so simple

the secret to everything is to simply slow down.





copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

rest in the breath

there is much to do.
there is so much to accomplish.

then, there is a stillness.

a place where everything that needs to happen unfolds as it should
a time when the empty space is where the gem reveals its self.
a space where doing nothing and just being is some of the best work we can do.

{sit down and be quiet.}


copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

21/30

today's focus of celebration: gratitude for solitude

i'm naturally wired to work behind the scenes, quietly crafting on my own.
and, i have discovered, there is one area of my life where even i am in need of others, I must do the work on my own.
it's in my daily meditation practice.

i've always sat on the cushion-on and off, here and there, now and again.
but i've never sat as i do now; with the understanding and effort that is essential for what it takes to settle in deeply and feel change profoundly. or feel, for that matter. down to the bones, hard in the gut.
in the past, it was always the next this workshop, or that book, or the next class.
sure, i got a moment of peace or bliss or motivation or quiet.

and then, it was back to my regular routine.
and, it wasn't pretty.

although no one can get me on the cushion besides myself, I couldn't do it the way i now do without the blessing of others who have walked this road before me. who are now walking the walk with me. who are there when i need them, and they now when i need to travel on my own.
so, even though i am sitting in solitude and silence, i hear the echo of others offering their service.
even if it is just holding the space.

and, I am grateful.














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

meditation in motion

our feet are a long way from the head,
let them lead the way.

as in life, when rocky roads appear, so do
blisters and splinters,
and aching arches,
cramping toes

and then.......

tiptoe folly,
grounded pounding
the dance of the lyrical where only
joy prevails

shedding all that is no longer needed now.

quiet stillness, even as we move

this is our dance,
our meditation in motion.

make space for the warrior

when doubt arises, contemplate warriorship.

-chogyum trunpa rinpoche














copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

answers

just sit.

















copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

weathering the storm

These are difficult times. Everyday, there is uncertainty and imbalance in many of our lives. Many have had to make sacrifices and endure hardship. It can be exhausting to endure.
And yet, how can we come to the day with a sense of calm in the midst of this storm?

Being stressed out doesn't help us be more productive.
During times like these, I do well to remember a story about a monk who says to his colleague, "Today is going to be a very busy day. Instead of meditating for one hour, I must meditate for two."

Sitting in silence, doing nothing, would seem contrary to being productive and getting things done. In fact, it can provide the calm and clarity we need to come to the work at hand in a calm, confident, compassionate manner. When I am acting from this place of mindful decision-making, I take care of those I come in contact with. I make decisions that are well thought out, and I feel better, reducing the internal anxiety and stress. Slowing down seems like an unlikely ally when we have much to do. And it is exactly what we need to gain correct perspective and really see what is front of us clearly.

I have a lot on my plate right now. Home is not the "artful life" I long for. I spend less time cooking and eating artfully than I like. I try to savor every moment I do have at the table, knowing that it matters intensely to honor that ritual wholly. A good pot of soup is always a quick and easy remedy for this ailment. The pressures of the day to day business need to be met. It is sometimes difficult to step back and celebrate those things that are working well. And yet, we must.

Although I like the idea of positive affirmations, what I like better is slowing down to the speed of life. A calm, centered and compassionate life. It is something I work at and aspire to daily. I can just as easily slow down as i can speed up. It is all a matter of my environment for me. I do well when I take time to do the things that nurture me and help keep me centered. It may seem like an indulgent waste of time, but for me, it is exactly what I need to focus my effort- like an arrow targeting a bullseye. Deliberate. Sure. Calm.

Right now, I will focus on what is in front of me- solely, wholly, completely.
The rest will either take care of itself, fall away, or be waiting for me when I am ready.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

back to basics

The beauty of these times is that is an opportunity to get back to the basics.
Not the bare bones back to basics that feels like we are lacking, but the kind that reminds us what really matters in our lives. The simple things that enhance our lives everyday. The beauty that arrests us aesthetically and makes us wonder in awe.

