Take time to be

why are we always running around as if the world is ending tomorrow?
frantic and frenetic, racing to get everything done.

take a lesson from the europeans who know that life goes on for centuries and all things do not change at the speed of technology.
RELAX.  permission granted.
enjoy the day.  do something that warms you from the inside out.
if there were no tomorrow, what would you do today?
do that NOW.

dare to let go

when we hang on to what we don't want to give up, it can feel like the greedy grasp of child.
we'd rather stay with our familiar knowing than the uncertainty of the emptiness and gap that it might leave.

letting go is a generous gesture. it allows the world to offer us what we really need (and perhaps didn't know we really wanted).  it also offers us and others a side benefit of naturally being more generous with others.

letting go is a leap of faith. we have no idea that if we let go of this, what that might bring us.
what are you ready to let go of? ready or not, jump!
I dare you.

don't be afraid of who you are

true bravery is about being who you are. exactly as you are.
it's the beauty you bring to the world.
even with all of our afflictions and contradictions we have something to offer that is uniquely divine.

look at your experience to see how you serve yourself and others.
even in the midst of obstacles and adversity, we have something to share.

beauty & bravery.  kindness and compassion.
see how heroic you can be with small everyday actions?

elegance & ease

even when we don't feel elegant, we can act as if it where so.
good manners, compassionate communication, mindful activity.
when we slow down from our speediness, we begin to see that elegance is really just that simple.

when we are acting elegant, we begin to relax, we start to feel at ease.  spaciousness changes our perspective.  we take time to connect to our feet to the earth, our souls to our SELF.

when we act with elegance and feel that ease, effortlessness is inherent.

survival and celebration

{There appears to be a conflict between survival and celebration.  Survival, taking care of your basic needs,  is based on pragmatism, exertion, and often drudgery.  Celebration, on the other hand, is often connected with extravagance and doing something beyond your means. For the warrior, ruling your world means that you can live in a dignified and disciplined way, without frivolity, and at the same time enjoy life.}

In the dictionary, the definition of discipline is based on the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. 

The word discipline becomes beauty-full when we approach it from a new perspective. 

Discipline comes from the root disciple. Disciple means to be a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher. Whether we are an apprentice to another or act as our own teacher and student, discipline helps us have mastery in the world. 

In today’s fast-paced and frenetic world, just getting the most basic daily routines done can leave us exhausted and empty at the end of the day. We need discipline to do the work required, to get the results we desire. And yet, there has to be more to just getting things done to get what we desire. 

This commitment is called DEVOTION. 

Devotion to our work.
Devotion to our relationships.
Devotion to making our deepest dreams and desires come true. 

When we look at discipline as devotion, discipline is no longer the gut-wrenching hard work that we were brought up to believe. It's a kind of discipline that is inspired by an intense internal desire. It’s a sacred commitment we make for ourselves that nurtures and nourishes us wholly (holy. 

In order to master the art of any craft, our daily activities require repetition and relentless commitment to practice for perfection. That kind of perfection takes practice. 

Practice is our prayer.
And prayer is beautiful.

*quote by Choygam Trungpa, The Sacred Path of the Warrior