GenuLines (blog) | Chi For Yourself

Slacks, Ties, and Video Tapes: Out with Your Clutter and In With the Good Chi!

April 15, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Problems with our BlogTalkRadio post caused the Tammy Strobel interview to be pushed back to Saturday April 13th. We saw a similar snafu with the previous week’s Polly Campbell interview. It’s rare when we have these types of snags, but we’re caught up now. If you didn’t get to hear the shows you can catch them here:

Polly Campbell is the author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People

Polly Campbell

Tammy Strobel is the author of You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Tammy Strobel

Article:

I’m really getting into this de-clutter “thing”. This week I’ve managed to unload what seems like a lifetime worth of stuff, though there’s still a long way to go.

Excessive clutter can creep into every area of your life, like waiting to do your taxes until the final day (which just happens to be today!) It spills over into your total enjoyment of life. Clutter can steal your attention, be a physical and mental burden, and ratchet up the chaos in your life. Moving out your stuff can seem to be mission impossible if you don’t have some sort of plan for getting it done. This week I’m “chunking it”- concentrating on small steps each day.

Today I’m starting with the office. There are papers everywhere (research, you know!) Then the computer area. I gotta get to work. I’ll have a report on the office cleanup, and in fact I’ll update ya with posts this week. If I get any brainstorms on how to make this project go a little easier I’ll send them along.

Later

JohnK 4/15/2013

Overheard: “Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter.

~Terri Guillemets

Smile and Say ‘Chi’: Your Essential Energy Never Changes

April 3, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

April is spring cleaning time around my place. And since I like to put themes to Chi For Yourself episodes. I thought we would spend some time this month taking a look at de-cluttering. We all have stuff that we don’t really need but somehow never seems to get thrown out. I’ll bet you’re thinking of one or two items right now. Of course physical items are not the only things that can go to the scrap pile. Our thoughts can use a ‘cleaning up’ too. To that end we’ll get started with an interview with Polly Campbell, author of Imperfect Spirituality:Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People.

Polly Campbell

Polly is scheduled to join us on Thursday April 4th. I plan to stream the interview on chiforyourself.com before putting the recorded version on BlogTalkRadio the following day. So, if you’d like to join us we’ll get started at 1pm Pacific time..again that’s Thursday April 4th.

The following week we’ll hear from Tammy Strobel. Tammy is the author of You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Tammy Strobel

The title says it all and Tammy will talk about how she did it. You can join in on this one, too. We’ll start the conversation at 1pm Pacific time on April 11th.

Overheard: “Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them!”

– Peace Pilgrim

Article: Smile and Say ‘Chi’: Your Essential Energy Never Changes

You’re looking through some photos that you stumbled upon and you can’t believe the gangly youngster looking back is you- all dressed up for a school function or possibly for a little league baseball game. The photos stir up a lifetime worth of memories, yet with all the changes in your appearance or your clothing you notice in each one there is something that seems to stay the same.
The quality that seems to burst through each picture over the years is the genuine self. It’s the marker that identifies us even more than ‘Dad’s smile’, or ‘Aunt Clara’s eyes’. The genuine self is our innate GPS. When we stay true to this self we will always have our direction.
We really shine in situations where we can express the true self. When our interests are recognized and supported we fell better. And we get clear about who we are and what we want. We feel that we are encouraged to follow our interests and demonstrate our abilities. There’s real joy is this feeling. It comes from moving toward our wants and passions and it can lead you to exactly where you want to go. But you must listen to it and trust it.
At some point you may feel that you don’t have the freedom to express youself and your desires. That’s the time when you’ll most feel the need for change. You may feel you are unappreciated or not getting the recognition you deserve. You may even be outright discouraged or punished. At these times you can ask yourself these questions:

Who am I?
What brings me joy?
What do I want/don’t want..what will I do/not do?

Find the you that doesn’t change. The you that you’ve always been. That’s your genuine self. It will lead you. Will you follow?

JohnK 4/3/2013
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Stalled on the Inspiration Superhighway? Get Your Bearings and Get Back on The Road to Fulfillment.

March 25, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Our lives wind along a sometimes tricky web of avenues that take us from one segment of life to the next. For some the route includes clearly marked road signs and few hills. For others it’s not so easy to see where to go next. The destination is fulfillment- defined as ‘satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s abilities or character.’ But figuring out which turn will put you on the direct road to fulfillment and the living of a genuine life may not be as obvious.

There are a lot of ways to uncover what the next road on your life path should be. If you are looking to follow that “faint inner voice” then it’s vital that you start asking questions. Often that inner voice will suggest that it’s time for change. At this point it is important that you go inside for answers since only you know what’s best for you. When you push past the limits of your comfort zone you gain more confidence and you are able to guage your personal growth.

It’s also a good time to take a look at where you’ve been so far. Those things that made up your list of needs and wants may not be serving you any more. Knowing this could shine a light on what you no longer want and more importantly what you might need to do next. This little rest stop is a good point to get a clear picture of your perfect future. Start listing ways to bring that future into form and in line with your intentions. Meditation is a favorite of mine. You may want to keep a vision board, or a journal. These can give you the courage and the insight to move toward the next segment of the life road that will be most satisfying.

