Tag Archive for: inspirational

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Remember, you have the music in you!

Yes, you have the music in you!

“When the night is falling

and you cannot find the light

…If you feel your dreams are dying

…Hold tight.

You’ve got the music in you.”

–The New Radicals, You Get What You Give

As we approach Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere, daytime shortens and nighttime lengthens. The natural world settles in for rest and rejuvenation before it springs forth at the next turn of the wheel. It is also a time of Christmas lights and Hanukkah lights.

This time of year is also one of carols, hymns, and other songs and types of lyrical merriment.  It’s also a time when the muse moves through each of us.  To turn a phrase:  As without, so within.

In this edition of Soul Notes, let’s allow ourselves to breathe in the beautiful music that surrounds us this time of year – and at the same time, let us behold the music that stirs within us. Music from the outside and from within:  One is physical; the other, metaphysical, perhaps? Spiritual, for certain.

As the year draws to a close, I invite you to take an accounting of the music within you that you have already “let out” this year, for all to hear. At the same time, consider this:

What music is still within you, that has been laying dormant, that is ready to rise to the surface and be expressed? What have you been subduing, that you may benefit from bringing forward into next year, and out into the light?

You’ve Got the MUSE-Ic in YOU

In Greek mythology, there are nine muses, all dedicated to and presiding over the arts and sciences, one of whom is the goddess of music.

There are various etymologies for “muse” and “music”.

Suffice it to say, however, that it is not sound, by itself, which makes “music.” It is the feeling of satisfaction that it invokes within the person receiving and perceiving the sound. It is the stirring of deeply felt emotions which constitutes music, and that separates it from noise. As with the muses themselves, music inspires. It brings forth beauty. It encourages the heart.

InSPIRation

From the inside out

Creation

Moves through you

Out into the world

You feel it in your body

Sensation

Vibration

Rings

Rattles

Roars

Harmony

Evoked

Alive!

It spurs on a deeper and richer experience. It touches and awakens your spirit, your soul.  Nineteenth century physician (and member of the “Fireside Poets”) Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. offered up this spiritual prescription:

“Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

He also said that most of us go to our grave with our music still inside us. It is not about getting ready to live.  It’s about living fully expressed, before our time runs out.

So, as you embrace this time of year, I invite you to find some quiet moments to reflect on what you desire to bring out from the darkness into the light.  Is it a book?  Is it a composition of another sort?  Any other creative endeavor? A new way of showing up in the world?  In your community? In your relationships?

I’ll be doing the same.  I’ll let you know how it goes!

Wishing you and yours all the joys and blessings of the season.

For your consideration:

Get quiet, and reflect for a moment: When has a particular piece of music moved you?  What was it about it that touched your spirit, your soul?

Okay, your turn:

When has music inspired you? In what ways?  What about your own MUSE-ic inside you?  What within you is ready to be expressed?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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The beautiful essence of YOU!

“’To be or not to be?’ ~ That is the question.” –William Shakespeare

 

The Essence of YOU

There have been, of course, tomes written about the works of Shakespeare, and Hamlet in particular. I’ll not create another one here on the blog; but suffice it to say that in the play, Hamlet poses this “to be or not to be” question during one of the character’s now most famous soliloquies, and it refers primarily to his facing his own death.   There is much more to say about this aspect of the play. For purposes of this edition of Soul Notes, however, let’s explore the phrase in terms of “to be or not to be our authentic selves.”

To be or not to be our own true essence. It’s about returning home to ourselves.

Otherwise, in denying our true selves, we do indeed face a death of a different sort:  a creative death. Denying who you are means keeping yourself less than fully expressed.   It means dimming your light. It means pulling your soul into a tight ball, unto itself. That really does a disservice to yourself and to those around you. It takes its toll. You pay a high price. Self-expression, when repressed, makes for self-depression.

 

“You are all things. Denying, rejecting, judging or hiding from any aspect of your total being creates pain and results in a lack of wholeness.” -Joy Page

For example, maybe you find yourself no longer creating music, or even listening to music. When once you were the first person on the dance floor, now you’re suddenly hanging back in the shadows, affixed to your chair. Maybe you used to be the first to jump in line to sing karaoke? Or, you used to pick up a paintbrush, pastels or colored pencils and create works of art on a moment’s whim, purely for the enjoyment of it. Or, curling up in a well-lit corner to write poems, short stories, or other forms of prose was something you did on a regular basis. Now, perhaps you’re lucky if you can find a good pen that works?

