February 8th, 2008 by Marcia

I know you probably get moving too quickly as you go about your days, right?  And you also know that it’s your choice to maintain that pace, knowing that it’s hard on you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, right?

Well, just come away from what you’re doing for a moment with me.  Let’s go onto my back porch.  The first thing I do is I take off the old pale purple flannel sheet that I put over the flower pots last night before bed.  It’s still chilly out, but it’s going to warm up fast today and I want to give the flowers a chance to soak up some of this delicious sun.

I see the soil is getting dry, so I’ll water them in a few minutes.  But first I lean over to smell the purple and white flowers that are still blooming.   Since summer!  I don’t know their name, I just know they fill me with smiles everytime I smell them.  Their stems are bent over from the weight of the sheet.  I know that with some fresh water and the warmth, they’ll be stretching upwards soon.

Next, I go and sit down against the wall, my face to the sun.  The stone at my back is really cold, and feels perfect with the heat on my face.  A cold nose brushes my hand and I open my eyes to see one of my dogs.  He climbs onto my lap and we both inhale deeply, delighting in the fresh air and the luxury of sitting together, peacefully drinking in the sun’s rays.  I look down at the top of his head and marvel at the miracle of his beauty.  His ears and the top of his head are so smooth, like velvet.  The red, the brown, the blond and the white hairs all blend and shine together under my tender hands.  I am in awe of the perfection of color, texture and how all the little hairs are each sitting where they’re supposed to be.  My heart fills with gratitude for having this perfect moment.

It is a very simple thing, really, isn’t it?  To take a few minutes from our day and to focus on the details of nature, some part of God’s creation?  The benefits are extraordinary:  by bringing your focus to the details, not the details of all your “doing” but the details of your “being,” you improve your health on all levels.  It is a form of meditation.  Your heart rate slows, your breathing deepens, your senses come alive, you remove yourself from the negative energies around you, and you open a space inside for healing and gratitude.  There are other benefits to be gleaned from this simple exercise. 

So go ahead, take a few moments and go outside and really study a flower or a leaf.  Breathe deeply.  Get into the details.  Give it a try and let me know what you discover!

Many blessings!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

August 14th, 2007 by Marcia

A client asked me recently how she can possibly “choose” joy. “Isn’t joy something that just happens?” she asked?

My response was simple: Yes, it does just happen at times, and yes, you can absolutely make a choice to feel joy. Both are true.

What is Joy?

What is joy as you experience it? What brings you great pleasure? I’ll describe a few things that bring me joy. A few minutes ago, I took a plant out of the dirt in my backyard and put it back in a pot and brought it inside. I bought this plant about a week ago, and it lived in the house for the first couple of days. Oh, it was truly magnificent! The colors were stunning, and it practically grinned back at me when I was admiring it.

Less Joyful to More Joyful

I decided it needed to go outside, and be properly planted in the back garden. I chose a location that had partial shade and lovingly planted it. The first day, it began to show wear and tear, and I figured it was just the shock of leaving the pot and being transplanted. Then, yesterday and today, it was clearly suffering from the intense heat. Partial shade wasn’t enough for this sensitive plant.

I took it out of the ground a little while ago, and put it into a pot and brought it back into the house. I took off the dead leaves and gave it some water. It began to perk up immediately. We grinned back at each other.

Now, that’s joy. My heart was singing, as the beauty of this plant touches me to my core. Other things that bring me joy are walks with my daughter, playing hide and seek with my dogs, seeing a rainbow close to my house, or sharing in someone else’s joy.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!