THE FIRST TIME

Listening to the Life Class the other night about the issue of vulnerability reminded me of the importance of choosing wisely who deserves to experience your vulnerability. For example; The First Time...Ladies, you know what I'm talking about. How many times have we ever allowed ourselves to be vulnerable with one another when we share our stories about, The First Time? How was your First Time...Seriously! Now, we all know that for most of us...it wasn't that great! I don't mean the story you told your partner or the story you told your best friend, your sister, your cousin or even your mama...when you thought you were old enough that you could keep it real! Now here lays the problem with not being vulnerable with the next generation of young sistahs as to the real story! As women trying to create authenticity with the next generation we have to be vulnerable in order for them to realize the importance of choosing wisely. It is time for us to open our hearts wide so that their experiences can be the best that they can be and if your story wasn't great...keep it real and share what maybe can be done differently but above all else...Keep It Real! What we want to do in sharing our vulnerability with our sistahs is to create a safe space to express the beauty of "The First Time", so don't try to sell the pipe dream. Instead, remind the young sistahs that by interviewing several and turning away many will help them to realize just how special they are and taking it slow will give them every opportunity to make their one and only "First Time", very special just like the very "Special Rose" that they are.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Watching out the window of the Photo Studio the tag on the front of the car had my favorite quote; "Be Still and Know that I Am God"! A smile formed across my face as I patiently waited on my daughter's arrival to take her family pictures. I had been thinking a lot about this quote recently due to the many exciting new events in our family of new arrivals. With another precious one on the way in our family I have been reflecting a lot of how powerful this quote is from the source of our very existance. This is a very intence statement that challenges everything in our busy world surrounding us and asks that we realize where we will find the Most Great Peace. Where is this stillness and how to get there is the question? When I realized that to experience this stillness takes more than just turning everything off, it was a great awakening. In beginning to appreciate this stillness I starting spending more time in nature and just focusing on the beauty of God in the most simple of lifes creation. When I began to experience God in the most simple smile and laughter of my grandchildren I started seeing the stillness of God within my very being. It has been through these simple "Aha moments", that I have began to appreciate this qoute even more. I wish this year, for all of you that I am able to share more in this reality so that I may serve up the great revelations that comes from being Still! May Peace come to you all and may the "Stillness of God", flow within your lives and experiences! Enjoy the serving up of lifes ingredients into your recipes!

Recipes of Life for Wellness

I have been pondering the idea of bringing more to the table from the kitchen @ The Writers Cafe and that is why I haven't had as much time lately to blog. I would like to apologise to my readers and writers for the huge break in servings here, however, I promise that the waiting has been for a great cause. I have been investing myself into the health benefits of adding probiotics to my regime of wellness and it has been a true positive for me. I will be sharing the benefits at a later date. I encourage all my friends here at the cafe to share your new experiences as they unfold in your lives because we all benefit when we share. The country is acheing for more ways to maintain our personal health and wellness through our many options. I think you all know how I promote "Bottom Line Eccentials for Wellness", so chime in and let me know what you are doing. I am working with a new Radio Program at Blogtalk and getting the word out...I also am traveling with the Yoga programs. I hope all of you are taking great care of yourselves and enjoying your newfound recipes of life! I will be checking back in with you soon with more recipes of wellness! Namaste Friends!!

WHAT NOW?

It's been a while since I've checked into my kitchen @ The Writers Cafe not for lack of anything to cook but out of sheer desperation for a new recipe with the outcome of a new experience.

For the past year I have been exploring the benefits of Yoga in my life...not the yoga that I see on every corner of America for exercise but the original experience of learning and practicing with a living Master. I have had that experience with partaking in the programs directed by a Living Master from India. The programs were directed by Sadhguru at the ashram in Tennessee and I experienced what I hoped for;an experience of a live transmission from a living Master. I have always wanted to just be in the Presence of a Living Master to experience what I have only imagined in my lifetime about spiritual practice;authenticity and realness about purpose in living.

