Be Generous with Your Love: Lesson from the Sun

We can look to the sun for the greatest wisdom on creating a life of lasting fulfillment.

The sun never rises and never sets. The sun is non-discrimanating. It shines equally on all of life. It does not choose to give more love and light to certain flowers or trees. It is steadfast, generous and fair. The sun knows that it is powerful beyond measure. To focus on only one flower would be to ignite and destroy it while denying the rest of the planet life. The sun shines evenly and allows all of life to absorb what it can and takes nothing personally. Sometimes the sun looks down and sees shadows. It simply means that there is a blockage. Clearly this is not personal.

We carry the sun inside of us. It is that light and love that we shine when we are aligned in spirit. That power that is beyond measure. Learn to be generous with your love. Do not discriminate. For the sun does not know every living thing personally, but it does know its potential. People are the same. We do not need to know everyone that we shine our light on. Nor do we need to be offended by those who are not receptive. That blockage is not personal, there is simply something in the way. We just need to shine our light generously and evenly. As the sun does not shine only on one flower, do not save all of your love for one person. They cannot possibly handle it. The more you can stay in spirit and be love, the more flowers will blossom in your life creating lasting beauty and fulfillment.

Sometimes the sun is blocked by clouds. It feels like it is shining and not getting through. The sun does not decide that it is wasting its time. It keeps on shining and knows that this too shall pass. Wherever you are today, bring this lesson to life: at work, at play, at the grocery store. Essentially, anywhere you see a dormant flower, be generous with your love and notice how quickly you bring a smile to life.

The sun expects nothing in return. It has confidence in its purpose and power. It just cheerfully smiles when it sees seeds in full bloom. Being Happy Healthy and Fit means helping others to reach their greatest potential by being generous with your love.

Strong Concealed Roots Before Delicious Revealed Fruits

A strong healthy fruit tree is a wonderful teacher of living in balance and harmony. As long as that tree stays in balance of giving and receiving from above and below it has an abundance of love to share.

Fruit represents the ultimate potential. Fruit cannot be forced. Fruit is the result of continuos effort, growth and transformation. Inside that tree lies infinite potential, however, results cannot be rushed. It must express itself freely. A strong tree is powered by strong roots. Just because we cannot always see growth happening doesn't mean that it is not.

When we are inspired, it is the full potential that we desire. It is the fruit, harvest or the end result. Whether your idea of delicious fruit is love, money, children, fame, health, happiness or all of the above, you must be willing to do the work and trust that infinite patience produces immediate results. And, you don't want one successful harvest, but a lifetime of lasting fulfillment.

Every tree began as a seed that dared to plant some roots and be a strong individual. It didn't force itself into the ground, but nestled slowly and naturally building a powerful and trusting relationship. The seed needed the ground to fully express itself and the ground is strengthened by the roots of the seed. Together and invisible to the outside world, a balanced relationship has begun. The roots are formed long before the fruits are revealed.

Just as the potential for great love exists inside each one of us, the potential for sweet fruit exists inside the tree. However, the greater the force to find it will only create adverse effects. Take an axe to the tree to find the fruits inside and you have destroyed all the potential. The fruit will stay concealed. Love is the fruit. Love cannot be forced.

Learn from a tree. A tree is a conduit of love and light; a wonderful teacher. A tree truly receives energy from source and creates life. Inside every tree is a lifetime of truth: storms weathered, Love given and received, Pain and suffering. But with each new ring, it grows and grows. Trust in the process.

Being Happy Healthy and Fit means knowing the sweetest fruits cannot be rushed. Like the Chinese proverb states: the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, but the second best time is now. Be the tree. Be Truth.

Spring Clean Up Your Act

Tortured by Lies. Truth Hurts. Truth Heals.

Recently, I found myself a part of a two person audience to a one-man comedy show. What began as peculiar meeting quickly turned into an eye-opening and life changing lesson.

Upon meeting Dennis, he quickly took over the imaginary microphone and began to dominate the conversation with stories of his great misfortunes in New York followed by his great acts of heroism. His stories of being profiled in Paradise Valley, as a laborer, when he was actually a wealthy homeowner and deliberately wearing a Best Buy shirt from Goodwill so he could put on a charade about he worked there when he was actually involved with wealth management soon became painful to listen to. His bravado was transparently attempting to mask insecurity.

When it became clear that we weren't having a conversation, but acting as an audience to his show of self-depreciating stories, Mary Beth couldn't help but blurt out the Truth, "I am sorry, but I have to stop this. My friend is looking tortured."

Embarrassed and not wanting to destroy the little bit of self-esteem this man had left, I quickly lied and suggested that perhaps my friend was projecting and it was she who was feeling tortured. Without hesitation, she agreed. She had the courage to tell him the truth. Yes, she admit that she was being tortured. Quickly, the restaurant opening fell silent. Her words were sharp and powerful. At first, he was so shocked that he stood there speechless. Then he shifted into defensive and then attacking. He assumed we were two beautiful Scottsdale bitches full of ourselves.

