peace.

not out there, in here.















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the three marriages

to see something other than yourself that reveals yourself.

unraveling- our creative undoing

spaciousness- where the old has left and the new has not yet filled the space.

our relationship to vulnerability.

courageous conversations

fierce attentive non-doing

helping hands

sacred/sacrifice

everything is waiting for you



beautiful words of wisdom from the master poet of life, David Whyte.

to hear David Whyte's poetry + prose, click HERE.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

full moon -musing

there is some kiss we want
with our whole lives,
the touch of spirit on the body.

seawater begs the pearl
to break its shell.

and the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild darling!

at night, i open the window
and ask the moon to come
and press its face into mine.
breathe into me.

close the language-door,
and open the love-window.

the moon won't use the door,
only the window.

- rumi

copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

foi

as soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live. - Goethe


my biggest obstacle is trusting myself.
I am a dynamo in business, but in my personal life, I sometimes lack the kind of confidence that I can only admire in others.
and, we are all a figment of our own perceptions. how we see ourselves is not necessarily how others see us. that rarely seems to soothe the wound.

and yet, it does.
as my dharma teacher, john, said to me today, as his dharma teacher, Chogyam Trunpa said to him, "it's like wearing out the soles of a pair of shoes.".

transformation, much less change, is rarely and overnight success story. step by step is how it usually goes.
sometimes steady, sometimes not so much. but, always on the path. stay on the path.

i am so blessed to have such an amazing teacher to guide me along the way.
blessings abound, everyday.
i bow in gratitude and thanks.

















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

let life happen

what would happen if we stopped making decisions and let life unfold?
mystery, magic, moving mountains.















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the cost of compassion

we have to give up being right
we have to allow ourselves to be gentle {*this does not mean weak}
we have to let things fall away
we have to leave things as they are {not as we wish them to be}
we have trade in our instinct to fight in exchange for the ability to be at peace.

compassion is costly, but not nearly as much as the alternative.






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

possibility + probability

the odds of success in all things are 100%.
-- 6th century buddhist sage Chandra Kirti


imagine if everything we set out to accomplish started with the premise that we could succeed. failure is not in the equation. pretty amazing odds, for sure. whether it's a seed of a simple dream or a mission impossible, the probability of the possibility is real. how can we bank on that kind of certainty? because we are the creators of our success. from the inside out.

it's not the circumstances around us, and surely you know by now that you cannot determine the outcome or actions of others {I try my best, but get proven wrong over and over and over......}. that's called control. a sorry illusion, at best.

the way of the warrior understands that karma is the key.

no dividing line of distinction.
you, me, all of thee.

without those seeds, there is no success.
so, this is where we begin.












copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

discipline as dharma

when we think of discipline, most of us release an audible heavy sigh. the thought of another to-do, thing to get done, is not what we want to add to our life list.

i think we've got it all wrong. discipline is not about the drudgery of excruciatingly hard work. it is the art of right effort. faith inspires our desire to have the discipline to do what needs to be done. it's about taking time to do what really matters; those things that connect us to our faith, and our faith is our one true love. whatever you believe in matters not, it matters that you are true to your Self, and yet you honor something greater with devotion. discipline is our dharma. our work on the path, the path of right effort, where everything aligns effortlessly and we begin to recognize the essence of who we are.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

what is your mantra?

we are what we think
so as we think, so we shall become
what we focus on, we attract

there are so many sayings from so many brilliant people telling us so.
and, yet, why is it is so difficult ?

I mean, I find myself obsessing over negative situations and thoughts, some apparently even made up. my own stories.
why would I/we/anyone DO that?

because it is what we know. it is what is familiar. tracks have been laid down in our body and mind for years, and years.
habitual patterns are a nasty lot.
the ego is a smart and stubborn one.

and, there is another way.
see it. honor it. and do not give in to it.
it takes discipline to not run, hide or brush aside that which we don't want to see, feel or be.

meditation. mindset. mantra.

















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

espritu santo

where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.

- Leonardo da Vinci.


today is all about art. making art. using our hands. calling on the spirit to infuse it's breath into the art. after all, what is art unless it is an expression of the essence of who we are? it is merely exhibition.

map out your dreams on an empty wall.
create a collage of your hopes for the future.
draw a circle over and over again and see where the repetitions take you.
pull out the paints that have been sitting on the shelf. mix some colors and create a palette that speaks your truth.
write and write and write until you have nothing left to speak of; leaving all of your hopes, fears, and joys on the page for only your eyes to see.
dance through your fingertips and let the lyrical move you where it will. frivolous, fanciful, fantastical.

this is our holy work.
say a prayer and let the art begin.
















