeks past that this life we live is really a journey, kind of a spiritual road trip. As with all road trips you need to be prepared for what may lay ahead while enjoying every moment of the ride. But what you don't bring, what you can never, ever take with you are the Twins, regret and guilt. Now for many of us we grew up with the Twins. We ate with them, slept with them, played and studied with them. They were certainly the favorites of my parents. The funny thing is that no matter what faith or background you claim as your own, the Twins were part of your family life. The twins are the excess baggage you schlep around, weighing you down, like a cloud on your brain, preventing you from ever finding true peace and happiness and of course the whole point of this, Joy!
So dust off the snow on your spiritual vehicle and get ready for the ride of your life. Buckle up, but not too tight or you may just limit your joy. At first you may just be learning to take charge of your life, that is fine, really it is ok. You will be the passenger until you feel ready or until your Guide pushes you to this decision. For that purpose I have provided you with a driver of sorts, a guide if you will. Let's call him Irv. Irv has been around many lifetimes in our way of seeing the world. He will help shepherd you thru the first part of this road trip and will alert you to the warning signs along the way. Now he can not, will not make decisions as to which way to turn or go, but what he is here is to show alternatives and to give a chance to think about what you may do or where you may want to travel. Of course you already understand this, if you decide to go this way, you will encounter this or that, the thing is to be prepared ( spiritually) for your choices.
Your life after all is a series of choices set before you, like a book you are writing, a series of chapters that make up your life, change the ending change the whole story. Same for your road trip, change your direction, change where you will go, pretty simple huh! So don't worry about your choices just yet, you need to get comfortable with this change of living, living proactively and not reactively. What I mean is you need to meet life on your terms, not the other way around. And even though life will try and throw you a few curves now and then, who cares, it is the curves and uncertainty that makes life interesting. Now you don't really want a boring life of complete certainty do you. Of course not, the curves on the road like the ebb and flow of the waves that may make you a little uncomfortable at first, ( or down right nauseous), but what the heck, life was not meant for a smooth, straight driving experience. Your life should be fun and exciting. At times you may yearn for that smooth, straight forward route, well ok, it is your choice always, so go ahead, take a safer, uneventful route, or may be your just need a a rest stop. Maybe you are getting a bit ahead of yourself, it is perfectly fine to just slow down and take the measure or figure out which way the winds are blowing. What I am saying is, there is no right or wrong way to journey thru life, the best we can do is to learn from our mistakes, embrace them and move forward or sometimes laterally, life is just like that sometimes.
Have a joyful day, and always remember you are valued and loved by so many and that your absence is a void in someones life.
Robb
If you have enjoyed this post, please sign up with Google and post a comment, just go to:
http://robbpacker.blogspot.com/
or e-mail your comments to: rpacker820@aol.com
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
January 1-5 2010 or Y2K10
Dear friends,
I am going to be writing a daily ( if time permits ) / or a weekly blog. I have received many encouraging e-mails on my FaceBook posts that I have decided to try this on a regular basis. You have let me know how much these snipets of spirituality have affected you in a positive way.
So here we go, somedays they will be short, other days i will be able to give full sway to my reflections on the comings and goings of life on Planet Earth. The stated purpose is quite simple, and that is to inspire those of you who may need a bit of a boost and to let all of you know how wonderful your life turely is. We often do not recognize the blessings bestowed upon us, but are quick to see them in others without as much as to a thought to what are lives mean what we represent to others. How much you would be missed if you were not present in the life of so many that you touch. Because in truth we live when we not only touch others, but we aloow others to touch us.
I see in the world today that people do not know or understand their true worth and that life does not matter, on the contrary, it is you a single life force that is required to make the needed changes to make the world not perfect, but more perfect. That life here turns on a single thought, and that thought is you! So take sometime this week and get yourself quiet, and in this quiet moment look inside and find what it is you want, who you are or who you need to be.
Robb
I am going to be writing a daily ( if time permits ) / or a weekly blog. I have received many encouraging e-mails on my FaceBook posts that I have decided to try this on a regular basis. You have let me know how much these snipets of spirituality have affected you in a positive way.
So here we go, somedays they will be short, other days i will be able to give full sway to my reflections on the comings and goings of life on Planet Earth. The stated purpose is quite simple, and that is to inspire those of you who may need a bit of a boost and to let all of you know how wonderful your life turely is. We often do not recognize the blessings bestowed upon us, but are quick to see them in others without as much as to a thought to what are lives mean what we represent to others. How much you would be missed if you were not present in the life of so many that you touch. Because in truth we live when we not only touch others, but we aloow others to touch us.
I see in the world today that people do not know or understand their true worth and that life does not matter, on the contrary, it is you a single life force that is required to make the needed changes to make the world not perfect, but more perfect. That life here turns on a single thought, and that thought is you! So take sometime this week and get yourself quiet, and in this quiet moment look inside and find what it is you want, who you are or who you need to be.
Robb
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