This past year has caused me to question everything and it's purpose in my life. Several of the recipes in my kitchen for comfort are changing to a more natural approach.This part of my journey has been approaching me for a long time and now I understand what Sadhguru was talking about when he said that our Guru will find us simply by our desires rather than the other way around.

I am looking forward to the unfolding of my true talents that have laid latent within me for a lifetime.It is through the slow cooking processes of the great southern women I have known that I understand this part of my spiritual journey. I feel that the consistant practices that I have been given by my teacher, along with sincere purpose, will provide for me the most wonderful flavors just like what I have witnessed through my observations in my life with Master Chefs of the South. There are great mysteries to purposeful living and to recognize the purpose of the right specific mixture of ingredients toward a pleasurable experience is required for success. In sharing my recipes of life, I hope that others will do the same that we all may open to great possibilites.

The world we exist in today is calling all of us to give the most we can give to open the possibilities available to humanity. The giving of ourselves...our hearts and openness towards peace begins with the peace within ourselves to attain the peace we all desire outwardly. I hope all of you reach out in every possible way to find that peace for the sake of all humanity...I wish peace for you in your kitchens and ask that you share your recipes and ask the question..."What Now?"

IN HIS PRESENCE

This has been a Summer of great expectations! I have experienced the presence of a guru from India named Sadhguru. Being in his presence in McMinnville,Tenn where the Ashram is has been the experience of a lifetime. I have journeyed all over this country but nothing has met the experience of the realness of this Teacher. Oh yes, I can hear the voices already; she has lost it this time, however, I am not one to take this "Teacher" thing lightly!
For those that have known me, they know that I not only trust my intuition highly but I also do my homework. One of the things I like about Sadhguru is that he is upfront and real about "how to" get it! It is only by giving of yourself 100%(which is mostly what I have because it hasn't been finances this go around) into anything, that you will get your desired results. I have always known that when you sit on the bleechers watching the game, it is no where like being in the game as a participant. When you are actively involved it does take you away from the distractions of the goal.Even though you may want to win the game it isn't about the game. How you play the game to win is the mystery of winning because you have won when you participated. This is something I've always shared with my children...just play the game I will be your biggest cheerleader because I understand the power of actively playing. As a child my mother and I were always just trying to survive. There was no time to play and that is why it has been a tough road for me to see the value in playing. I think a lot of people are that way in our materialistic society, of course, how else could you pay for all our "toys"? The "toys" aren't the problem...it's the value we place on them in our lives and our obcession with them. When we have no time for joy, play and rejuvination then we are out of the delicate balance of wellness. When the di-ease of your body trys to alert you with the aches and pains to change direction are you too committed to the goal at hand or can you shift is the question? I've learned this summer that the shift may be the answer to many alerts I've been given to do more than just survive. With all the experiences I've had in my participation at Isha I am excited to welcome Sadhguru back to America that I may have the honor once again to be "In His Presence".

A Woman's View on Government Shutdown

Today I decided to chime in on another attempt of government to make a decision based on a few people's views (mostly men) about what they feel is the best interest of the country as to how our (my) tax dollars should be spent. Along with this decision they are willing to create more costly expences on our now recovering economy to satisfy their ego's based on a religious view of abortion.

Their lack of a bigger view of Planned Parenthood just troubles me because not one single man can experience the ramifications of giving birth to an unplanned pregnacy or delivery of a child that is not supported or wanted by it's mother. This is a view that is shared by a lot of women that can afford an abortion and would like other women that may not be offered the same choice. The reason a lot of women do not speak out is because it is a personal choice that can label one as heartless which is far from the truth. One's religious view about the subject is a freedom that we are afforded in this country and now is the best time that women can step out on their views as to how our tax monies should be best spent to serve all women regardless to their understandings or experiences.