This of course, also requires viewing ourselves as creative beings, by our very nature. Yes, you out there who when reading this, may be saying to yourself: “Oh, I don’t have a creative bone in my body.” You do have a creative bone. You do. Several!  You are creative. You are!

There’s also something to be said for fully be-ing, and not merely do-ing. Busy BEEness is not the same as BE-ingness! Buzzing around, appearing to look busy, often bears little if any resemblance to embracing your true self, and embodying your true essence, and being who you truly are. It often serves as a distraction, a substitute.

“Essence” comes from the same Latin root as “essential.” Your essence is essential to who you ARE. It’s what gives you your particular character. It is your distinctiveness. As with an essential oil, it is you, distilled down to your core. Sandalwood is not any more akin to frankincense or bergamot or peppermint than you are to someone other than yourself.

And, feel free to express yourself in all ways that feel good to you. As long as you’re not hurting anyone else, why not? What’s stopping you? When I was about five years old, my older brothers and I would watch American Bandstand and Soul Train on television. The brothers would sit on the couch and make comments about the bands, the music, and which dancers they liked best.

For me, I couldn’t contain myself! A minute or two into each program, I was up in front of the TV dancing to nearly every song.  I envisioned myself right there on the set, groovin’ right along with the rest of the dancers. My brothers often rolled their eyes, groaned in feigned disapproval, and would ask me to move over to the side of the TV.  But, that didn’t stop me from expressing myself! I loved those shows, and I couldn’t wait to get up and dance.

Somewhere along the line, however, for me and for many of us, the “critics on the couch” take up more and more space in our psyches. If we let them.   I say, take back that power. Reclaim who you are.

It can be painful to dim your light. To hide your true essence. Wonder Woman’s super heroine powers were hidden under the cloak of her alter ego, Diana Prince. And, while fronting as Clark Kent, a reporter for The Daily Planet, Superman would wear his “S” under his street clothes. When called into action, he’d first need to duck into a phone booth or the office’s storage closet, to reveal his true identity!

You’re not Clark Kent. You’re not Diana Prince. Give yourself permission to be Superman or Wonder Woman. Claim it for yourself.

Be that.

Be you.

Not just some of the time.

All of the time.

Save the day.

Save yourself.

 

For your consideration:

Get quiet, and reflect for a moment: When have you felt most at-home, as your true self?

Okay, your turn:

How do you and your true essence show up in the world?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Take it outside!

With this edition of Soul Notes, I invite you to take a soul soother – a soulful sojourn. It’s time to enjoy the wonder of the great outdoors!

Now, before you picture yourself out frolicking in a field of daisies or lavender (oh, wait, that does seem pretty nice, doesn’t it?) – by outdoors, I simply mean, out of the doors – beyond the four walls likely surrounding you at this very moment.

Outside: It does a body (and soul)  good!

“Outside” needn’t mean that you ought to be headed out into the wilderness, with a Swiss army knife, a compass, and a portable stove. And, it needn’t mean that you’re going to be hanging from a rock ledge, suspended mid-air over the Grand Canyon. Okay, yes — it could be that, if that’s your pleasure!

It may just as well be in an urban setting. How about taking a walk along the storefronts? Or, how about sitting on a bench in a nearby courtyard or city park – between and among the office buildings?

The suggestion here is this: Find a way to get OUTSIDE!

Here’s a wild thought – how about going outside WITHOUT your laptop computer or tablet or smartphone? (Okay, well maybe not until you finish reading this edition of Soul Notes. I know, I know, the irony!) I suppose you could bring your electronic devices with you, if you must; although, I dare say that would kind of be “missing the point”! Stay present. Tap into your spirit – hear what your soul has to say! Enjoy all of the landscape! Observe. Be.

What do you notice?

Invoke your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What does the air feel like? What do you notice about the energy outside – is it vibrant? Intense? Still? Serene?

Change of perspective

It’s helpful to gain a change in perspective. Yes, your literal perspective will often impact your virtual one.   For example, as a member of a Los Angeles area bicycle club, I joined in group rides throughout various Southland neighborhoods.   One weekend, we cycled from West L.A. to the heart of Orange County, traveling along the L.A. river, and at times weaving our way through traffic to the Crystal Cathedral and back.

I’ve also spent three weeks bicycling through the hills and dales of County Cork in Ireland, engulfed by gale force winds, and pouring rain (along with some sparkling sunshine)!

Venturing out on a bicycle provides an entirely different vantage point.

Getting outside, up and out and away from our usual cooped up confines creates spaciousness and a renewed appreciation for what lies beyond the four walls. It tends to get the blood flowing. It often allows you to stretch your body, your mind, and even your eyeballs.

