I AM ALIVE!!!!!  Isn't that wonderful? 

I am pretty sure that there will be someone who reads that first sentence and consider it a no brainer.  I mean, how could I be writing this if I weren't alive.  However, is it really?

How many times have any of us wondered exactly what being alive is all about?  How many of us have wondered exactly how to be alive?  I am here to consider the creative wonder of being alive using rather mundane methods.  I have come to believe that which we consider mundane may well be the highest spiritual acts that we perform on a daily basis, and, as time goes by, perhaps you will consider this possibility as well.

There is a move toward spiritual enlightenment in the age we live in.  We are all being pulled into a wonderful state of understanding that we are all individual parts of "one" and isn't that idea of being part of the ultimate "tribe" satisfying?  We read, we learn to meditate, we affirm.  In general, we spend a great deal of time finding ways to profoundly connect with "The Universe" and activate Law of Attraction and any other number of unchangeable Universal Laws of Truth.  I know this because I have done this, am doing this and will continue to do this. 

And while I have been doing this something happened.  The obvious escaped me as I spent time searching for the invisible.  The mundane business of daily living was set aside so that I had adequate time and energy to "search and seek" for the ultimate truth of life.

My dear friend Linda made an observation one day as I was sharing my latest bit of enlightenment with her.  Let me set the stage... standing in the kitchen surrounded by piles of books ( I LOVE BOOKS) with titles covering Feng Shui, Meditation, Affirmation, Spiritual Healing, Crystals, and Law of Attraction in general.  The bathroom off the kitchen was filled with more books as well as bottles and jars strewn on the counter.  A pile of laundry.......well, you get the picture.  Her observation?  "You sure have attracted an abundance of chaos.  You're so busy working on your afterlife, how about taking a few minutes putting some energy into the one you have now?"

A twinge of "hurt" as I was able to see my life through her eyes.  Suddenly I understood the words, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."  I used to think that was about eating chocolate.  Seems not.  Now, how many Feng Shui books had I read and tossed aside when I realized how much "work" was needed to activate the principles.  Feng Shui having the most dominate pages calling for taking care of the business of daily living, but it is by no means the only reference. 

Now here is something to consider....Martha Stewart may well be as spiritually powerful and instructive as Louise Hay or Doreen Virtue.  Martha Stewart as a spiritual icon. 

Now, that is the thought I leave you to think.

I have been paying attention to my need for balance in my life.  I am finding that it becomes increasingly lopsided to expend all my energy on my spiritual growth and take for granted that my spirit will handle all of the physical needs in the background.  I am beginning to see that sometimes the physical needs to give the spirit a rest...lol....and carry it in the background.  Paying attention to balance.

My right foot hurt a bit today.  It ached on the top of the foot where all the little bones criss cross and I felt it up into my ankle.  I was tired as well and I seemed to find myself walking slower and slower throughout the day until I found myself wondering if I would even make the block from the bus to home.  I stood at the crosswalk feeling quite sorry for myself and who do you suppose is on the other side of the street waiting to cross as well.  A young man in a wheelchair.  I immediately gave thanks that I could feel the discomfort in every step I was able to take. 

It was then that I began to notice the writing in the air.  The gentle loving reminders that the Universe places in front of each and every one of us as to the outcomes that we experience on a daily basis.  Outcomes that have sprung forth from each decision made.  A simple decision to eat a tuna salad on white bread can have uncomfortable physical consequences for me.  I find that amazing that something seemingly insignificant can have such significant consequences for me.

Here may be the place to say that I have been relatively pain free for a year since my doctor suggested I follow the Blood Type Diet, and I did, and I do...for the most part, however, I have taken in a little more wheat than I should over the past 6 weeks and I have neglected to take my suppliments over a longer period of time than that.  Ah, the Universal Law of Consequence in action!  I have determined that this very act of eating things on my "Avoid" list is undermining one of my important goals.  That goal is to practice extreme self care. 
Yesterday, I took the time to do a long overdue manicure and pedicure.  I felt quite self satisfied that I had taken care of myself.  This was a simple caring, unlike eating properly so that my body will support my spirit for years to come.  Taking the time to plan, prepare and celebrate a diet rich in the nutrients my body as an individual needs is extreme self care.  Painting my finger and toe nails is a simple act of love for myself that does not necessarily determine my ability to remain here to do the work I came here to do. 

However, the Universal Source does take the time to remind me to look at what I might take the time to consider as priorities in the most extraordinary of ways.  Again, balance-health and beauty?

A woman feeling sorry for herself because her foot hurts when she walks comes face to face with a young man in a wheelchair who feels no pain because he can not walk.

