Back From Thailand
September 4, 2012
I hope this finds you all healthy, happy, and embracing this day that will never come again. Yes, a day that will never come again. That inspires me to share the way I love to start my day – with a simple reminder of my current situation.
I start by reflecting on how fortunate I am to have such an incredible life. I have use of my limbs, I can see, I have electricity, I even have clean water right out of the tap in my own home! I am able to read and write. I have food, shelter, friends, clothing, a vehicle, access to incredible teachers, a wonderful family, etc (I usually go on for quite a bit).
I then call to mind the impermanent nature of all of this. This opportunity, this day, will never come again. This may be my last day. There are two indisputable facts about this life – it will end and we don’t know when. In truth, our lives can end at any time. We often forget this. However, reflecting for just a few moments, we can call to mind many people that have died in their prime. Just yesterday, the actor, Michael Clarke Duncan, passed away. He was 54, fit as can be, and had become a vegetarian a few years ago. This is just one quick example, but we all know people that have passed away, some young, some old, some suddenly, some slowly. I don’t bring this up to be morbid, but rather to remind us of the preciousness of this day and inspire us to use it wisely. Right now I have this amazing life, filled with opportunity and potentials. I will never have this day again and I don’t know if I will be around tomorrow.
Keeping that in mind, I then bring to mind what is really important for me in this life – what is a meaningful life to me? Death is certain, time of death is uncertain, and at the time of death what is really important? Is it all the little things I stress about throughout the day? What is truly important for me is how I live my life. Am I am living a life in alignment with my own values, one that allows me to look in the mirror with peace and well-being? Ultimately, for me, a meaningful life is one that is beneficial. At the time of my death, I would like to know that the world is a little better as a result of my life. So this little morning reflection reminds me of this precious opportunity – the opportunity I have to live a meaningful life today and become mindful of how I interact with all I encounter. I believe that this short reflection can help all of us to all add value to the moments of our life, living them with attention and intention.
Cultivating Emotional Balance Teacher Training – Thailand 2012 – Now for a little update. As most of you know I have just returned from a five-week training/retreat with B. Alan Wallace and Eve Ekman to become certified to teach an integrated mindfulness program called Cultivating Emotional Balance. It was a wonderful experience that allowed me significant time to unplug, meditate, reflect, and learn. We had 47 people from 14 different countries in the training and we all felt like family by the end. I think it is amazing to have people from all over the world, devoting five weeks of their life to come together for the purpose of being able to help others. I now have 46 more family members throughout the world!
Coming out of the retreat I have a clear vision of my path. I am now going to stop resisting the role of teacher and will embrace it. I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to transform my life, train with incredible teachers, and be in a situation that allows me to share with others. So I am committing to developing the Way of Compassion Foundation and making myself available to teach workshops and give talks wherever I am invited.
Right now I am in Southern California taking some time to organize, regroup, and establish the foundations of the next phase of my journey. In October I will be headed to Colorado to lead some workshops/retreats and then over to Norman, Oklahoma. You can always find my schedule on my public calendar. So the journey continues, one precious day at a time. I send you all much love and best wishes for you to all make the most of each day – living the life that is most meaningful to you.