Wide open spaces

The sky is a really big place…especially when you’re in it!

Yes, that’s me skydiving above Southern California. That’s when I realized that the sky truly is a very big place!

If you have ever leapt out the side of an airplane from two-and-a-half miles up, you likely know what I mean. During a tandem skydive, my instructor and I plummeted toward the surface of the planet at 125 miles per hour, pulled the rip cord on the parachute, and floated to safety as we eventually put our feet back on terra firma. Throughout the jump, I distinctly recall feeling wildly free and in awe at just how truly expansive is the world that surrounds each of us. From time to time, we may only need a gentle reminder!

Ceremonies in the Park

If you’re like most modern workers, for a good portion of the week, you’re proverbially tied to a desk, hunched over a computer within a cubicle, or hunkered down in some other type of restrictive office space.   On days on end some workers may even remain inside from dawn until dusk. Or, if they are out and about at some point during the day, they are scurrying from one place to the next, often in a car or on some form of mass transit.

This weekend, I’m holding another one of my Full Moon and Water Meditation ceremonies. By design, I lead these women’s circles at a local park. My circle participants often remark at how much they appreciate being outside. They relish the opportunity to leave their work concerns behind, and head out into open spaces for the chance to commune with others and with Spirit out in nature.   Feelings of disconnection turn to feelings of connection.

During the next few days, I encourage you to release yourself from the usual grind, and rekindle your soul!

Feel the ground beneath your feet. Listen for the crunch of gravel or pine needles. Look for cloud formations, feel the breezes, bask in the sunshine or moonshine casting a glow or shadows on objects in your path, along your way.

This month the full moon is a SUPER one (meaning it’s especially close to the Earth). This  supermoon makes for an even greater gravitational pull. Be cognizant of the extra power of this August full moon.   I say we go outside and experience it.  See you outside!

Okay, your turn:

When is the last time you consciously enjoyed the outdoors? In what ways did it shift your mood?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below.  Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Oh, to be the center of (loving) attention

Here’s to the unseen, the unheard…the silent warriors

For the unspoken ones, the quiet ones, the so-called “reliable” and “responsible” ones, this edition of Soul Notes is for you.

This is dedicated to those living with or having lived with a family member with a mental illness.   I would imagine similar experiences ring true in other trying situations in other types of family dynamics as well. With respect and reverence, I honor those, too.

Specifically, here, however, we continue what we started exploring in an earlier post where I shared that I had embarked on an intensive “Family to Family” training program delivered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). I’ve completed that training, and have emerged hopefully with a deepened sense of grace and understanding.

From my own experiences, coupled with what I learned in the NAMI “Family to Family” course

My mother had her first “nervous breakdown” when I was seven. She is bipolar (or what they called back then manic depressive). By my teenage years, on more than one occasion I had witnessed her attempt to end her life. In my 20s, I experienced the downward spiral of my brother who had his own psychotic break and who did die by suicide.

When you’re a family member of someone living with a mental illness, the attention, the focus, the energy centers around that person. “Rightly so!,” you may be exclaiming. Indeed. Agreed.

The need to ascertain and ensure proper dosages of medication, the monitoring of moods, and riding the waves of ever-changing behavior — all require steadfast attention, energy and care.

The persons with the mental illness(es) often feel alone, isolated, and misunderstood. They experience severe pain, disorientation, and confusion. They suffer the pangs of unfair stigma, prejudice and ostracization. Absolutely, they need and deserve loving care and attention. (For a prior discussion regarding empathy for the mentally ill, please go here.)

Resources are created, collected, and distributed to the person or persons with the brain disorder. To the one “acting out.” To the erratic one. They have their own treatment plans, hospital wings and specialized medical personnel. They have their own support groups, etc. Again, rightly so.

But, what about the other family members who are not the ones with the brain disorder? The steady ones? The stalwart ones? The ones who bravely persevere amongst the turbulence and the mayhem? The ones who may have violence directed towards them, and who undergo stressful encounters with law enforcement and medical and paramedical personnel? Ah, there’s the rub, Shakespeare.

As an advocate for all  souls to be shining brightly, I pose this question:

How, then, to garner the attention, focus and care that YOU, as a family member, may also need?

Are your needs and desires to remain cast in the shadows, lost in all the chaotic mix that is, in a household or family structure centered around one or more members living with a brain disorder? I speak for the silent ones. The often overlooked ones. The often forgotten ones in this mix.   I take a stand for these souls. As does NAMI. NAMI’s Family to Family program is designed to support and improve the lives of family members affected by mental illness.  I applaud them, and other organizations like them, for their great work.

