taking time for brillance

so often, we go about our day in doing what we gotta do.
what if we showed up each morning with an intention to take time for brilliance?
no, this is not about being some uber intellectual or feigning super cognitive powers.
this is about simply being who we are.

now, that would be brilliant.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

gift giving

letting go and letting life
that's where the jewel is
unfolding + unfurling
synchronicity with its offerings
lovely, lovely, lovely
this life





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

fate vs. destiny

we are the sum total of our actions= yesterday, today + tomorrow.

karmic conversion and correction starts now.
every day a small step towards cleaning up the mess and tidying up our lives.
movement forward on a new foundation.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

burn, baby, burn

the hero is one who kindles a great light in the world,
who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by.

- Felix Adler







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

celebration

there comes a time when who we are becomes our joy.


we realize that we are all right...just as we are.... and the person who we are becoming.
forgiveness. relaxation. letting go.

the negativity is beginning to subside.
we have confidence in who we are.
conversations that might otherwise spiral into tall tales of dark places disburse
replaced by a gentle loving voice that is an allowing advocate, a discerning doctor prescribing our well-being

time to celebrate....our life.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

seeing the god within

there is no substitute for enthusiasm.

it is the spirit that breathes life into our living.
it is the soul that reminds us what we love.
it is the passion that divinely nourishes + nurtures us on the path.

it is the god within.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

word play

unseen wings emerge as flutter sounds like a hum, drumming song.
listen.
restless wings darting out and in of secret, hollow, hidden passages
look.
golden green yellow wings and bright blue effervescent eyes.
dragonfly.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

dreams, desires + devotions

my method, my muse
for a soul-filled, enlightened life.

some days I fail miserably
others, I feel as if the universe hears me loud and clear
most days, it is mostly just about me seeing what, and that, it is already there.
















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

beyond fear

the ability to step into fearlessness results from allowing openness of the heart.

beyond distrust>>>>>>>>>>>>> openness
beyond anxiety>>>>>>>>>>>>>centeredness
beyond nervousness>>>>>>>>>>calm
beyond envy>>>>>>>>>>>>>> love
beyond speediness>>>>>>>>>> slowing down


beyond fear = fearlessness

not something to go around, but go through.
gone to the other side.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the art of enlightenment

the thought of being or becoming “enlightened” can be an intimidating ideal.

like joy or happiness, enlightenment is never a constant state of bliss or all-
knowing. it happens when we experience a way of being.

small glimpses of insight + inspiration.

that is all.
that is everything.












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

divine timing

when we have done all we can and we let it all go,
the universe then works on our behalf.

divine timing is the clock to live by.












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

courage is affected one decision at time

courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. we do not have to become heroes over night. just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.
- eleanor roosevelt











copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

let stand, be clear

"do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?

can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?

lao Tzu, translated by stephen mitchell, tao te ching



time to be- "just this, just this"




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

finding the still point

the still point is the place where the flame burns brightly, but it's not blown out by the wind.

it's all about steadiness. and sureness. showing up for the game, win or lose. success or fail.
it is full blown engagement, at any cost.
transcending ourselves. our fears. our desires.

it's a knowing that it just has to be done. easy, and yet, not so much.
the only obstacle is often ourselves.

one has to go beyond the pair of opposites to find the real source.
gone, gone, gone
beyond the other shore

still paddling............





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

non-aggression

we are a society of doing and getting things done.
we think we have to work hard to make things happen.
what would happen if we put in the effort without the aggression?
if we observed more and forced less?
if we discerned without judgement, and allowed ourselves to go beyond our limitations?

life would open up.
our hearts would open up.
our world would open up.


time to open.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

for the sake of sacredness

sacred spaces have the power to heal the body, enlighten the mind, and awaken the soul.

i have a studio where i go to find safety and solace. it is a place for me to create. to meditate. to listen to luscious music and dance like a wild and whirling dervish when the mood strikes me.

it's my safe haven, creative cave and refuge for silence from the banter of this busy world.

make it your place to come home to- where the love is always unconditional and the light is shining bright.

where muddled thoughts become translucent ponds of clarity.
where questions are answered with thoughtfulness + compassion.
where your creative genius is ignited + can play to its heart's content.
where you can finally rest + know that you are perfect, exactly as you
where you can become the person you know you are meant to be + start spreading your wings.

holy, holy, holy

a lesson in letting go

for every pleasing thing, there is an unpleasing counterpart, for within every particle of the Universe is that which is wanted as well as the lack of that which is wanted. when you focus upon an unwanted aspect of something in an effort to push it away from you, it only comes closer, because you get what you give your attention to whether it is something that you want or not. It is up to you to focus upon and attract what is wanted.

