METTA CENTER

(This post was first published in October 2008 Metta Center email newsletter. The original author of the story is unknown.) A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your childre...

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." ~ Christina Baldwin Here autumn comes -- the changing colors of leaves, the pale sunlight, the chills in the air, the leaf-dropping breeze, and rainfall that nourishes the earth. Mother earth is again changing her cloak. She looks so beautiful! Changes take place in life all the time. Life is growth, therefore its nature is to change. Since we are part of life, we are part of the flow of change itself. To me, change is to leave the old behind and welcome the new into our lives. I think suffering comes from resisting the natural rythms and changes inherent in our own unique flow, our own unique imprint of divine life-force. When change comes knocking in your life, open your door and welcome it! Let go of the old thoughts and patterns, welcome the new seeds of hope and follow your own heart's bidding for more growth. Give yourself the chance to see who you are becoming! Wishing y...

This simple breathing meditation is profoundly easy to do, deeply relaxing and can be very transformative. Breathing is an activity that we do both unconsciously and consciously. Like our heart that beats without our conscious control, our breathing is mostly under the control of our unconscious mind. Unlike our heartbeat that we have no control over, we can influence our breathing to some degree, both the depth and the frequency of the breaths. To do this simple meditation: Drink a cup of water. Find a comfortable place where you can be comfortable and undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes. Close your eyes, and either lie down or sit down in a relaxed manner. Your spine must be straight and at-ease. Allow yourself to breath in gently and softly. Before you exhale, take in a little more breath. This gently expands your breathing capacity. Each time you practice this expansion process, increase this additional inhalation slightly. Do not force yourself to expand your inhalation in...

We nourish our body with healthy food (hopefully!). You know the feeling of contentment when your belly is full with good and tasty food? How about nourishing our soul, too? When we nourish our souls, we feel great, fulfilled, happy, alive, vital, eager, energized and inspired. Here are some of my practices for nourishing my spirit and cultivating my connection with Love: Spend some time, either quietly or loudly, appreciating your life, your home, your work, your clients/friends/coworkers, your family, your health, and yourself. You can do this when you just wake up or when you are about to go to bed.  You can also do a Gratitude Walk, as you walk in nature or out doing your exercises, you can appreciate what you notice along the way. You can create a Gratitude List or even a Gratitude Journal, where you write down all that you are grateful for in your life. This is a great resource to look at to help you resonate again with joy. Think of something that brings a smile o...

(This EFT script was first published in Metta Center newsletter, March 2009.) Our power is in the present, in the Now moment. However, so many of us have learned and trained ourselves to live in the past or in the future and ignored the beauty that is present in the moment. When we feel stressed, overwhelmed, or fearful over something or someone, it is an indicator that we have temporarily lost sight of the Now. Of course, you can always bring yourself back to your powerful and precious Now by doing simple breathing meditation or simply focusing on something pleasant in the Now. But for many of us who have been entrenched in this habit of dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, it can be quite challenging to practice living fully in the present. So, here's the EFT script that can help you become more present in your Now. Shorten the sentences or change the wordings to fit you better. Use this script as often as you like. I have included two more additional tapping ...

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." ~ Buddha The practice of metta , or loving kindness, cultivates unconditional friendliness toward the self and others. It raises the vibration of the person practicing it as well as the people receiving the energy of loving kindness itself. In this simplified version of the traditional form of metta meditation, send metta to yourself by inwardly repeating the following verses: "May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be at ease. May I live in peace." Repeat the phrases several times, noticing and accepting any feeling that arise from deep within your heart chakra. Then, bring others to your mind and silently direct those wishes to them, replacing the "I" with "you". If you like, as you go about with your day, direct these thoughts and metta to everyone you meet.

This article was first published in Metta Center email newsletter (October 2, 2007 issue.) "Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from." ~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross A while back, a client asked me, "Do you ever get overwhelmed?" To which I replied, "Of course!" I have come to understand the teachings of this emotion we call "overwhelment." I have learned to appreciate and celebrate its message, and its energy can be harnessed to gain powerful clarity into what is needed to bring my life back to balance. Feeling overwhelmed is an indicator that we are not centered in our being. Think of it as being out of the range of joy, love and appreciation that is our natural element. When we heed the message of this emotion and choose to apply its wisdom in our life, we can turn our situation around for the better,...