Then a Miracle happened. Instead of defending herself, Mary Beth began to tell Dennis the Truth. She told him that he is a wonderful, amazing man and to allow himself to be Dennis. She told him that last time she met him, he was doing the same thing and telling these same embellished stories, as if he was on stage. She told him that it didn't matter that he was 5'2" and to quit trying to cover up all of his insecurities by name dropping and story telling. If he wants to have a real relationship he needs to love and accept himself in all of his glory. A conversation is a dance. In the end, I was Wowed. I don't know if Dennis was ready for the truth, but I was.

In the past week, I have noticed how often we lie to ourselves and lie to each other in an effort to protect egos. All this does is perpetuate more lies and torture more people. The truth is painful. It really cuts like a knife, but then it heals. Lies are nagging and fester: a torturous path to suffering. Have the courage to change your life. Face up. What is your act? Is it time to change your patterns and clean up your act.

Next time you have an opportunity for truth: give it and receive it without judgment. Lies put up walls. Truth tears them down. Truth is the path to freedom.

Liberation: Freedom from Suffering

If you are not content with a little, you will never be content with a lot.

~ Beltram, Mt. Kilimanjaro guide

When we think of suffering, we think of lack. To say there is so much suffering in this world brings about images of third world countries, natural disasters, poverty and disease.

Beyond that suffering, which we can see with our eyes, we must understand the deeper level of suffering that consumes even your wealthy boss, shut-in neighbor, distant sibling, favorite movie star or icon athlete. There is not enough money in the world to buy even one person Liberation: freedom from suffering. The prison bars exist in one's own mind and can be removed only by the constructor.

Over the past several weeks, I have found myself in the mixed company of seemingly magical people with extensive resumes of experience and success. Within minutes, I believed they would trade all their credit cards and flashy cars for freedom and happiness.

Suffering does not come from lack of money. It comes from isolation of spirit. Having just spent two weeks in Africa, where the average person earns $3000 to $5000 for an entire year, I never felt such pure joy and happiness. People helping people.

The root causes of suffering are ignorance, craving and hatred. These poisons seep in and contaminate their host; blocking freedom. Ignorance is looking outside yourself, blaming others for your life situation and remaining in a place of victim consciousness. Craving is the addiction to external stimuli for inspiration and motivation: attention, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, pornography, gambling or energy. Hatred is the illusion of separateness; failure to understand that we are all the same.

The best way to learn about yourself is through others. Each time you can help to free someone else from their suffering you are freeing yourself. Perhaps consider spending less time and attention chasing money, which you cannot take with you and more time and attention elevating your consciousness which you can take with you. Tear down your own prison bars. Purify your contaminated heart. Then show someone else the way. You will be rich beyond measure.

Being Happy Healthy and Fit means freedom from suffering. Liberate yourself from ignorance, craving and hatred. Know Happiness: peace, love and joy in your heart.

Shipwrecked? Let the Fun Begin!

What is the Difference?

Recently, I set out with a kindred spirit to have some fun. We were headed to the popular Scottsdale Culinary Festival kickoff party. Greeted by roped off entrances, ticket collectors and long lines of people dressed uncomfortably in their formal 'costumes,' we were quickly deterred. Fun knows no Barriers.

Moments later, we would find ourselves in a local hotspot, completely intoxicated before our first drink ever arrived. Hysterical with laughter, we could barely stay on our barstools. We are two self-proclaimed shipwrecked sailors. Castaways? Hardly! Straight from Gilligan's Island: We are Ginger and MaryAnn.

In moments of her receiving her totally uninhibited pornographic (very dirty) martini and my slightly more inhibited Flirtini, we had attracted a gentlemen to our show. Closely stepping into our personal space, he demanded to know- "What is the Difference?" Over and over he repeated this question until we understood.

He stood there, telling us about his success, bank account and real estate. He was magnetically drawn into our vortex of fun. He sensed our laughter was unlike anything he had heard before. It was genuine from the heart barrels of fun. With slight embarrassment, he realized that he was selling himself to us. He wanted to be included. Then he stopped and apologized, for he was gay and quite unsure as to why he was hovering and so attracted to us. He couldn't explain or understand.

The Difference is that my friend and I were living in truth. We were not laughing at other people or being entertained by an event. We were laughing at our own travails and comedies of life. It has been two weeks since we had seen each other. We hadn't even sipped our drinks. True intoxication does not require outside influences, but rather inside influences.

You don't need expensive tickets to a highly-publicized event to have fun. Fun does not discriminate. Tickets to fun are Free and Abundant. Start living Truth and know no barriers.

It doesn't matter where you are, what you have, used to have, what you do, used to do or never did. Skin color, age, race, gender, sex, income are all irrelevant. What matters is your attitude and ability to live in truth. Feeling shipwrecked? Sometimes it takes losing it all to Find it all. Want to have more fun? Be More Fun! Stop hiding behind your walls and join the party of life. Let the fun begin!

A Real Hero Saves Your Soul

The World needs more Heros!