The Squeaky Wheel

There’s an American idiom that states in effect: “to the squeaky wheel goes the grease.” In other words, to smooth out the ride, to eradicate the noise, to silence the distraction, apply oil.

What if, however, there is no ‘noticeable’ squeak? As this philosophical question poses: “If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?” The answer is yes! The family members of a loved one with a mental illness are often the silent sufferers. The unsqueaky wheels DO need the grease (i.e., their own loving care and attention). As they are often the ones overlooked, that is all the more reason to pay them close heed.

Families with a mentally ill family member often cloak their experiences in secrecy. They bear the social stigma of having a “crazy” family member. They are deemed unstable-by-association. And, within their own families, the non mentally ill ones often feel and are in effect treated as if they are “invisible.”

Self-care and Support

It’s important for the family members to find healthy ways to take care of themselves, and that includes surrounding themselves with their own support system. Wonderfully, NAMI offers support groups not only for the ill persons, but for the family members as well.

As discussed in the Family to Family class, family members suffer their own unique burdens. The course classifies them into objective life burdens and the subjective burden of their own painful and often hidden, unexpressed feelings. The objective life burdens often include:

  • getting through crises with the ill family member while maintaining the needs of the other family members
  • inevitable family conflicts due to different coping styles and perspectives on how best to handle certain situations
  • finding a way to balance work or school responsibilities with treatment and care responsibilities
  • financial concerns and plans for future care
  • being “menaced” by someone you love
  • taking on dual or multiple roles within the family
  • having to grow up too fast
  • worried that you will get the illness, too
  • lack of an understanding peer group

And, again, the subjective burdens are the often unexpressed feelings and hurts associated with being a family member of someone who is mentally not well.

NAMI Graduation

Which brings me to our graduation from the NAMI Family to Family course. On a recent Saturday, I joined my twenty or so classmates in a joyous celebration. Our weeks of emotionally draining at times, uplifting at times, and overall deeply bonding time together, came to a close.

We had our own graduation ceremony. Okay, so there were no actual caps and gowns, but someone did play “Pomp and Circumstance” from her smart phone! And, we each walked up to the front of the room, and received our Certificates and some came complete with a gold seal for Perfect Attendance. Without exception, each person cheered for one another as we accepted our ‘diplomas’. We had our pictures taken with our instructors, and as a group.

We were the center of attention. We weren’t the squeaky wheels. And, we didn’t need to be. We were seen, heard, respected, appreciated and loved — for who we are and what we have each experienced. And, it felt great.

3 Suggestions to Consider:

I leave you with three suggestions to consider and to incorporate into your lives should you know of a colleague, friend, or other loved one who may be experiencing hidden, locked or unexpressed feelings as a result of living with someone with a mental illness:

  1. From a place of compassion and understanding, let them know you are available to listen, without judgment, and are open to hearing about their perspective and their experiences.
  2. Allow them to express their fear, doubt, anxiety, nervousness, frustration, anger, shame, guilt or any other telling aspects of their experiences to whatever extent they feel comfortable. This is true for adults, and especially true for children – who may need loving encouragement and reassurance that it is safe to express their feelings, and that their feelings are indeed valid.
  3. Go ahead and dote on them once in awhile! Allow them to be the center of your loving attention. Allow them to take a break, have a little fun, and let loose for a change. Life need not always be so heavy. They will likely savor every bit of those precious moments.

So, here’s to the silent brave ones! Carry on! We see you. We hear you. We care about you. You matter!

Okay, your turn:

What experiences have you had with someone whose family member has a mental illness? If you are a family member of someone with a mental illness, what one thing would you like others to understand?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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It’s time to vibrate the cosmos!

As we introduced in a previous post:   Yogi Bhajan, a master of kundalini yoga and spiritual teacher for decades to thousands worldwide, taught a set of principles that he coined the Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age.

This edition of Soul Notes draws to a close our 5-part series, with this one devoted to Sutra #5: “Vibrate the cosmos. The cosmos will clear the path.”

“Vibrate the cosmos. The cosmos will clear the path.”

[Sutra 5, Yogi Bhajan]

This sutra is a call to action.

Everything is in motion

Everything is moving. It’s all energy (and matter). Everything and everyone is vibrating at its own frequency. We’re a human body full of molecules (as is the chair you are likely sitting on right now) and all is moving as we live on a living planet that’s also moving. The earth is orbiting the sun. The moon is orbiting the earth. I love those “you are here” photos taken from space. It helps to take this larger view. It reminds us that with the cosmos comes expansiveness and limitless possibilities.

Ready and awake

For the most part, animals in the wild often remain still, lying in wait. They reserve their energy by springing from and then returning to a natural, neutral state. When the time is right, they spring into action. They do so at just the right, intended moment.

Are we humans that much different? Wouldn’t we also benefit from springing from and returning to our own natural, neutral state? Neutral does not mean passive! It does not mean stagnation. It is not a state of non-awareness. Quite the contrary. It’s a state of full alertness. It’s being truly awake to all that’s around us!

Tip: Setting aside time for a daily practice furthers and facilitates this state of what I would call “alert neutrality.” Some forms include: meditation, prayer, quiet reflection, observation, writing in a journal. For the benefits of a daily practice and some examples, go here.

Spring into action and make waves!

Like the strings of an instrument, be it a violin or guitar or a banjo — and whether it be by way of plucking, picking, or strumming the strings — each sends off a unique vibration.

Our own voices provide a channel. We each have our own built-in vibration creator! Chanting, humming, singing, they all carry their own vibration, too. And, whether you’re on your yoga mat, in the shower, or in your car – use your voice, and vibrate to your own private cosmos!   This will raise your own frequency, and in turn will impact those with whom you interact throughout the day.

It’s as if we’re knocking on Cosmos’s door, and saying with confidence, “Hey there, Cosmos! Bring it on! I’m ready! Clear the path! Let’s go!”

Remember that you may always return to a neutral state. Reserve and extend your energy wisely. Refresh, regroup, and reset. We don’t always need to be clearing a new path. When we are ready, though, we know what to do – vibrate the cosmos, and the cosmos will provide!

Lighten the load – raise your vibration

Again, a daily practice plays a helpful role in getting you back to a neutral state and in tune (pun intended) with what you desire to set in motion. What is it that you’d like the cosmos to clear the path for? What burdens are weighing you down, that when lifted, will raise your vibration?

From a place of inspiration and divine wisdom, set the vibration and then let go. Trust the cosmos to clear the path for you. When activated, your desires set in motion the future you intend to create. Your thoughts and your words hold their own vibrations, too. You get to decide which ones you embrace, and which ones you discard. With this (e)motion set in motion, you’re primed to take inspired action. That one action in turn creates another, and another, and so on, and so on. The ripples continue on, creating the desired results.

That is not to say that you’ll be able to control all other vibrations coming toward and all around you! It is to say, however, that you get to decide which tune you wish to play.

“When you pray, move your feet.” – African proverb

In conventional society, we’re often told “not to make waves.” And, “don’t rock the boat.” Phooey! This Sutra gives us permission – in fact, encourages us – to do precisely that. Ocean waves, sound waves, waves of light — nature is full of waves that carry energy with them. So too, shall each of us. During these enlightened times, the yearning, the impulse, is there. We no longer feel satiated by staying in one place. We feel the urge to raise our vibration. That’s the build-up of pressure that is ready to be released. (For tips on starting, so that the pressure will be off, go here.)

So, here we go:

Stir things up! Shake things loose! With your archer’s bowstring, pull back your arrow and let ‘er fly! The time is now.

Okay, your turn:

Are you ready to vibrate the cosmos? What path do you intend to clear? What are you sending out?  Are you vibrating at the frequency of love? Of service? Of loving service?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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It is through compassion, that we understand

Ready for another of Yogi Bhajan’s 5 Sutras?

Yogi Bhajan, a master of kundalini yoga and spiritual teacher for decades to thousands worldwide, taught a set of principles that he coined the Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age.

This edition of Soul Notes continues our 5-part series, with this one devoted to Sutra #4: “Understand through compassion, or you will misunderstand the times.”

“Understand through compassion, or you will misunderstand the times.”

[Sutra 4, Yogi Bhajan]

This sutra is one of pure beauty.

With this sutra, it just seems right to take it word by word, each precious word. Remember dissecting and diagramming sentences in English class? Okay, I won’t go there exactly, but I do feel that this particular sutra packs an especially powerful punch! Let’s explore each word or phrase in turn. Throughout, I invite you to tune in and lean into the feelings each invokes.

Understand

Understand what, or whom? Does it relate to “the times”? Understand the times? If so, it is a reference to understanding the new age, the Aquarian age. Or, rather, does it mean to understand each other? How about remembering to understand ourselves? I’d venture to say that the answer to these questions is “all of the above.”

