A Heavenly Life

“The best thing we can do for our health is to have an intimate relationship with Nature. ”

— Eion Finn, Blissology Yoga

Sustaining these practices on a day-in and day-out basis is my ultimate worldly challenge, but also the key to my health and happiness… and the door which opens me up to a Heavenly Life.

I live in a valley village (and I have just taken a job in a mountain community) where there are endless opportunities for me to share this perspective, this passion. As I set out on this new path, I wonder how I will fare in a business environment that is inherently busy, extremely reactive to change, and ultimately focused on economical accomplishment.

I will set out with this intention: that by cultivating intimate relationships with Nature, by taking the time to mindfully slow things down and notice beauty, by remembering with grace that everyone around me is connected to this Natural path, and by continually practicing a Way of Being that sustains this Heavenly Life, I will Live On.

There has always been something magical for me when I’m high in the mountains where the sky is huge and the perspective is clear. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of freshly fallen powder, when I take in the sweet aromas of pine forests, or when I listen to the trickle of clear mountain streams. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivably huge. I am filled with wonder and with awe.

Likewise, there has always been something magical for me when I’m on the shore of the ocean where the sky and the sea each appear infinite. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of the gently rolling waves, when I take in the salty scents of the ocean breeze, or when I listen to the rhythmic flow of the water as it moves in and out on the shore. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivable huge. I am filled with wonder and awe.

Being mindful in the present moment and paying attention to what is going on around us allows us to see beauty, even if we are in a bustling city or on a crowded highway. Mindfulness slows us down. Yoga slows us down. Being in Nature slows us down. We become more aware of the world around us than we are when we are busy.

People often think that the health benefits of yoga are fitness, flexibility, and stress reduction. To me, the real gift is that it puts me in a state of mind where I stop and notice beauty, and in a state of grace where I feel moments of infinite gratitude and compassion.

People often think that the health benefits of mountain sports and outdoor activity are fitness, adventure, and accomplishment. To me, the real gift is that they put me in a state of being where I am intimately connected to Nature.

Cultivating this relationship with Nature makes my Spirit soar. Sharing this cultivation process with others feeds my Soul.

Creating Routine… Watching with Wise Eyes… Adapting to Change

I think it’s pretty common to want things to be a certain way in our lives… we create ideas of how we think things should be, we become attached to these ideas, we worry about whether things will happen the way we think, and we get all stressed out as we plan our futures. We want some level of control over our futures, especially when we’ve experienced hardship and don’t want more hardship.

Of course, we can’t control the future. We can’t control what happens to us and around us. Life is hard… and hardship happens. All we can do is live each day and be ready for what happens, as it happens… and be aware as it happens… so we can act with intention, take responsibility for our actions, and learn from our actions… so we are better adapted to live through whatever happens next.

For me, I try to be prepared for things that may happen by being in my best possible physical, emotional, and mental state-of-being each day. I try to create some routine in my daily life that enhances my presence-of-mind and feelings of well-being so that I am always moving forward in ways I can control while being prepared for change and chaos that will happen and that I can’t control.

Here are some examples of my daily routine, things that I can control:

I try to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. I make lifestyle choices based on this desire.

I get up every morning and exercise for at least 45 minutes before I begin other daily activities. This way, the unexpected happenings of the day don’t get in the way.

I practice some form of yoga or meditation at the end of my workout to set intention for the day, express gratitude for myself and loved ones, feel connectedness, and just “be” for a few moments.

I practice a fairly strict routine of eating and drinking. I pay attention to when I eat, what I eat, and how I feel afterwards. I try to keep it simple with foods I eat almost everyday. I drink only water and tea and sometimes coconut water. I try to avoid breathing air that isn’t clean. I do not drink coffee or alcohol; I do not smoke or take non-prescribed drugs. In fact, I usually avoid prescribed drugs. I do take food supplements, like fish oils and green super-foods. And I am learning more about avoiding toxins that I might be putting on my skin for sun protection or cleansing…

I try to avoid negativity and people who don’t help me bring out the best in myself.

I try to act with feelings of compassion for all things, and watch with wise eyes as things happen around me. This is difficult, but it helps me deal with the chaos, challenges, and hardships of life… and adapt to whatever happens next.

An Experiential Learning Event with Wounded Warriors

For me, this event indeed inspired me to keep walking the walk I’m walking, with clear and mindful intention that this is my way.The opportunity to be a part of a supportive community where each individual can feel safe and at ease is the basis for any successful program. This happens through intentional design and process; it also depends on positive attitudes of mutual acceptance and dignity. Each individual is important. Each individual affects what happens. The opportunity for warriors to meet with other warriors of similar experience is so vital… and part of a successful program is facilitating this process than letting positive things happen. We spent casual group time at the resort, in the Inn at Stratton Mountain, at Bentley’s, at the Living Room and Sports Center, and in Hearthstone condos. It was an honor to meet and get to know each warrior.I’ve used this forum to write and share my thoughts about living experiences. I’ve hoped that my thoughts might help someone who reads them. I’ve learned to conduct myself in life as a role model whenever I can, a mentor if you will, each day, each step along my personal journey. And, I’ve learned that through personal reflection I learn to take my next steps from a place of mindful intention.

It is from this perspective that I feel so fortunate to have shared a few days last week with the wounded veterans who participated in Wild Mountain U’s first program at Stratton Mountain. Organized and supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, the event was intended to provide a short health and wellness retreat for wounded warriors who live in the Northeast. Similar to other events we have conducted for other organizations, the program was unique, special, and life-changing. Thank you to Stratton Mountain. Thank you to Bill Hannigan of WWP.