Now isn't this the stuff of a hundred forwarded emails?

Where does one start.  I live in small bayside community in British Columbia that is filled with the most amazing people.  This time of year the small city is filled with tourists enjoying the beach, fish and chips and fabulous ice cream.  Today I had the opportunity to look into the faces of people I had never seen before and ask the question, "why did you come here to earth...what is your mission?"  Perhaps odd for some but to my fellow Gaians, a normal question no doubt.

The little cottage I rent hasn't a straight corner or level floor in it and yet I love it.  I love the life memories in the almost hundred year old plaster and the way it feels warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  I love the yard with the vegetables and flowers growing in the same yard that my little American Cocker Spaniel runs in and plays with the big soccer ball.  I love the neighbors that are so supportive in everything I undertake to do, like the garden I planted for the first time this year.  The sound of the lady next doors laughter as she plays with her son is beautiful music and the way her husband carries him on his shouldars is a sight to see.  I love the fact that I go to work everyday in a place where people can stop and talk about what I do on my day off.

What's the best thing about where I live?  I am here and I am alive and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful place.  That is the absolute best thing about where I live.

Cara Leah

Oh this question is way to easy for those who choose to be honest.  My greatest distraction is computer games.  My personal choices would be Zuma Deluxe  or Saaquarah.  I am always amazed when the people around me are oblivious to my need to hide in my obsessive distraction.....lol.  Works better than any previous defense mechanism I ever developed and called my own.  LOL.

How does one know that they are their own worst enemy?  It is quite simple really. 

What do you do to make feeling good go away?

This is something that has come to rest on my doorstep this week.  Let me explain.  I do not much care for doctors and I definately have no use for pharmecueticals.  This week I have seen two doctors and filled a prescription.  Hmmmm,  now what is going on here?  More background required.

About 15 months ago I was feeling worse than I believed I had ever felt before in my entire life.  I did a number of things to solve my problem and nothing seemed to work . The pain in my aging body became a constant, noisy companion at best.  I do believe that there were very few places that did not let me know they existed and I may have had a few aches and pains in places nobody would believe existed.  I finally broke down and went to see a doctor.  I was lucky to find a medically trained physician who did not believe that the traditional medical model was the beginning and the end of all human existence.  He suggested I use the Blood Type Diet as a way to begin the healing in my body AND he made a point of telling me of patients who were miraculously healed as a result of this "diet book".   I do believe he mentioned a liver patient but that is really neither here nor there.  I bought the book and immediately tossed it aside because I didn't want to give up anything that it said I should not eat.  Three months later I was back in his office feeling even worse and he noticed I was toting the book around and suggested I use it.  I did.

I admit that within 2 weeks a great deal of the pain I had been feeling was virtually non-existent.  I lost 40 pounds along with the pain over the following six months AND kept the weight off and the pain at bay until about 8 weeks ago.  What changed?

I did.  Approximately 8 weeks ago I started eating things that I had not eaten for over a year and I have pain.  I have swelling and my joints are screaming at me.  Today I filled a prescription for something that I thought would never be a part of my life again.  An anti-inflammatory.   How did this happen?  I simply did what so many of us do,  I went back to my old ways.  No pity for myself here, just a blinding awareness that I have issues around feeling good. 

I know very few people who do not have issues around "feeling good" both physically and emotionally.  I work with the public in the retail arena so I have had many conversations with women around my weight loss over the past year.  I heard the standard question over and over again, "How did you do it?"  I was so eager to share the how with anyone who would listen, as we all are when we find the "secret" to any success encountered but I was also amazed at how many people had already done the program, succeeded at weight loss and ended right back where they started because they approached the new eating pattern as part of a weight loss program instead of a lifestyle change.  I have heard at least a hundred women recount their success story only to hear it end with..."So it didn't work for me."   Well here I am, in a position to set myself up to use those exact words. 

The clear difference here is that I KNOW the only reason the program stopped working for me is because I stopped the program.  Again, why?  Again, I felt really good and I must not really want that at some level.  At this point it is important to note that there was nobody else in my life, personal or professional attempting to sabatoge me in any way, so, I only had myself to count on to do the deed.  My old enemy, always lurking in the background just waiting for the opportunity to knock me down a peg or two.  I can always depend on me to be my own worst enemy when needed.

So, I will be pondering the question in order to bring myself into full conscious awareness that "the enemy" is active.   A good question for everyone to ask from time to time.  My time is now.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAKE FEELING GOOD GO AWAY?

First the "What's" and then the "Why's"