July 21, 2010

Simply looking forward to watching a funny movie or laughing with a good friend reduces three different stress hormones in our bodies. Anticipating a humorous experience also boosts our endorphins and human growth hormone, which shores up our immune systems. This means it's actually good for you to take a break and have some fun!

(Source: American Physiological Society annual meeting, April, 2008)

 

July 14, 2010

"The vital function that pets fulfill in this world hasn't been fully recognized.  They keep millions of people sane."

---Eckhart Tolle, Guardians of Being

Sanity.

Isn't that a lofty goal for the 21st century we live in?

I don't know about you, but there are days when the multi-tasking, interruptions, mini-crises, and unexpected demands of the day truly make me feel like I'm "losing it".  And my solution to that level of stress and overwhelm?

Work harder. Work longer. Work more...

But, then I remember my cats and dogs.  They're waiting for me at home.
Grafton and Jewell (my cats) like to eat around 3:30 in the afternoon and have the window in the bedroom opened for them so they can sniff the afternoon air and scold a bunny or two as they pass by...

Bear (my Chessie) is itching to get out in the yard about 4:00 to chase down that wicked tennis ball that lays there by the door, taunting him throughout his day indoors...

And, Beau, (my cocka-pit-poo-who-thinks-he's-a-Chessie) gets a bit frantic if he can't patrol the perimeter of our property by at least 5:00 each day.  After all, he's the only one who seems to grasp the importance of keeping all those pesky neighbor dogs away from our trees and bushes!

Yes, like me, each of my pets has a "schedule" and a job to do.

But, you know what?  They do them and then they're done.

End of stress.

Back to sleeping and hanging around with the humans.

Now that's what I call sanity.

 

July 7, 2010

"Education does not necessarily bring greater wisdom.  Neither does experience.  There are many highly educated people who lack basic wisdom.  And there are many people with decades of experience who still have no understanding of how or why any of it happened.

True wisdom can't be taught in a classroom, nor does it come from repeating negative experiences over and over again.  Wisdom has only one Source---a Presence that lives inside you.

Go within....claim Its wisdom, and you will know what to do next."
                  ---Edward Viljoen and Chris Michaels, Practice the Presence

Most of my writing and teaching career has been spent helping people recognize that they truly do possess their own kind of wisdom.  Then, once they've learned to listen to and trust their intuition, I've showed them the numerous ways they can use it to help themselves and those they care for...

This isn't easy to teach, especially when I'm no expert at doing this myself!  I'm constantly learning more about accessing and communication my own wisdom, too.

In class, when I need to point to a role model, I ask  students to go home and observe their pets.  An animal's inner knowing comes from being deeply connected to exactly who they are and to exactly what they want at any given moment:

I want to go outside and I feel happy about that.
I want to eat my dinner and I'm so excited about it!
I want to take a nap so I'll curl up here in the sun and rest for as long as I want.

As humans, we tend to over-think everything.

I want to go outside and I feel happy just thinking about it, but I should really do some laundry first and gee the grass is long.  Maybe I should mow the lawn first and then sit in the sun....

See what I mean?

What do you really want and what wisdom lies within you about how you can have it?  Take a lesson from your pets and claim it!