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

relax.

when was the last time you allowed yourself to relax?
no, i mean really R-E-L-A-X.

it doesn't mean you have to go on an extended vacation, or even take a whole day off.
it's about taking time to do something that gets in your groove, forwards you into flow or simply slows you down.
boredom is not a bad word in the realm of relaxation.

no pushing, or pulling
put your feet up if you like
but rest your mind, above all.
turn the channel away from the chatter and do, nothing, now.

ahhhhhhhh...............
















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

holding on and letting go

you would think i could have let go by now.....of what?
of the things that don't matter, of the constraint that keeps me claustrophobic,
of the patterns that trip me up and keep me down.

it's already ten months into this year's experiment and the only thing i know for sure, is that i am still struggling with trying figure it out. and, that is exactly why. it is not to be figured out.

it is about knowing when to hold on and trusting when to let go.
seems so simple, still so hard.

i write down the lessons like a roadmap, as if i were the guru guiding myself on the path.
and yet, still wandering, trying to look and feel as if i have found my way. i haven't. but you knew that already. because perhaps you have already seen the path that i am on, or maybe you are right behind me on this path, following in my footsteps, or maybe you are the wise sage who has come and gone and gone beyond.
either way, we are all in this together. blind leading the blind through the darkness, enlightened lighting the way for others to illumination.

one more step forward is not the journey. it is exactly where we are standing right now. and, that is exactly where we are meant to be. for now. now, that's something to hold on to. for now.









copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

are you hiding behind your self?

fa·cade

function: noun
etymology: french façade, from italian facciata, from faccia face, from Vulgar Latin *facia*

1 : the front of a building; also : any face of a building given special architectural treatment
2 : a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect

In italy, they call it "bella figura". it is how you present yourself to the world. there is something to be said about taking pains to look good.

and then, there is life from the inside out.

your brilliance is about truth, not arrogant intelligence or a clever string of words.
you can no longer hide behind the facade of your fancy phrases or hollow actions.

this is a place where the surface is only part of the story. the real content is below the idleness of everyday.
the space where quiet and clarity are unveiled.
where the heart is open, and truth is revealed.








copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the art of entrepreneurial enlightenment- part two

essential ingredients:

1. passion
with out this, we are simply buying time. it is an expensive investment that may never offer a return. when our passion leads the path, the process takes care of the outcome, whatever that may be.


2. purpose
we come to realize that this path is not merely about accomplishments, but something bigger than ourselves. there is meaning behind our matter and we come to our work as if it were a holy prayer. it is.


3. perseverance.
adversity is inevitable. on the path of an entrepreneur, you will tested and tried. do not give up. just when you think you have given it your all, take one more step. you will know when it is time to surrender, but never, ever, ever give up.










copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

the art of entrepreneurial enlightenment- part one

1. show up- no matter what.

don’t wait for inspiration to arrive. the muse lies in waiting for us to show up. set aside a specific day or time of day to create a routine that you can count on.

2. ritualize your routine.

when you show up to do the work, make it a sacred ceremony. light a candle, sing an incantation, say a prayer. do anything that signals to yourself that you are there to do your holy work.

3. dedicate the merit.

this is a traditional Buddhist offering to honor the process- for having showed up, for the gifts that have been offered, for the process of it all.
It’s a celebration of the simple way we can honor our lives + work anew, everyday.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

babies are beauty

babysitting for a mere 5 pound bundle times two.
sweet, soft skin and paper-thin fingernails

boy, girl. miracles.
love.















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

bow to burnout

some of us like to brag that we are soooo busy, and just plain burnt out- like a badge of honor we have earned.
others of us do everything we can to hide our burned out body and soul- we avoid it like a stigma on our supposedly well-balanced lives.

either one is an extreme of somewhere we really long to be.
balance is an elusive idea that is seemingly defined differently by each of us.
and yet, you can bet, that we all get burnt out at some time or another, for one reason or another.

how and that we honor it is what brings us together- even if it is only our own body, mind and spirit.

taking time to see the red flags that pop up along the way ensures we don't get to far down the path before we completely collapse. i know i am off course when my drinking habits lose their balance and soon i am drinking more coca-cola or wine than water. i know i am headed on the wrong path when i stop cooking and start eating too much take out. i am sure that i am down for the count when instead of slowing down, i am running out of the house without taking time to eat breakfast, enjoy a cup of tea or simply sit on the meditation cushion for a few minutes.

this is when it is time to stop. full stop. dead stop. stop stop. rest stop. take a look around at your world stop. listen to how you feel. stop. cry a tear of sadness stop. just simply stop.....and bow in thanks that you were able to stop. finally. again.
and next time, you vow to bow before you let yourself get too far down the path. chill out, cool off, settle down.







copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

on fearlessness

go beyond your fear.









copyright 2009 Alisa Barry