In a world where everything is moving and changing at the speed of light, how do we re-define what the basics are? If you are over 50, you can probably define "back to basics" by many benchmarks. My mom & dad didn't even have a refrigerator {as we know it} growing up. Today, there are too many choices to count, with basic being defined very differently in the 21st century.

For me, Back to Basics is about living simply. Removing the clutter and uncovering those things that are essential to my well-being - so I can go out into the world and be the person I aspire to be: calm, confident and compassionate.

I don't always succeed {hardly}, but with daily practice, I get a step closer to becoming that person, being that way.


Writing morning pages
10 minute morning meditation
Eating dinner at the table with my family
Sundays at home with a big morning breakfast and the NY Times newspaper sprawled about the living room floor
Taking a bath in the morning or at night, or both, to calm my nerves and soothe my soul
Grocery shopping at the local farmer's market on Saturday for the week's perishable pantry
Sparkling water in the refrigerator

These are simple things for me. You may look at this list and nod your head in agreement or turn your head in quizzical questioning. It doesn't matter what you think. That's the point. These are things that are meaningful to me. And you should find that things that matter to you. No matter if others agree, or not. Remember, this is your one precious life. Do not squander it on perceptions and praise. Mind your own business and live your life the best it can be. You can be that.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

guardrails & guides

I need guardrails. The kind that keep me out of a ditch and on the road of life. They are my signaling system to warn me if I am meandering down the wrong path and headed into a danger zone.

I have many guardrails. They are the daily rituals that help keep me sane and centered, focused and fulfilled.
My daily writing practice is one of those rituals. It has been several days since I last posted, thanks to a lack of internet access {I am in a remote location} and a self-indulgent hallpass to stay at home and be with my family instead of venturing out to seek a signal like an addict scouring for whatever feeds her vice. It felt good to let go, but I also missed my writing. Sure, I could have written on paper and posted it later {now that I think about it!} , but there is something about routine, when ritualized, that turns it into a sacred ceremony.

It is holy and feeds me wholly.

Meditation is another one of my daily rituals that acts as both guardrail and guide. I haven't mastered more than ten minutes at a time. I know the real gem of the practice is just showing up- getting on the cushion. It keeps me on track and offers me words of wisdom- a wise guide whispering in my ear.

I missed my practices and I can feel the longing. I can also feel the tension simmering just below the surface knowing I am leaving this warm haven of ocean blue gulf of mexico paradise to head back home to lots of work. I am going to take some of this sunshine back home to remind me that this is really why life matters most.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

dharma art

At this point and time in my life, I am often asking different questions. I am looking to live life differently than the previous decades. Less accomplishments and doing, more living and being. Chogyam Trunpa calls this the "the art of living" and he says this is where our art must begin. Like ancient masters who have practiced for years, we too must practice. Our practice is our intentional daily lives. The way we fold our clothes. How we make our bed. The attention with with we wash dishes or clean our kitchen. When our basic foundation is ordered we can move out into the world with less neurosis and confusion. {we hope!}

We can bring that way of being to our art. Until we are that we of being, we have no art. We have struggle and ego and aggression and confusion.

When I meditate, which I don't do nearly enough, I can feel the difference. It is a practice that grounds me. I see things and people and situations more clearly. I let go. I am calm, despite the crazy conversations that spontaneously take place inside my head. If I am not meditating, I can spiral down into a million stories. None of which serve me well. None of which most likely resemble any truth of actual reality. But for me, for that moment, it is real.
When I meditate, I have signaled to my Self that I matter. That I am prioritizing my life to take care of my well-being.
Those parts of me that work without my interruption appreciate it greatly. Those parts of me that struggle and strive and toss and turn welcome the permission to just "do nothing" and be, if only for ten minutes out of my day.

Sundays are sacred for me and this is where dharma art reveals itself- in the quiet, in the calming down, in the space where the divine can be heard and allowed to show its grace.
How to make everyday our sacred dharma art?




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry