Memorial Day: The Joy of Remembering

Today is Memorial Day. It is a day that we "memorialize" the men & women that served in our military and have left this earthly plane. However, it got me to thinking that we can memorialize anyone and anything. It's really just about taking time to remember them.

Now, I am not really one to talk a lot about war or military. I did try to talk my parents into letting me go to military school, but that was really because I thought the uniforms were cute. Girls got these super cute hats as part of their dress uniforms. My father laughed and told me no. I'm not very good with structure. To this day I wonder if going would have made me better or if I would have failed miserably and cried to come home in 3 months. We'll never know...

Growing up, I remember the parades that would take place for Memorial Day. People would decorate their homes with flags and festive bunting. These days it just seems as though it's a day off that extends the weekend and gives retailers another reason to have a sale.

The thing that keeps coming to me though is taking time to remember. It made me start to think of Memorial Day in an entirely different light. What if we begin a practice of remembering the people in your life that have helped you along the path. Remember old friends, family members, co-workers, anyone really that helped you learn a lesson about who you are. Did you spend a particularly meaningful summer with people doing something that helped you learn a powerful lesson?

Unlike the parameters of the national holiday, this is really about you (isn't it always?). Sometimes it's only when we look back and remember how far we've come and who has helped us along the way, that's when we realize the joy of what our life is now. It helps us live in the joy of the now, remembering what was and being grateful for the journey.

The thing is, this isn't just about all of the happy, "wonderful" memories of people. This can also be past relationships that may not have been the healthiest or the happiest. But, they did teach you more about yourself, more about what you need out of a relationship, helped you stop from making the choice the next time you met someone that wouldn't be the best fit for you. I found sides of myself that I never knew existed until I was faced with choices that required me to step into roles I couldn't have foreseen. Although the circumstances are not always ideal, the lessons we learn and the people we become because of it are a true gift of a life well lived.

My call to you today is to take time during the bar-be-cuing and snowboarding (my Colorado peeps), margaritas and sangria (yummy)...take time to remember the many people that have helped get you to this joyful place on your path today. Remember that they are part of the fabric of your life, your path would be barren and ordinary without them. And maybe you'll light a candle, say a quick prayer of thanksgiving or give them a long overdue call, in remembrance of who they have been in your life.

I remain...joyfully yours,

Robyn

The Shift: The Joy of Changing Directions

...Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost

Often, the true blessings are found along the meandering path.

I love change! At times it can be a challenge, particularly when the change is totally unexpected and not something I would have chosen. However, the only thing that is constant in life is change.

I have been accused in the past of being a little flaky and unable to stick with things. I am usually accused of this by people who refuse to change, even when they are faced with the fact that the path they are on is not leading where they had hoped.

Patience is necessary. There are times, in my past, when I have not had a lot of patience to wait for the outcome that I desire. That's purely ego (hello again). Only ego makes someone believe that their schedule should be everyone else's schedule. The old, "my way or the highway" really only works if you've got everything that you need & have no need for friends or family. Otherwise, compromise is necessary...in other words...change.

As you probably know by now, I will be moving in a couple of months. When I first conceived of this move, last year, there were a great deal of unknowns. One of the biggest was something I could never have foreseen. So, I've had to alter my plan several times. The reality is however, I know that the move will still happen...when it's going to happen. I cannot force it. I cannot bend circumstances to my will. Either I change or abandon the entire plan.

This is something that we all must face at some time. So often we have something we want and when circumstances prevent us from having it WHEN we want to, that's when we throw in the towel and give up. However, so often it is really our unwillingness to change direction, slow our pace, that is what prevents us from our desires being fulfilled. We know, deep within, when something just feels right. However, we can't wait it out. We want it now or we don't want it at all (yep, ego again). Since when is what YOU want the only thing that matters to everyone else? You, and I have to break this to you, are NOT the center of the Universe. You are the center of your own universe. But, we do not all orbit you, move to your will, do as you tell us.

It is vital to remember that we will always have things that come up in our life that were unforeseen. We can't always know what's coming and what effect it will have on our plans, our life. We must just stay vigilant about staying true to ourselves, staying true to our vision, staying true to our joy.

There is no assignment for this one. You know what's going on in your life. So, it's more of an encouragement. What do you want in your life that has just seemed to escape you? The really important things. This is where you need to have patience, have a willingness to change. Your joy is at hand, you will achieve great amounts of joy in your life.

Until next time...joyfully yours,

Robyn

Karma: The Joy of the Boomerang Effect

Recently, I conducted a talk on Karma for the Humanities Club at the Community College of Denver. I found this talk incredibly stimulating! Speaking to college groups is usually invigorating because they are on fire with thought. They are fully engaged in the exchange of ideas and opinions.

So, the question I posed to the group for discussion was: Is all of the strife happening in the world some sort of karmic retribution for society raping the land and failing to take care of the people?

I knew that it was somewhat of a trick question...karma isn't vengeful, it's about energy. (Image below ~ A "Boomerang" Nebula)

Karma: without having an extensive theological discussion between Hinduism and Buddhism, the general consensus would attribute karma as thus ~ a cause and effect act of energy distribution. What you put out into the Universe is what comes back to you...a boomerang effect.

People like to use the idea of karma as a way of warning you against doing things that you don't want to come back on you. "Watch out, karma's a biotch!" Or my favorite, the tip jar at the local shop offering you the idea that tipping them is like putting "good" karma into your karmic well. Now, although that's kind of what karma is about, it's only part of the story.

In our discussion, we spent a great deal of time talking about food. I loved this! It is a perfect example of you get out of it what you put into it.

When you're speaking of karma from a "joy perspective", it is part and parcel of the same thing...you get out of it, what you put into it. If you live in joy, your joy will come back to you over & over again.

Have you ever known someone that spends a large portion of their time complaining about all of the things that they aren't getting, that they are lacking in their life, about the breaks that no one is giving them? At times, you may even find it hard to be around them because their energy starts to bring yours down. Or, conversely, have you known someone that is always up. No matter what's going on in their life, they always seem to live in a joyful place. And you notice, that even if things may not always go their way, they always seem to bounce back. In fact, when they do it is stronger and more joyful than before...with a good story...

You get out of it, what you put into it...if we are trying to live as conscious beings of love, light, joy and abundance, we cannot let circumstances dictate HOW we are going to be in the world. The energy that we put out is the energy that comes back to us. I know that sometimes it seems to take quite some time for the good stuff to flow back towards you. However, consider this...if you push out a lot of great, joyful energy, continually pushing it out, just imagine what it will be like when it does start the return cycle. You will be bombarded with a continual flow of great energy coming back. The more you push out, the more that comes back to you.

I am not suggesting that the only reason we do "nice" or "good" things is so that we get something in return. I am saying, live in the joy, live in the light, live in the love, your life will be like a revolving door of all of this going out and coming back. You will leave no room for darkness or doubt if you fill your life with these thoughts. People will want to be around you because you fill their lives with optimism and light. You become a source of joy for them and yourself.

Your assignment this week is simple...live in joy. No matter what seems to be happening "to you" (hello EGO) live in the joy. Remind your self that you are putting new, joyful energy into the Universe. Put out the energy that you want to surround yourself with. First it will just be you, but quickly you will notice others bringing it to you.

Until next time...sending you universes of joy,

Robyn

Vacation: The Joy of Leaving Life Behind

I am coming to the end of a long awaited vacation. It's been somewhat of a working vacation. I'm preparing for a move & this has been serving as a test trip. I need to be sure that my new hometown would welcome a resident "Goddess of Joy" to conduct local workshops. I am happy to report that I have been welcomed with open arms!

There's an old joke: A guy goes on vacation and leaves his cat with his brother. The first night he calls his brother to check on the cat. Bro #1: "How's Boots?" Bro #2: "The cat died." Bro #1 "What?! I can't believe you told me like that!" Bro #2: "What do you mean?" Bro #1: "You should have broken it to me more gently. The first day you say the cat's on the roof and you can't get it down and so on. So, by day three or four you break the news that the cat died." Bro #2: "I'm sorry" Bro #1: "That's okay. How's Mom?" Bro #2: "She's on the roof and we can't get her down."

Social media has made it so that within minutes of things happening, we can already know. I'm not really sure that this is a good thing. If something really disturbing has happened, something that you can't do anything about...would you really want to know while you're on vacation? The point of vacation is to get away from the day-to-day things in your life. It's supposed to be somewhere else that has nothing to do with the everyday. If you know about these things before you get back, you could end up ruining the rest of your time worrying about the things that you can't do anything about.

A vacation is like sleep for your psyche. When you sleep, your body has time to repair all of the things that you've done to it all day. Your body is able to make repairs, replenish, prepare for the next day. Vacation is like that, but for your psyche. You take time out from your "real life". You go to places you've never been or don't get to visit often. You eat out more, even if you're staying in a vacation home or with friends. You probably won't do laundry. You smile more and just look for ways to enjoy yourself.

I, of course, am of the mind that treating yourself to a "vacation Tuesday" is best(more on this later). However, a less frequent option is usually what we can hope for. This is my first vacation in almost 4 years.

I have to say I felt very resentful not being able to take one in the last 4 years. Just the act of getting on the plane, on my way to my own adventure had me decompressing. I sat where I don't like to sit on the plane. The guy next to me engaged in conversation when I was just going to listen to music. I had considerably less money to spend than I originally intended. I didn't have any indication that the tentative plans I had were going to pan out. But, I had such a sense of peace & excitement simultaneously that none of it mattered. I was on vacation! Woot! Woot!

If you are one of those people that likes to plan every detail on your vacation, I'm going to invite you to stop. I say, definitely come up with some ideas of what you would like to do. However, vacation is an opportunity to break away from your everyday activity, one of which is over-scheduling every moment of your life. As someone that has done a good deal of traveling for both business & pleasure, when I let go of the need to control every minute of my time and just enjoy, I felt free! I didn't get to do many of the things that I had come up with. Some was weather, some was changing to do things with my hosts and some was just not feeling like jumping up and running around. It was very freeing to just give myself the extra lounging time.

As I said, I'll be moving here. So it was easy to just say I can do it when I move back. But, what was really going on was my desire to just luxuriate in the bliss of not having any "have to's". There was nothing I had to do. Nothing pressing on my time, it was all within my control.

Back to "Vacation Tuesdays"...when I was a kid, sometimes my family would just get in the car and go stay in a hotel. A couple of times, it was just up the road from our house. I invite you to try something like this. Choose a day a couple of months out, make a hotel reservation and save for it. Chances are you can find a pretty reasonable place since it's close to your house. If you don't have much more than the money for the room, pack food from home & treat yourself to breakfast, usually the cheapest meal. Lie by the pool, go for a walk, take a nap...tell people you'll be out of town for the weekend so they won't be tempted to bother you with garbage. Tell a couple of people where you are in case of an emergency, but inform them it really must be something that can't wait 48 hours.

You'll feel renewed, rejuvenated and relaxed. Just what a vacation is supposed to do...don't wait 4 years.

Until next time...joyfully yours,

Robyn

Mother's Day: A Joyful Celebration of Love

Mother's Day is on Sunday. When I decided to do this article, I looked up the history of Mother's Day. I found one post that discussed the spiritual celebrations of the symbols of motherhood, reaching back to the Egyptian goddess Isis, the Roman goddess Cybele, the Greek goddess Rhea, and early Christian celebrations for "Mother Church". Moving through the ages from the early 1600's right up to the declaration by Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

Mothers Day History ~ The Complete History of Mother's Day

The other part of this article that I found the most interesting was the reaction of Anna M. Jarvis, the Mother's Day champion, had after it became a national holiday. She was absolutely opposed to the commercialization of the holiday. It had started as a spiritual holiday, originating in the church. She was appalled at what the floral industry had done to it.