--- Abraham


if I don't let go of what I don't want, I get more of what I don't want.
time to let go..........NOW!

and, begin *dreaming* of what i desire.










copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

privilege of a lifetime

the goal of the hero trip down to the jewel point
is to find those levels in the psyche
that
open, open, open
and finally open to the mystery
of your Self

- joseph cambell, from reflections on the art of living


that's the journey
that's the privilege of a lifetime - being + becoming who you are












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

heroine on a journey

when you follow your passion,
society's help is gone.

you must be very careful.
you're completely on your own.

all else is forgotten and nothing else matters.

- jc


scary, schizophrenic, seemingly going nowhere. and then, you see the light.......it's called truth. your truth. your heart. your passion. this is your life. the life you have been longing for, the longing you have not yet lived.
what the hell are you waiting for?
get out there and get going. this is your one precious life to live. no one's gonna do it for you.
the hero's journey, indeed.













copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

it's auspicious

my buddhist teacher, john, said to me the other day, "it's auspicious." matter of fact. certainty a sure thing.
he knew before i did, without even knowing.
and that evening I questioned whether I actually knew the meaning of the word.
I do. and it is good.
telling signs of great things to come.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

i have a right to be wrong

and change my mind. and take a wrong turn. or right turn. or detour.
i may be fumbling sometimes, but my feet are moving and my heart is praying. hoping that my spirit will lead me to the holy grail. at the very least, show me the way home. or to the door.....where ever that may lead.

goodness. graciousness. gratitude.


in all of this mess, life is pretty damn good.
right, wrong or indifferent, it is a blessing to have the choice to make decisions....on my own. on behalf of others. for the sake of it all.

blessings.



copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

cultivate authentic presence

genuineness. gentleness. brilliance.

shine your light without apology or excuse. without arrogance or aggression.

you are beautiful, exactly as you are.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the art of a soulful life

the gap between inspiration and manifestation can be huge and filled with obstacles, negativity, and self-consciousness.


mind the gap.
make something beautiful happen.
that is the story.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

don't skip the sorrow

the poetry of life is not always joyful.
sometimes, the most moving words are drenched in tears. and pain. and sorrow.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

those that i love

at the end of the day, all that matters are those that i love and those that love me.
mutual admiration, in a loving, allowing, unspoken sort of way.
it's inherent in the conversation, nothing needs to be said.

salt of the earth, earthiness with a pinch of saltiness.

ruddy cheeks, mussed up hair, cuss words where it counts.

throw me a line to real life, as it is today, and as it will change tomorrow.
no matter. all the same. nothing stays the same. everything changes. allow people to change.
people will change...if they are lucky, if they are willing, if they have the courage to sludge through the crap and compost fermenting .....fermenting....fermenting.....

and, beautiful, dark, rich soil , yet to be , sure to become.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

steps and stories

telling a story, rocking a rhythm.
the body never lies.

our movement tells the truth
of where we are right now.

it's our history, his story, our glory.

some days, it is hard to lift a glass of water gracefully.
other days, we can dance like the moon across a blue blanket sky.

inertia dissolves
ecstatic joy emerges.
let the lyrical dancer dance.












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

encouragement

pass it on............





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

stop the speediness

reaction. jumping to conclusions. acting out of habit.

speediness is only good if you are a formula one racer.
otherwise, it is a cause for craziness, a distraction from the truth.
habitual patterns be gone!

oh, so stubborn, those patterns, they are.

patience and kindness and non-judgement is the only grace needed now.
like the wave on the water, life changes, moment to moment, then the moment's gone.
good. bad. however you label whatever it is that trips you up and brings you down.

time for a lift. time for a break.

inch by inch...forward, back, sideways.

all part of the path that brings us closer to the life we long for.
the place where soul meets self. and life settles in.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

take a leap. forward.

sometimes the only way forward to is take a leap. from . the. edge.
i'm not taking of carelessly jumping off precipices or hang gliding from a mountaintop .
no, i am taking about moving out of our comfort zone.
lately, i have been hearing that conversation a lot. from others, from myself, from seeing life around me.
it's beginning to sound like a pedantic poem that has lost its rhyme. no rhythm. no life.

when it gets to that point, it's time to realize that ah-has and affirmations and positive poetry just ain't gonna work.

it is time to take the leap.

make no apologies or excuses for where you are, AND, take the LEAP...........every day, every moment. every choice.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

smile every once in a while

a simple smile can be the cure to what ails you.
give one, take one- which ever one you need, spread the love .