Through

Notice that the sutra includes the word, “through.” The word chosen was not “by” or “with” compassion. It’s through compassion. Through suggests that it comes from within, and not from without, from outside ourselves. Through suggests motion, flow, fluidity. It is not passive. It’s active. As so shall we be active in invoking this sutra and its intention.

It is through and from the heart, not the mind, that we live compassion – we ARE compassion. No matter how many positive thoughts  we may have, it is through a compassionate heart that we live in and through our truth. It is through and from the heart that we embody our divine essence.

Compassion

The word compassion means “to suffer with.”   Suffer means to carry or to bear. So, we carry that feeling or emotion. Again, it’s active, not passive.

Compassion also suggests a shared feeling, understanding or experience. At its core, it suggests oneness, not separateness. This harkens us back to Sutra #1: Recognize that the other person is you. (For a refresher on Sutra 1, go here.)

Recently I started my “Family to Family” training with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a mental health organization devoted to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. As I shared in an earlier post, my brother died by suicide. And, as a child, on more than one occasion I witnessed my mother (who is bipolar) attempting to kill herself. I believe strongly that part of my own spiritual path and calling includes helping others whose families include one or more persons living with a mental illness.

Through the Family to Family course we are learning about brain disorders, including: schizophrenia, bipolar, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and related mental misfirings.

A recent class session was devoted to empathy and compassion – for our loved ones (suffering from these types of brain disorders), and for ourselves. According to the NAMI Family to Family program, empathy is: “The intimate comprehension of another person’s thoughts and feelings, without imposing our own judgment or expectations.”

Many of the behaviors displayed by someone with these disorders seemingly don’t “make sense” to the other family members. Additionally, the behaviors are often erratic and unpredictable, leaving the family members living in a constant state of uneasiness. And, for the person with the disorder, the behaviors often are driven by the need for self-protection and a yearning to feel safe in what truly seems to them to be an unsafe world.

Throughout the empathy learning module, we explored a number of guidelines. Although created to help family members feel compassion toward the person with a brain disorder, I’d venture to say that as with Sutra #4, these are wise words to apply to many a situation in each of our lives. A few of the guidelines are: 1. Don’t criticize; 2. Don’t buy into the stigma all around you; 3. Praise the positive behavior every chance you get; 4. It’s okay to set limits – all persons require rules of conduct and cooperative standards by which to live; 5. Remember, everyone can only try to do their best; and 6. Live from a place of grace (tolerance, endurance and self-restraint), while at the same time extending compassion to ourselves during those times when we may not quite muster up all these graces.

“Let compassion win, and you win.” –Yogi Bhajan.

Or you will misunderstand the times

The times are these.  Right now.  The new age.  The Aquarian age.  These are exciting and exalted times.  Through compassion, may we each rise to meet them.

Okay, your turn:

In what ways has compassion served you and those around you? Is there a time when you wished you had shown more compassion, to yourself or to someone else? What does it feel like, for you, to feel compassion?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Yes, it was THAT kind of anniversary

THAT kind of anniversary

In this edition of Soul Notes, I bring to you another personal story. This time, it’s about “one of those” anniversary dates. You see, March 5th each year holds a special place in my calendar.

The kind of anniversary that brings with it its own challenges as well as opportunities for honoring, healing, and growth

I bet you know the kind of anniversary I’m referring to…the kind that maybe you don’t always feel like talking about? Or, maybe you do, but you’re not sure who would want to listen? “Have I told it to that particular person already?” you ask yourself. “Is the story ‘getting old’”?

Is it just a story, or is it more? I’ve come to realize that for me it’s not really just another story, as much as it is an opportunity for healing. And for honoring… the memory of another person, another soul. A sibling. My brother.

My brother died on March 5, 1993. “He took his own life,” as the saying goes. It was a suicide.

So, March 5th for me stands out as the anniversary of a violent act — one that resulted in: a death, a killing, a murder, a suicide, of someone dear to me.

I realize, of course, that all kinds of other events happened that day, too. Beautiful, glorious things happened, in other peoples’ lives, on that date. Those events, however, are not what I remember on March 5th each year.

Each year, though, I do have a choice. I get to decide, for myself: Is it a day I’d rather just ignore, and move right on through…you know, “stay busy,” and treat it as if it’s just another day on the calendar?   Or, do I allow it to immobilize me completely, and encase me in deep sadness, depression, and grief? There’s at least one other choice, too, and that is: HONOR HIS MEMORY, in some personal, poignant and meaningful way. This year, with guidance from a wise mentor, I chose the latter.