It is time for the women of our country to speak out to stop the rediculous ramblings of government as to what rights we should be afforded through how our tax dollars are spent. This is an issue that pertains to the rights of every woman and that battle is part of our ancestry sacrifices of the brave women before us. We are the Masters of our body and our choices, not government. Just as all the other tax monies spent without our support or approval, this is just one more that is directed clearly at us and used by religous leaders to force women into submission to their rule.

I say it is time for the muzzel to be removed from all women, to be heard concerning the rights that have been afforded us through the sacrifice of others regardless to our financual standing. This is the hour that all women can make a stand to go forward by being heard and to unite to lift our voices together. Stand women...lift your voices to the Unity call of equal rights for all women to have choices. This is a call about opportunity...not right of life! Life is never-ending but opportunity can dissapper at the hands of a few when you allow it!

Now is the time to unite for opportunity to never be removed. Don't allow the smokescreen to blind your view as to what is the real issue. We shall not be blinded or used by the few we have placed into office to decide our fate without a good fight. Stand and be recognized...let those you supported hear your voice!!

I looked up the definition to government in order to understand who should decide what is right for the individual and that clearly helped me to decide...Me!

Main Entry:gov*ern*ment
Pronunciation:*g*-v*rn-m*nt
Function:noun

1 : authoritative direction or control : RULE
2 : the making of policy
3 : the organization or agency through which a political unit exercises authority
4 : the complex of institutions, laws, and customs through which a political unit is governed
5 : the governing body
–gov*ern*men*tal \*g*-v*rn-*ment-*l\ adjective

Then The Whole World Shifted

I could never have imagined that my life would change in such a way that I couldn't find words to describe the experience. It all began when I typed "yoga" into my Google search engine. I've always been the person that aspired to the saying; "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear". Mysteriously, the Indian Mystic, Sadhguru and his online Inner Engineering program came to my attention.

I have always been attracted to India and all her wonderful spiritual diversity. It has always amazed me that so many different viewpoints of spirituality can exist in one place and have such respect for one another. We cannot even master that in America in my opinion. We have a tendency to have to be right over the others in our society if it doesn't sound like Christianity and that has never sat right with me. Out of my respect for India and her history to expand I decided to investigate Sadhguru's vision for humanities expansion in the area of Inner Engineering through the path of yoga.

In my investigation through taking the online program I was amazed at the discoveries I was making within my own self. Sadhguru invited me metaphorically to get on the bus to enjoy the view from his perspective. I have to say that for me that was a challenge because I had to discern was he asking me to give up my "drivers seat". That had been the test in every religion I had investigated in this country led by men, soooo, was this going to be one more disappointment for me from my favored country, India. I decided not to pass a judgement until I looked upon his request with fresh eyes and experienced what he was saying. After taking a ride on this bus for a moment through the program, I'm beginning to relinquish my drivers seat long enough to see things from different viewpoints, however, the drivers seat is the best advantage point from my experience to see the "Big Picture".

After the online program with Sadhguru I decided to go to the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences in McMinnville, Tn. There was another program offered from the online program that I wanted to take at Isha. When I arrived on this beautiful mountain top of the spectacular Cumberland Plateau with it's setting of 1200 acres of beautiful forest land I had to take a step back to catch my breath. It was unbelievable that my whole life had come to this point...on this mountaintop. From this point everything takes on a different perspective. To come to a different perspective would not come from this trip, this was only the beginning. This was just my initiation into yoga and to learn that it was much more than an exercise, which is what I got from the American perspective. It was not until my next visit at Isha in Tennessee on January 23,2011 when I personally saw Sadhguru at Darshan that I realized just how much "keeping it real" has always meant to me. Sadhguru truly must have found me out of my own desires to meet a teacher that would keep it real.

I have to say that after seeing Sadhguru on Isha's campus doing the work that needs to be done to bring his vision to fruition and receiving Darshan that evening with him...then the whole world shifted!