b.Inspired Cafe & Blog

Morning Fuel or Pause Button

My dear friend Jan passed along this Peace Mantra. This is a perfect Morning Ritual inspiration and keep it handy for Hit the Pause Button moments throughout the day.

May there be peace within today. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

Pass it on some more. We are being the change for better lives and a better world. :-)

Tis the Season to plan your Retreat

My friend Sarah asked for Retreat places to recommend to a friend. This prompted me to share this thought with you, here at the cafe. Winter is a wonderful time to allow yourself to deeply hit the pause button and allow quiet time, and listening to your soul. Are you feeling the stress of year-end crunches and holiday bustle? All the more reason to schedule a time out for a day or a weekend or more. My husband and I are treating ourselves to 2 weeks away from the office, renting a place near the ocean. No email or laptops. (I'm leading an executive retreat/workshop the first week of January, so I intend to come back ready to serve those clients with my best energy, coming from a renewed well of love, inspiration and ideas to help them succeed in the New Year. I also hope to serve as a role model for them, giving myself permission to take this time out, and why it's smart.) Your retreat can be in your home town- a massage, some quiet journaling and a hotel or B&B room overnight. Or book a true getaway. One of the best ways to find a retreat center (or vacation getaway) is Google and your intuition-- what does your heart want to "Search for" and let your inner felt sense guide you to places to check out further. I've discovered wonderful experiences that way. Here are a couple resources to spark your curiosity:

Expanding Light Retreat Center
http://www.expandinglight.org/

I recently discovered this amazing place, in the Sierra Nevada mountains, near Sacramento, Califoronia. Felt like my inner monk had finally found my monastery! LOL :-) The vibration of unconditional love is palpable here. I spent a week doing yoga, lots of meditation, walking in nature, and doing my "Entering the Castle'" (Caroline Myss program, see CMED) work in delicious solitude. My whole mind-body-spirit system felt restored by hot stone massage with the gifted healing hands of Marga at the Center for Radiant Health. Wonderful vegetarian meals were nourishing, yummy and provided just enough fun community connections if I felt like a little company. I met interesting, spiritually-centered, delightfully normal, grounded people from all over the world.  If  you go, be sure to visit the Crystal Hermitage. Some people don't even know this hidden gem is there--- so ask for a tour of this place they call the spiritual heart of their village. That's all I say- I don't want to oversell or "spoil the movie" before you experience it for yourself!

Expanding Light Retreat Center 800-346-5350

One more place, recommended by friends, is The Christine Center   in Wisconsin.   http://www.christinecenter.org/ 

(I have not been there myself.) Their site says they embrace persons of all spiritual paths for spiritual deepening...and global transformation. Hmm-Sounds great!Whether you choose to hit the pause button in your own backyard or journey far away, I hope you give yourself this essential renewal opportunity very soon.

Hit the Pause Button

"A mind that is fast is sick. A mind that is slow is sound. A mind that is still is divine."
- Meher Baba

Eknath Easwaran inspires us again with his words of wisdom in Words to Live By:

"Somehow in our modern civilization, we have acquired the idea that the mind is working best when it runs at top speed. Yet a racing mind lacks time even to finish a thought, let alone to check its quality. When we slow down the mind, we work better at everything we do. Not only is the quality of our work better; we are actually able to get more done. A calm, smooth-running flow of thought saves a lot of wear and tear on the nervous system, which means we have more vitality and resilience in the face of stress."

Powerful Questions:

Reflect on how often you Hit the Pause Button for renewal and clarity in your day/week/month/year/life.
What score would you give this 0-10?

What influences you to think that fast thinking and pressing to get things done in a hurry is the optimal way? How are you kidding yourself or self-sabotaging the quality of your work…And more importantly, the quality of your life?

After years of coaching and study with master teachers about what it takes to truly create a “wake up inspired” successful life, I have come to believe that the first critical step is to Hit the Pause Button.  (There’s much more devoted to this in my book). The next time you chastise yourself for "wasting time" staring out the window-- think again and embrace the value of slowing down your mind in our frenetic world.

In this moment, try this with me. Just hit the pause button for a couple minutes. Breathe. Reflect on what’s important to you. Allow some clarity to come in about what is the next best investment of your precious energy. This could be for your life or simply the rest of your day. Both are relevant paths toward waking up inspired. Of course, the bigger the depth of your pauses, the bigger chance you have at real joy.

An enticing professional opportunity came in today. I must hit the pause button to consider what I am truly called to and tune in to discern soul vs. ego seduction. I wish I could tell you it's instantly clear. It's not. That alone tells me I need to slow down and find that place where my mind is sound and aligned with the divine love that always leads us to our True Choices.

be well,
Marian
p.s. Please don't read this and then just resume speed. How can you set yourself up to enjoy inspired success by making Hit the Pause Button a habit?