Your time will come

Trust me: I know it looks impossible right now,

but you can get to where you want to go:

You just have to wait for the tide to change.

Breathe. Be patient. Your time will come.

The bliss that is Now

Beyond happiness and unhappiness

there lies the bliss of Now:

fragile and ephemeral, chaotic and complex,

more present and more nourishing

than what’s past or yet to be.

Breathe in the aliveness of this moment,

and be thankful.

Beckoned by the light

Beckoned by the light,

we venture ever deeper into the mystery...

Let your soul ignite!

Do not be afraid to explore the depths:

Deep below the confines of the mind,

in that mystical space

where logic and intuition merge,

joy and creativity are flaring.

Let your soul ignite!

Wishing you peace

Wherever you’re paddling today,

may the waters be calm

and the obstacles you encounter

be slight, and easily circumvented.

Step into the light

Listen. Can you hear the birds?

Listen again: can you hear the breeze?

Listen again: can you hear your heart,

Calling you to step into the light?

The path you were born to travel

still has much to offer you:

Rejoice, fear not, and step into the light.

The root of compassion

The root of compassion is understanding

that we share a common ground;

that the truth is greater than any one of us

can see or comprehend;

that when we share our differing perspectives

we’re getting a bigger picture,

and helping to broaden everyone’s awareness...

So quickly gone...

What yesterday we so admired

today is cast upon the ground.

The sun that shone so brightly

now retreats behind the clouds.

Treasure your moments and appreciate:

What we love is all too quickly gone...

Deep reflections

May the depth of your reflections this morning

echo the vast wonder of the sky...

Hearts cupped in readiness

Hearts cupped in readiness

we await the blessings of the day...

Awaken to new life

As the earth warms, the plants respond 

and the air takes on the freshening scent of spring.

Make time today to stop and breathe,

to let what lies dormant within you

awaken to new life.

Choosing to bloom

And still,

though severed from their roots,

they choose to bloom

and spread their sweet perfume...

The gift of you

The most important gift you have to offer

is your self: the truth and essence

of the life you were born to live.

Beyond the mind

Beyond the mind that fences in our thoughts

there lies an open field and wide expanse

of love and possibility offered by the heart.

Clamber over that fence into freedom,

and sink into the wonder that awaits.

Fly safely

Whatever you’re flying into this week,

may the experience of liftoff and flight

fill your heart with joy,

may your landing be gentle,

and may your travels bring you closer to your dreams.

In gratitude for the rain

With the clouds, I weep

for man’s unkindness to his fellow man.

With the flowers, I bow my head

in gratitude for the rain.

On the value of process...

This is not a painting, but just a palette:

dry, and ready to clean. A powerful reminder

that the process we go through

to get to where we think we’re meant to go

may have just as much value — if not more —

as the end point of our journey.

Pay attention along the way: there’s beauty everywhere!

Take a walk

Feeling stressed, out of sorts, frustrated?

Instead of numbing yourself out

with food, or drink, shopping, tv, or social media,

why not take a walk; let nature offer

her own uniquely satisfying

and magical refreshment...

An invitation to love

At the heart of every great religion

lies the invitation to love, to care;

to discover the core of acceptance that lies deep within us,

and to extend that grace to all that we encounter...

To everyone who helps us grow

Mother’s Day is our opportunity to express our grateful appreciation

to anyone who has ever invited us to grow without expecting us to be perfect;

to everyone who’s been willing to guide us without ever fostering shame.

And if you’ve been lucky enough to have served in this capacity,

helping to encourage the best in those around you,

you, too, have been a mother, and we salute you.

Whole-Hearted

How can something so fragile, so delicate,

produce so strong and sweet a scent?

Perhaps because it throws its whole heart into the task?

What will you do whole-heartedly today?

Our communal loneliness

Loneliness.

That sense of disconnection;

that whatever it is you’re struggling with,

there’s no one else who cares or understands.

And yet, the chances are

that almost everyone you meet is feeling something similar.

Be tender with one another, and be kind —

It’s a lonely world out there.

Celebrating the flame we share

Today I want to celebrate the creative spirit;

the flame we share that ignites the heart

of everything that lives:

that invites the rose to bloom

and the trees to bear their fruit;

that calls the birds to sing, the bees to dance,

and our hearts to love and grow...

Just as some mountains are larger than others,

some problems are larger than others,

and ever so much harder to get around.

Give yourself permission to stop climbing.

Perhaps if you step back and breathe

a new path may appear...

and even if it doesn’t, you’ll have more energy

for the work that lies ahead.

Finding that balance

So much of our decision-making
involves finding a balance
between the support, shelter, and safety
that help to make us fruitful
and the challenges that are necessary
and essential to foster growth...

Leave the baggage...

As you sail off into the sunset,

don’t forget to leave your baggage behind:

Those hidden agendas and expectations,

those opinions and preconceived notions

will really only serve to impede your progress ...

Choosing how -- and what -- we see

How we feel will always influence

what we think we see.

If this lawn represents a morass of difficulties,

are we climbing out, or being sucked in?

Is truth finally emerging or slowly disappearing?

Is hope being born or gradually dying?

The choice is yours: you get to decide.

Safe to bloom

This morning I say thank you to the flowers

for trusting us with their fragile luminance.

May everyone we meet today

feel safe enough to bloom in our presence.

Time to move on

Yesterday I said goodbye to the last of our baby robins;

today the nest is empty, but I don’t mourn.

It’s yet another way that nature teaches us

there’s a time to give birth, a time to nurture,

and a time when we can safely let go;

stop living in or dwelling on the past...

Mistakes as opportunities

We need to stop looking at our mistakes

as things to be ashamed of,

and learn to corral and examine them instead

as opportunities for learning.

Step into the light

Perhaps it’s time

to stop waiting in the shadows.

Perhaps it’s time to step forth into the light.