I can't say that I blame her. The point of the holiday is really about saying thank you. I have always been a big fan of Mother's Day. I have been blessed with one of the most amazing mothers ever! I have always known that I am loved and truly supported, regardless. It has given me the freedom to live my life without fear, relishing the love and light.

I'm writing this blog from the hospital where my mother is having surgery. I've been wracked with fear all week. I know for a fact that she is going to be fine. I know that she is held in the love & light of many people and her connection to the Divine Light is strong. My issue isn't knowing that she is already healed, it's remembering it.

The fear comes from the deep love that I have for her. It is ironic that she is having this surgery today, just before Mother's Day. As if I needed a reminder, this is a big one about how precious she is to me and anyone that knows her. That's really what Mother's Day is about. It is a reminder to feel grateful to the person(s) that mothered you.

I say the person that "mothered" you because it is not necessarily your "birth" mother. There are many people that mother you that are not your birth mother. It is about the nurturing love that feels like a "mother's love". There are many people that can provide this, they don't even have to be a woman. It is a kindness of spirit. It is that gentle touch on your brow when you're sick. It is that soothing voice when you need to hear it. It is a Band-aid commercial.

It is with a great deal of joy that I write this today. This "mother" love is something that everyone needs. It is the love that lifts your spirits and carries you through when you lose faith or confidence. It is the love that makes you feel safe, secure and whole.

My challenge to you today is to celebrate every "mother" that you have had. This is particularly important to those of us that no longer have a relationship with their mother, for whatever reason. A day like Mother's Day can be difficult for someone that has lost their mother, or has lost her to pain, strife and estrangement. Everyone has felt that "mother's love" from someone. Find a way to thank them. Find a way to show your gratitude. It doesn't have to cost you anything. It doesn't have to come in a vase and smell like roses. A smile, a hug and a heartfelt "thank you" is all that's required to show someone that you appreciate all that they've done for you in your life.

If you want to go the extra mile...try visiting a nursing home and wishing someone there a "Happy Mother's Day". Life can take people far from their mothers and there's always someone that won't have a visitor, they would really appreciate a smiling face.

Be well my friends...

Joyfully yours,

Robyn

Shake Your Groove Thing: The Joy of Dancing

I love to dance! I love to dance to most anything! This weekend I danced to salsa, electronica & funk. Each experience put a smile on my face...each experience brought me it's own kind of joy.

When I went salsa dancing, it was really brought home to me how much joy people get from dancing. Everyone wasn't a stellar dancer, but each person was really enjoying themselves. They were listening to music that they couldn't just experience with their ears, they had to participate by moving their bodies.

This is how most people experience music the most completely. When a song hits just the right nerve, people can't help but move. Sometimes it starts with their head, or they start tapping their toes, but they can't seem to help moving.

Lord Byron said...“On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined”

This is completely accurate. When people dance it is the greatest expression of joy. They begin moving and then they begin smiling & then they can't help it...the laughter just bubbles up from inside. The joy overtakes them...it's simply unavoidable.

The best part is it doesn't matter whether you're a "good" dancer. Some of the greatest expressions of the joy of dancing I have witnessed are from people that were most certainly not the most skilled dancers. But, I enjoyed them just as much because they were so filled with their joy that it radiated from them.

When I finally accepted my calling to bring joy, the thing that I found myself doing everyday was dancing. I danced in my living room, I danced at the busstop, I danced at the coffee shop (full of people). I was so filled with my joy that I couldn't keep from dancing. Plenty of people laughed at me...however, I found that by me dancing my joy...people would smile at me & I smiled right back! A delicious little exchange of joy!

So, my friends, I invite you to dance. Wherever it feels good to you...let yourself go. Dance just for the joy of dancing. Dance in your car, dance in your bathroom, dance in your living room, dance whenever the spirit moves you. Dance as if no one's watching you.

Dancing on out...until next time...joyfully yours,

Robyn