Get Out of Your Head and Back Into Your Heart

    Because the world we exist in today is very much about staying in your head, many of us have to make a concentrated effort to become grounded and in touch with our bodies and the natural world around us. Grounding is a technique for centering yourself within your being. Grounding is the way we can reconnect and balance ourselves through the power of the element of earth. When you see someone driving past talking on their cell phone, you know that they are not grounded. For deep grounding, we recommend a creative visualization or, better yet, a group guided meditation.

Get. Very. Simple.

    I once had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Huston Smith, the preeminent scholar of the world’s religions. (He first came to global attention when he brought a young Tibetan Buddhist Monk- His Holiness, the Dalai Lama- to America for the first time.) Smith spoke about the continuing impact of religion on our world, most notably the strife all around the world over religious differences. He was at his most joyous when he spoke about his own spiritual practices, which he described for us. Smith said, upon rising each day, he did Hatha yoga, followed by reading a few pages of a sacred text, after which he meditated or prayed for at least five minutes. He would finish his morning ritual by doing a bit of yard work and some composting, which results in rich, dark soil, and a beautiful garden he greatly enjoys. 

    The entire audience smiled as they listened to this great and humble man describe the simple spiritual practices that began each of his days. These were Huston Smith’s personal morning rituals. I loved the irony that this premier academic, who has such a deep understanding of religious rituals throughout history, had created such an uncomplicated practice for himself. I left the talk inspired to worry less and enjoy more. I saw the deep wisdom of simplicity. 

    I recently saw him again at San Francisco’s esteemed California Institute of Integral Studies and heard the one detail he had left out of the previous  discussion of morning practices. That night, Huston introduced a dear old friend, who added this delightful detail he knew from their time as college roommates: upon waking, Huston sits up ramrod straight in his bed, claps his hands together, and says very loudly, “It’s going to be a GREAT DAY!”

Do the Thing You think You Cannot Do

    My friend Clare Cooley practices this courageous philosophy and now teaches others how to "Imagine a Day." Clare is probably the ultimate autodidact; she had to drop out of school pretty early to take care of family members. This has not stopped her form learning and doing anything she sets her mind to, from design, filmmaking, and painting to crafting, writing, and music. One of Clare's most spectacular gifts is her show-stopping skate dancing and there are many YouTube videos that strangers have taped and uploaded of her whirling and twirling. Clare, who chose to not allow economic difficulties and a lack of formal education prevent her from succeeding in life, has gone on to show her ceramics and naturalist paintings in museums and galleries around the country. She says, "Lack of imagination is the only limitation and fear creates self-doubt." In her teaching, she helps people get out of "fear mode" and unlock the power of imagination. You can see her beautiful artwork at clarecooley.com.

    I urge you to Imagine a Day- pick something you always wanted to do, but were afraid to try. After over a year of quarantine and restrictions, it's almost time to start that Day. Painting, French cookery, playing piano, singing, learning a foreign language, yoga, rock-climbing, balloon dancing, pottery, snorkeling- something that speaks to you on a profound level but scares you just a little. Find a class or barter with someone who is an pet to whom you can teach something, and dive right in. Remember to wear a mask and go live your Imagine a Day!