Here are some of my reflections…

We continue to see through our real-life experience that the practice of yoga and mindful-learning can be life-changing for people battling through the symptoms of trauma and PTSD. The practice of developing awareness of thoughts through focused attention on the body and breath helps re-establish healthy internal byways that might previously have been stuck or frozen as a result of the trauma. The mind-body-spirit connections are powerful, and yoga can be a powerful healing tool. We were fortunate to spend time morning and afternoon as a group in Stratton’s new Living Room yoga studio practicing yoga, breathing, and meditation.

Being outside in a natural setting doing physical activity supports natural healthy, relaxed, and authentic behavior. We were fortunate to spend time walking from location to location on dirt roads and pathways, and to spend time at the top of the mountain walking around and playing in the snow.

Being aware of healthy options and practices provides alternatives for comprehensive paths of healing. We spent time learning about fitness, nutrition, food shopping and preparation, and even spent some time making our own juice! Stratton is fortunate to have a fitness center with a gym and indoor swimming pool. Our hope is that these wellness tools will inspire further inquiry and a sense of empowerment. After all, our minds and bodies are a product of what we digest, how we exercise, how we rest, etc… things we can control.

As much as I like to think of myself as a mentor, in reality each person who attended this event was my mentor. Learning to live through the challenges in life these warriors are faced with gives them perspectives in life that are unique, insightful, and inspiring to others, including me. Sometimes, it seems that we have a hard time letting go of the way we think things or people should be like, and just accepting (and being grateful for) the way things are. It is especially hard when your body and mind are stuck in the past as a result of the trauma and you are struggling against comparisons and judgment about the future and just trying to survive in your present daily existence. When we let ourselves be as we are, and focus on small positive steps, sometimes things fall into place better. It was nice to be around a supportive group of warriors, a group of warriors whose nature is based on dedicated work, honor, service, integrity, and mutual support, in an environment where we could just be ourselves and learn together. I give thanks to each of the warriors for being exactly who they are, and for bringing themselves to Stratton and Wild Mountain U… and being a part of my life.

Setting Goals. Getting a Coach. For Me.

It’s getting near the end of the year and I’ll turn 55 this month. So many exciting opportunities have come my way this year. I have so much to be grateful for; I have so much to look forward to. I feel like I am in a good place- healthy, happy, and supported by love and loved ones. I feel like I have much to offer- experience, compassion, and the ability to support others in the pursuit of their dreams.

But it is also time for me to check in with who I am and who I want to be. My quest to be my authentic self and to be a positive influence in this world continues. It’s time to write the next chapter of my life.

I have decided that I want to be a better coach, a better leader, a better mentor. I have taken strides during the last year to learn as much as I could from as many people and from as many experiences as I could… and to be as open as I could to new discoveries and new opportunities. I have learned to trust my intuition and to feel Divine love.

Today, I have decided to set some clear intentions for my next chapter. And today, I will hire a coach to help guide me. A fitness coach. A nutrition coach. A wellness coach. A teacher. Maybe this will be one person. I will share my experiences. I will use these experiences to be a better coach myself. I see myself as a health and wellness coach, a motivator, a spiritual leader. But everyone needs a coach… a teacher… a mentor… themselves. I want to be an awesome athlete… a connected body and mind and spirit. I want to be able to ski and ride with power and style and speed for many years. And be able to share that same exhilaration, passion, happiness, and zest for life with others. I want to live young… and live learning… and be there for those I love. I want to shape a new world.

This is me today… time to write my next chapter. Stay tuned, as I morph my physical self, challenge my mental and emotional self, and explore my spiritual self. Smile, it will be an adventure for sure! I accept impermanence with open arms!

Positivity and Avoiding Negativity

I am very fortunate to have always been able to see the positive side of things. Not always, but usually. Certainly, part of this comes from a safe upbringing that allowed me to explore who I was, who I wanted to be, and feel loved and supported in the process. But I believe it also comes from practice, a practice of seeing things for their beauty, yes, but also a practice of avoiding people and places that don’t support positiveness. In other words, I avoid negativity.

For me, negativity follows:

Judgment- when we accept things for the way they are, rather than place some sort of value judgment or engage in critical thinking, we are more likely to see the positive and avoid the negative;

Sarcasm- in my view, sarcasm is usually a put-down, an attempt to disguise in humor what you don’t have the courage to say directly and compassionately;

Lack of personal responsibility- when you accept that you have the power to choose, you learn to accept that you are largely responsible for your life and your own actions; you learn that the negative behavior of others isn’t an excuse for your own negative behavior;

Divisiveness- when we seek common ground, connections, and similarities, rather than focus on differences, we all win and there aren’t losers;

Unsupportive behavior- simply put, if someone or something doesn’t bring out the best in you, move on!

Resistance to change- when we let go of our attachment to the way we think things should be like, we open our eyes, our hearts, and our future to endless positive possibilities.

Positivity follows: Acceptance, understanding, personal responsibility, common dignity, mutual support, connectedness, non-attachment, and a general attitude of compassion for others and a sense of worthiness for one’s self.

Positivity usually comes from thinking from your heart-space. Negativity usually comes from thinking from your head-space.

Positivity leads ultimately to the realization that each of us is made from the matter of the Universe, connected to and dependent on all things, and with that, the deep sense of spiritual belonging and importance.

A positive person brings out the best in others, allowing everyone to be authentic and inspired.

A negative person casts shadows over others.

Positivity starts with feelings of love; love of self; love for all others.

A mentor inspires positivity and helps others avoid negativity.

A mentor casts light onto others and provides support for the wings of others to fly.