As children we learn that heros save the day. They tap into their super powers and intuitively go where they are needed.

We all have days that we want someone to swoop down and save us, but the Truth is: No one can save you but you. Next time you want to rescue someone, rescue yourself. The greatest gift you can give to yourself and to the world is to be a SuperHero. Stand in your True Power. Be Compassion.

True compassion may appear heartless on the surface. Letting a child, parent or friend fend for themselves when you have the resources available to help them, appears selfish and heartless. It takes great courage to say 'no.' It is easy to enable; to jump in and be the pseudo-hero. Saving the weak in some form is high-octane fuel for the ego.

A real hero saves your soul. An imaginary hero saves your day. A real hero stands in his own power and uses loving kindness to teach others how to transform and ascend suffering. An illusionary hero uses money and power to mask the symptoms of suffering. A real hero guides you toward freedom and lasting happiness. An illusionary hero guides you toward temporary and fleeting fulfillment.

As the story goes. You can can give someone a fish and they can eat for a day. Teach them to fish and they can feed themselves forever. Giving someone a fish feeds your ego. Teaching them to fish feeds your soul. It takes a real hero to teach someone to fish. The fear is that they won't need you anymore. That fish can be money, purpose, compliments or love. Waiting for it to come from outside of yourself will leave you in a constant place of lack. Learning to fish means being self-reliant and aligned with your spirit.

Being Happy Healthy and Fit means saving the world by saving yourself. Be a real SuperHero and Light up the World by example. Today teach someone else how to transform their suffering into happiness. Teach someone how to fish.

Open Your Heart: Reach Your Potential

You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing, there will be no result.

~Gandhi

A seed remains a seed until it gathers the courage to break through the walls and manifest its potential.

We know that from one seed an entire forest can grow. We also know that a seed can remain a seed indefinitely locking infinite potential in a small dark pod. As we approach spring, it is a harmonious time for self reflection. Looking to the cycles of nature, it is the time to come out of the darkness and into the Light.

A seed was once a pod and then a flower or a fruit in its state of full potential. Nothing stays as it is forever. That one apple or flower has enough seeds inside of it to create a harvest of a massive abundance of beauty and sustenance. Sometimes we see the seed and sometimes we see the full bloom; each contains the other.

As with things in nature, sometimes we are at the height of our potential and sometimes we are transforming to an even greater potential. Never judge yourself or another. Out of the darkness of winter comes spring. Out of the darkest part of the night comes the dawn. Just because we cannot see what is happening beneath the surface doesn't mean that it is not happening.

Just as a seed that remains a seed, denies the world its potential, living with a closed heart denies the world your potential. Look to great inspirational souls and see how they transformed darkness, pain and suffering into Happiness, Love and Light. Release your potential. End your suffering. Break through the walls. Use self reflection in your own life to see where you are limited. You know it is time to grow. Whether it is emotionally, spiritually, physically or intellectually you actually feel like you need more oxygen and sunlight. Open your heart. Sprout. Grow. Produce a Result.

Inside every daisy is manure and inside every pile of manure lies infinite daisies. Being Happy Healthy and Fit means having the consciousness, confidence and courage to appreciate the cycles of life. Break through your walls. Inside each of us is the potential to change the world into a happier place.

Colonics for the Soul: Clean out a Closet

How would you like to get all the shit out of your life?

When this question came through the phone line from my closest girlfriend, somehow I knew what she meant. We have a relationship with no walls. We share shamelessly. It came as no surprise when she wanted to talk about 'water therapy.' Who wouldn't want to get all the shit out of their lives: literally, figuratively or metaphorically.

"I'd love too!" And, so began the journey to clean up my life.

Our bodies are reflections of our hearts and minds. When we harbor guilt, shame, fear, worry or any other low vibrational emotions, we are literally trapping toxins inside our bodies. The intestinal walls slowly build up with unreleased matter that has attached itself like concrete to the inner walls. Some people carry around as much as 30 pounds of old shit in their body. It is a toxic wasteland. Sadly, they don't even know.

Having a colonic is less than glamorous at the very least and can be extremely painful at the very most. I will spare you the details, but I will say there is something richly rewarding about watching 'shit' that no longer serves you leave the body, especially when you didn't even know it was in there. You cannot help but to feel pure and liberated; free of your own shit!

You don't have to start by looking in your intestines for useless, toxic shit. You can start in your kitchen or your closet, maybe a drawer. Really, just start somewhere and clean it up. Stuff holds energy and that energy may be toxic. Clothes, books, gifts, we have so many things we do not need. They are actually blocking the flow.

Like a colonic, it may be unglamorous and painful to go down by memory lane, but as you begin to release what no longer serves you, will sprout wings and be elevated from the shame, guilt and uncertainty of your past into the present a place of abundant beauty, love and joy. Start with one room at a time or the project will be overwhelming.

Cleaning out a closet is like giving your soul a colonic! You are now ready to receive an abundance of pure blessings! I'd love to hear about your experience! Being Happy, Healthy and Fit means living in Flow.