Pull back the curtain of fear and inertia that keeps you from knowing which step to take next. With trust your path will make itself known. When you move past the fear and listen to yourself getting to that next step will become easier.

JohnK 3/25/2013

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Notes to Start The Week March 17th, 2013

March 18, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Very much enjoyed our Chi For Yourself interview with Ajayan Borys. I hope it dispelled some notions about meditative practice and gave you some ideas to help in your own meditation..

If you didn’t catch Ajayan on the show you can listen here:

..and on a related note, here’s something from Business2community that can give you more encouragement:

Meditation: Making it a Daily Habit For a More Fulfilling Life

Meditation is an excellent habit to add to your daily routine. Not only does it help you relax, but it also helps with almost every other part of your life as well. Read more..

We’re enjoying a spell of the kind of weather that Southern California is famous for, and it’s the kind of weather that moves me to start cleaning out the house. Items are making their way out of my house most every week- shirts, pants, shoes, books, even an old computer that dates back to the Reagan administration. Gotta say I’m inspired by the writing of Tammy Strobel. Tammy has written a book called You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Tammy is scheduled to be a guest on Chi For Yourself on April 11th.

Also working to get Polly Campbell on the show. Polly is the author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People.

Overheard: “Times change. For the usual person this is very discouraging. You cannot rely on anything. You cannot have anything. And you will see what you don’t want to see. So you [have to] change the foundation of your life. ‘That things change’ is the reason why you suffer in this world and become discouraged. [But] when you change your understanding and your way of living, then you can completely enjoy your life in each moment.”

– Shunryu Suzuki

Peace

JohnK 3-18-2013

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Notes to Start the Week March 10, 2013

March 11, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Well, lots of folks turned the clocks ahead one hour over the weekend. Time becomes a news story in the Western media when this part of the year rolls around.

Most of us have said, “If only I had more time,” as a way of explaining why we aren’t leading our most fulfilling lives. In her 2012 Chi For Yourself interview Marney Makridakis turned the concept of time management upside down when she brought us some new tools for viewing and experiencing time.

Listen to the show here:

Marney Makridakis is the author of “Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life.”

Meditation is on the menu this week. Our scheduled guest on Chi For Yourself is Ajayan Borys, author of Effortless Mind: Meditate With Ease. The interview is scheduled for 1pm Pacific on Wednesday instead of the usual Thursday. The Google+ streams seem to be working well, so I’m planning to stream our talk on chiforyourself.com.

Speaking of meditation, there’s a global meditation planned for later this month. Get the details here at TheMasterShift.com.

…and, in Lexington, Virginia they’re observing Spiritual Wellness Month at the VA hospital there. Good quote from the VA- “At Lexington VA, we recognize that the Veterans we care for are spiritual beings having a human experience rather than human beings having occasional spiritual feelings,” Read the whole story…

Be well

JohnK 3-11-2013

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The Sultan of Silly on Why Laughter Really IS Good Medicine

March 8, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Allen Klein

Allen Klein is the self-styled, one and only “Jollytologist”. During his Chi For Yourself interview he gave us some chuckles, but also reminded us that life gets a little too serious sometimes.

If you didn’t get a chance to listen or watch last Thursday’s interview with Allen Klein you can do that here:

…and, our scheduled guest for Wednesday March 13th is Ajayan Borys. He’ll talk about why meditation is easier than we make it. Ajayan Borys is the author of Effortless Mind: Meditate With Ease.”

Ajayan Borys

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JohnK March 8th, 2013

Fear Strikes Out: Getting Around the Wall of Worry on the Way To a Genuine Life

February 20, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, much like many along Pacific Coast Highway. Pelicans glide near the surface of the ocean while gulls let out a sort of shrill encouragement nearby. Yet I’m feeling a bit uneasy as I make my way toward my dental appointment. Now, I’m no coward but I’m wondering ‘what if?’ What if this time I’ll need extensive work? It’s happened before. What if that work leaves me with a big bill? Been a while since any work was done. Am I due for a surprise?

Fear. It can stop you cold, give you what athletes call ‘jelly knees’, and steal your ability to make smart decisions. It can rob you of rational thinking and even turn you into a shadow of your real self. And all because of a perceived threat. Feeling threatened is not the same as an actual threat. But how can you tell? Do you face real danger or do you advance confidently?

Fear of uncertainty can leave you too frightened to take the path you really want to take. You can freeze at a bad time and not take to the road you must travel. It can be a helpless feeling and one that could leave you playing the victim.

Fear, real or not, can play a big part in how and if we respond and in who we become. There are countless stories of people who’ve let fear get the upper hand, even if only for a short time. That fear takes on an air of paranoia when their judgement is colored by those who are ‘out to get’ them. It’s a bit over the top but that’s the power of fear brought on only by perception.

Who are you becoming? Who is that person you call your self? My own belief is that the combination of listening to the faint inner voice and thinking rationally can turn back even a natural fear. It may require getting past the perception of whatever you’re facing. This will go a long way toward keeping you on target to living genuinely.