What I did to honor his memory this year

This year, March 5th fell on a full moon. Living near the ocean, I headed there as twilight approached. I walked along the beach, with a candle and camera in hand. The brisk ocean breeze meant that as soon I’d light the candle, it would quickly blow out. (The symbolism of this, believe me, did not escape me.) Nonetheless, I stayed true to my intention, and said a quiet prayer of gratitude in honor of my brother and the special bond we shared.

The photograph shown here is one that I took that night. I snapped it while standing on the sand, with the ocean to my back, and with the full moon rising ahead of me in the distance. It captures what I saw as I looked back toward the beachfront, with the houses dotting the bluff.

As I looked up at the moon, I couldn’t help but wonder if my brother ‘saw’ me there that night. I believed that he did, and that he knew then and knows now that he and I are still spiritually connected.

I took in the moonlight and felt my brother’s presence from the other side of the veil. I thanked him for his guidance (I do feel that he guides me even now), and told him that my solemn wish for him was that he be at peace.

With my heart now full and my spirit uplifted, I nodded to the moon (and to him, really), and walked back to my car. Reverence was the theme for the evening. Pure, deep reverence.

Okay, your turn:

In what ways do you honor a loved one’s memory? Do you have a ritual each year that you invoke on a particular date? I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Give us this day, our daily practice…

Why a Daily Practice?

First off, you may be asking yourself: Why bother with a daily practice? Is it really that important?

On any given day, many of us often find ourselves in the midst of busy-ness, chaos, and confusion. Life seemingly just keeps “coming at us,” right? Before we know it, we’re caught in the throes of life’s seemingly endless tasks, to-do lists, and responsibilities. They seem to arrive from all angles – from loved ones, work associates, four-legged furmily members, community, school and volunteer projects, and on and on.

Ah, so where to go for solace, reassurance, and a place of refuge from the storm? Sometimes the best way to use a refuge is to go to that place well before the day revs up its proverbial engine.

Daily practice is in devotion to you, and in turn your life, and to those with whom you come into contact throughout the day. I invite you to consider it to be a spiritual discipline as well. It’s a golden opportunity to connect with Spirit and to recommit to all that is meaningful.

The Value of Consistency

Consistent, regular focus and attention establishes a soothing, grounding rhythm. It builds and deepens, settles in, and at the same times expands and elevates your consciousness. You’re no longer simply “going along for the ride” in your daily life.   You’re in the driver’s seat. How empowering!

A little goes a long way. Keep going. Resist what may be an initial urge or temptation to stop, for no other reason than that it feels strange at first. Anything new will likely feel a little strange. Strange is good – really dreadful, however, not so good! Pay attention to how it feels – in a deeper sense – not just in a superficial, “I’m not accustomed to this” kind of way.

Feel free to experiment, too. Liken it to other ways in which you repeat something and fine-tune it over time. For example, picture it in the way that you would adjust a recipe: What makes for that perfect spaghetti sauce, or that perfect cup of tea?

Just as you would with practicing the guitar, or perfecting your golf swing, it will likely get better and easier over time, too. You will begin to see, feel and enjoy the improvement.   It will begin to feel more and more “natural” to you. Before you know it, you’ll likely wonder what it was ever like before you began to engage in a consistent, daily practice.

What are Some Examples?

A daily practice could be: meditation; focusing on your breathing; reading; journaling; or visualization exercises. Or, it may involve being outside or in nature.   What’s important is that your daily practice be done with a sense of reverence for the sacredness in it, and your self-honoring commitment to taking some dedicated time, just for you – to exploring what’s meaningful for you in your life, and how you wish to show up in it.

Feeling into It

If you’re just beginning a daily practice, or starting a new variation of one, allow it emerge. Allow it to come into being in an amount and degree of intensity that feels right for you. It should feel inspired, not forced.

Build slowly and consistently at a pace or intensity level that you can maintain. It’s not about seeing how quickly you can “get it done and over with” or creating a pressure-filled item to add to your ever-lengthening “to-do” list. It is, however, about honoring the time you’ve set aside for this, and sticking with it. It’s about savoring. (Envision a slow cooker, not a microwave oven!)

Another way to approach it may be to consider this: If you were to venture away from it – your daily practice – would you “miss” it? Would you miss the feelings, the centeredness, the groundedness, the solace, that it brings? If not, either change the practice, or step away from it. Set aside some time to get quiet, be still, and allow a new, more inspired practice to come forward to take its place. This is not something you do out of a sense of sullen obligation or worse yet, out of a sense of guilt…yuck! Turn back! Reconsider! Regroup!