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

poet of the heart

RUMI


bible for the heart.....broken, blown open, ecstatic, ethereal.
beauty on paper. food for the soul. nourishment for the senses.

my favorite rumi book by coleman barks.

the soul of rumi

today's love lesson from the master of the heart
{ random pick/perfect timing}

be lost in the call
lord, said david, since you do not need us,
why did you create these two worlds?

reality replied: o' prisoner of time,
i was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity,
and I wished this treasure to be known,
so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart;
its darkened back, the world;
the back would please you if you've never seen the face.

has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw?
yet clean away the mud and straw,
and a mirror might be revealed.

until the juice ferments a while in the cask,
it isn't wine. If you wish your heart to be bright,
you must do a little work.

my king addressed the soul of my flesh:
you return just as you left.
where are the traces of my gifts?

we know that alchemy transforms copper into gold.
this sun doesn't want a crown or robe from god's grace.
he is a hat to a hundred bald men,
a covering for ten who were naked.

jesus sat humbly on the back of an ass, my child!
How could a zephyr ride an ass?
spirit, find your way, in seeking lowness like a stream.
Reason, tread the path of selflessness into eternity.

remember god so much that you are forgotten.
let the caller and the called disappear;
be lost in the Call.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

make space for the warrior

when doubt arises, contemplate warriorship.

-chogyum trunpa rinpoche














copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the holy grail

" to be able to give something one has to be something... one must consist of gold and not of hunger."

-- carl jung.


we find our gold when take care of ourselves.
not the kind of selfishness that focuses on our outer needs and wants.
the kind of selfishness that is sacred-- it honors who we are and whom we are meant to become.
without truly knowing who we are and understanding a sense of Self, the holy grail will forever elude us.

the holy grail is not some perfect mix of the perfect thing.
it is the gift of us being able to be live the life we were destined to have. the essence of who we are.
the real gold that make us rich, and brings enrichment to our lives, our relationships and our work.

truth. from the inside out.

answers

just sit.

















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

how to be remarkable

ok, so as much progress as I make everyday, i still feel kinda dumb. dumb that i haven't "gotten it" yet. dumb that i am only where i am. {as if, where other place where there to be??}
but, i am smart enough to know that i have not yet pushed myself outside the box.
the place where the razor's edge is tempting me, mocking me {a good test for truth}, calling me, encouraging me.
the space where it feels expansive and scary and exhilarating and like i am really doing something that matters. I mean, really matters. not just the "get it done" accomplishments that draw ahhhhs and admiration. this is just for me, and all for others.
heartfelt expression, passionate conviction, determined non-aggression.
i am checking in with some people i admire, who toss up the status quo, who are not afraid to step out {ok, they probably are, but they do it anyway}

let's see what they have to say
let's watch what i do

here is where i started:

1. danielle laporte

2. the art of non-conformity

3. john, my buddhist teacher

4. friends who aren't afraid to tell me like it is, with love


time to be remarkable without excuse, apology or diffidence {that little number came compliments of my buddhist teacher, john}




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

cradle of loving kindness

the place where magic can unfold.

step up, settle in, sit down.
peaceful calm abiding is what your soul wants.
pain and suffering held in the hands of compassion.
all will be will.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

it's a mad, mad, mad world

the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”
- Jack Kerouac












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

mind the gap

after a week of sitting meditation in a Shambala shrine hall, one thing about my life became very clear. i just simply need to slow down.

moving too fast....the pace of life is sometimes like a mad race to the finish line, except we are never finished. there is always one more to-do and we never seem to get to the bottom of the list. racing, rushing, stubbornly committed to get just one.
more. thing. done.

why do I find it difficult sometimes to stop on the side of the road for a deep breathe?
mindfulness matters and discipline is an art. an art of living a soulful life.

life is short. mind the gap.
make it matter.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

i want it all

and i will take whatever is offered.


grateful. gratitude. grace.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

settling into our selves

being comfortable in our own skin is a lot like buying the perfect pair of jeans.
it takes forever to find the perfect pair that fits just right, hugs all the delicious places and makes the other imperfections A-OK.
we feel good, we accept ourselves as we are and we strut our stuff with lots of love.

why is it sometimes more difficult to accept ourselves?

how do we settle into our selves.

compassion. there is simply no other route to this destination.
one lovingly step at a time.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

meditation mantra

weekthun

pronunciation: "weak-tune"
definition: a whole lot of meditating on the cushion

had a known the definition of what weekthun meant, i probably would not have signed up for seven days of sitting meditation.
and, I am glad I did and grateful that i was able to make it to the other side.

gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha

GONE, GONE, GONE BEYOND, COMPLETELY GONE BEYOND,ENLIGHTENMENT, HAIL

a glimpse is good. many more steps on this road to enlightenment. ever elusive, always astonishing me unexpectedly. suffering prevails. one breath at a time. the only way.

copyright 2009 Alisa Barry