Oh, the dentist appointment? Got a checkup, a cleaning, and a reminder to ‘keep up the good work’.

Overheard: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

– Margaret Mead

JohnK 2-20-2013

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When Practice Isn’t Perfect: Your Best Effort Toward Consciousness is Good Enough

January 30, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Here we are, about to say goodbye to the month of January, and maybe goodbye to those New Year’s resolutions. Remember the resolutions? Maybe your list included taking a yoga class. Or getting back into a meditation practice. But the new committment came with conditions. You had to change your schedule, or block out some time in your busy day. And now we find that what we promised we’d do is not so promising after all. It’s easy to fall into the habit of perfection and not so easy to meet the expectations we set up for ourselves.

You’re moving along on your spiritual path, and you deserve to feel good about it. Just remember that you don’t have to achieve perfection. It’s okay to have moments of intense reaction. Someone cuts in front of you on the freeway or in the grocery store line. You may feel angry and then guilty over your reaction. Suddenly the spiritual capital you built up seems to have turned to vapor. Be patient with yourself. It will do more to keep you on the path than letting ego’s striving for perfection give you a bad report card. Challenges will pop up from time to time so look at them as temporary events rather than as a part of who you are.

Your situation is different from others’ and your behavior will be an outgrowth of your experiences. It’s possible that you will never stop having strong reactions to your everyday situations. But if you do no more than notice what you’re feeling and know that there’s little you can do about it over time you’ll be able to change your reaction. Think of it as consciousness calisthenics.

Negative thoughts will come. With time and patience you can learn to let them go by without giving in to them. Your practice may not be perfect, but you’ll find peace in knowing that you are doing the best you can.

JohnK 1-30-2013

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Finding Your Bliss: Passion is Always in Fashion

January 23, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Many of us are cemented into professions and personal situations that we never consciously planned to pursue. We have a tendency to blame these on circumstances, and we decide to live with what is sometimes barely tolerable. I suggest we keep in mind that we have a purpose, and our life’s work is a big part of it. Think of your life’s work as a collection of features that allows you to express your creativity and intelligence while you live in harmony with your values. You relax into just being yourself. This allows you to experience the joy of living your genuine life.The normal everyday job can demand more of you than you really want to give. This sets you up for problems ranging from frustration to physical illness. But your life’s work asks only that you have passion for it.

To find your purpose in life take note of your interests today, and the passions that kept your attention in the past. Maybe you felt drawn to a certain profession or endeavor throughout your younger years, only to be diverted from your path by the time you reached adulthood. Or you may be hearing a small voice that’s pulling you toward something you’ve yet to explore. Narrow it down. In fact, spend some time meditating on it. Ask the universe to clarify your life’s work by providing signs and be sure to pay attention.

Maybe you like to get your hands dirty. Ask yourself what will let you do that. Or you may be leaning toward some other area of the work you’re already doing. If you want to help the human condition on a larger scale then consider whether you skill set and abilities can take you in that direction. Make an inventory of your strengths, passions, beliefs and values. These can help you narrow your search if you don’t know where to begin.

Know that your journey toward a life purpose may not be a straight line. You may need to redraw your personal map more than once during your lifetime. For example, you may have spent years at home raising a family, only to find out that now you’re being called away in a different direction. Your life’s work may be something that brings little recognition or financial compensation. But your passion for it will always give it meaning. You’ll know you’ve found your life’s work when each day starts with a good feeling about what you’re doing, and for the person looking back at you in the mirror.

John K 1-23-2013

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A Barrel Full of Monkey Mind is No Fun- Meditation Can Quiet the Chatter

January 15, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

There you are, fretting over the state of your relationship, or worrying about an upcoming meeting at the office. Those voices in your head are back. It’s the usual chatter that has no rhyme or reason and keeps you totally confused and without real answers. It’s called the monkey mind, and it leaves you feeling as though you’re spinning in circles.

A good way to counter the frontal lobe free-for-all is to practice meditation. This gives you the chance to counter the noise by moving beyond thought. You can become the noticer- aware of your thoughts rather than thinking them. It sounds like the same thing, but there is a difference. When you notice your thoughts you can allow them to move on by without taking you with them. That calms the feeling of being pulled in so many directions. Concentration is key here. It will let you slow down the thought process and keep your attention on observation of those thoughts.

One method of working your concentration “muscles” is by paying attention to your breath during meditation. When the monkey mind begins its cranial chorus observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath. Breathing meditations differ. Some have you focus and the inhale and exhale and the movement of the abdomen. Others have you concentrate on the sound of the breath. Then there’s focusing on a candle flame as a way of reigning in the mind. Soften your gaze as you notice the color, shape, and movement of the flame, all the while trying not to blink. You can vary this by closing your eyes though you want to keep watching the flame in your mind.

It seems counterproductive when you realize that quieting your mind for meditation actually provides fertile soil for the mind chatter to take hold. Just remember to be kind to yourself and don’t give up. Meditation is often called “practice”, and continued practice will help you keep monkey mind to a minimum.

JohnK 1-15-2013

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