Sacred Space

To the extent logistically possible, aim to maintain this daily practice at the same time each day, and in the same sacred location and designated space. It can be within your home or outside.   When traveling, bring with you an object or piece of clothing as a reminder of, and that holds the same sacred energy as, that of your daily practice back home.

For me, my daily practice takes place in a corner of my bedroom, with an altar and a yoga mat. Each morning, I light a candle, and clear my mind of any chatter, through breathing and meditation. Next, I’ll engage in prayer, yoga, reflection on my heart and soul’s desires, visioning or a combination of these.

If any or all of this seems intimidating, or overwhelming, relax and let that go. Allow any anxiety to subside.

Start with what is “do-able” for you, in the place and space that you are, right now, on this day. And congratulate yourself for embarking on any, or any new-for-you, daily practice! It’s a beautiful way to honor yourself and to take stock of the day and all the wondrous potential within you and all that awaits you.

A Spiritual Discipline – A Ritual with Meaning

When well designed, a daily devotional practice is an easily repeatable process that tells you, your body, mind, spirit and soul – that this is your special time each day – devoted to this practice, and not like any other time of day.

Remember, it’s helpful to “set the scene.” Light a candle, or wear a particular item of clothing. If journaling, have a particular pen set aside just for this purpose. Maybe you choose to sit in a particular spot in your home, or out on your deck, or on a particular bench in a nearby park? Maybe for you, it will involve taking a particular walking trail each day?

Approach it with a certain consciousness, deliberateness, and awareness. It’s surely not done aimlessly and out of a sense of “this is just my same ol’ routine.” It shouldn’t feel ordinary. Rather, welcome it as a divine invitation. Embrace it.  It’s as special and unique as you are!

Okay, your turn:

What is your current daily devotional practice? What feelings tend to arise as you participate each day? What, if any, patterns have been emerging for you, from day-to-day and over time? What are you noticing about your mood, energy level, ability to focus, and the like? Or, if you’re ready to start a brand new daily devotional practice, what are you choosing to incorporate into your day?

Share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Inspirations from the Mat

Making it to the mat

As my kundalini yoga teacher says, just “making it to the mat” may be the most important step in any consistent yoga practice.

She means it in the physical sense – make it to your yoga mat to begin. It is, however, of course, so much more than that. It’s the launching pad that sets you up for spiritual, energetic, emotional and mental acuity, and yes dare I say, enlightenment. Okay, so maybe my even mentioning the word “enlightenment” brings out eye-rolls from some of you. Or, for others of you, it may truly serve as your inspiration. Either way, it’s important to make it to the mat!

Our Sunday morning kundalini yoga class has become my church, if you will. It sets the tone for my whole week. So, too, does “making it to the mat” – as often as possible (and it’s especially powerful to do on a daily basis). I’ll speak more to the importance of a daily practice in another post. For now, take my word for it – consistent, daily practice (yoga or otherwise) reaps rewards both tangible and intangible!

Led by our kundalini teacher, in our Sunday group, we recently completed our second round of a 40-day practice. For me, making it to the mat, during the early morning hours especially, brings about a deep and beautiful communion – a communion with natural rhythms, a renewed connection to Spirit, and a solid groundedness for the day.

Why the early morning hours? Known as the ‘ambrosia hours,’ the early morning hours signify when the world is quiet and fluid.

The kundalini tradition places special emphasis on the morning hours, due in large part to it being the time of day when nature’s energy is at its highest. Just as nature flows more fluidly at this time, so too does our spirit, and well-being. I invite you to treat this time as sacred. Your soul will thank you for it!

As poets and songwriters have often penned, it is true that it is always the darkest before the dawn. As in nature, the soul – like the sun – awakens and emerges, bringing with it the light to shine on us all. The ancient Celts believed this, and it stands just as true today. I invite you to approach each day with a sense of renewal. It’s a fresh opportunity to shine your light as only you can shine it. Imagine the possibilities!

Take this very day, TODAY, for example. Would today have been different, had you started it during the early morning hours with a sense of renewal, and embracing it as a fresh start? If you did start today with a morning practice, reflect on how you felt during those morning moments. What did setting aside this sacred time, just for you, set into motion? And, consider this: what will you do differently tomorrow? Jot down what comes to mind. Or, better yet, get quiet and let your intuition speak. What does your soul desire for you to do differently tomorrow?

I’d love to hear what comes up for you. Please share by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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