What Is Regret?

I read a comment today on a blog: We only regret things that didn't turn out as expected.

Still Sitting

Oh, and I'm still sitting. Just on Tuesdays. 7am is just so early in the morning. I can't do it twice a week. Once a week sitting, and a couple times a month going to church - this is turning out to be a good gentle way to remind me of how much I enjoy spiritual practice and thought. And to remember to not get caught up in all the crap of everyday life. It's all just stuff. Don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small stuff.

I also enjoy having a place where I can actually talk about religion and spirituality and not feel like I'm putting a big target on my forehead. My neighbor also invited me to join her in the next week or two at her weekly spirituality group. She's in a similar place as me - leaning towards the zen of things, yet still very Western and not dogmatic about anything, even zen. So I might join her, if it's not too much time away from the family.

Sitting, thinking, talking, being together. It's all good.

Law of Potentiality

Deepak Chopra's book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is probably the most famous of all of his many books. I have the seven laws written on 3X5 cards on my desk, and every few days I go through them and think about how or if the laws can help me be more connected and accepting.

The first law is the Law of Potentiality. This law, to me, reminds me why meditation and prayer are so important in my life. Meditation, for me, is practice with allowing my emotions and thoughts without letting them blind me to the infinite possibilities out there.

One of the parts of this law is silence, and space between thoughts. This is difficult to me, since I feel like my head is always full of something going on, even if it's thinking about what I have going on during the day. Counting my breath in meditation, and yoga asanas, brings relative silence to my life and reminds me how connected I am with the universe.

Out of all the laws, this one is the most ephemeral to me. It's also the hardest to practice in my life as a full-time mom to little ones. And when I do practice meditation, its effects are the most subtle and internal.

I think he does a better job explaining the other laws, or maybe this one is just the hardest for me to understand. The other six laws are really potent in my life. When I first read them, it was like dumping a bucket of cold spiritually over my head, and it woke me up.

I'll discuss the next law tomorrow.

Toastmasters

I went to a Toastmasters meeting today. I have wanted to go to one for a long time, but was a little intimidated. And I didn't have a clear reason to go other than curiosity.

Well, now that I've been doing some public speaking and I'm working on a book (isn't everyone?), I figured that now's a good time to check into it and see if it could help me with my public presence.

I am a rather quiet person in general. But get me in front of a group, or in a situation where I get to make some kind of schpeal, and I'm OFF. blah, blah, blahdiddy blah blah. You can't shut me up. I'll even jump on the table if I gain enough momentum.

Funny enough, I'm hoping Toastmasters will help teach me to SLOW DOWN a little more when I'm talking. And from the speeches I heard today, and talking to the people at the group, I think it just might.

I only get 3 minutes to talk, I'm not supposed to repeat myself, avoid filler words, and leave space between my words and thoughts. So many concepts that I always knew would help me speak, but this practice might help me integrate it all.

I'll be attending again next week. When I sign up, I'll get a package with all the Toastmaster information.

This venture, on the surface, seems somewhat opposite from my spiritual quest - I've spent a lot of time working on my insides, and being in the moment, being quiet while being alone, and when I'm with people, allowing the situation to unfold without feeling the need to control it or direct it. And now, I'm stepping out and placing myself in the middle of this group whose purpose is to practice being "on", and directing the group, at least for the duration of my speech.

But ultimately, these two practices - meditation/spirituality and public speaking - are the same thing. Both focus on being in the now, acceptance, being unattached to the results and helping others. Perhaps it's because I'm learning to put myself into the now and accept things as they are with less expectations that I'm ready to try Toastmasters. I don't think I would have been ready a couple of years ago.

Who knew that I could grow so much in my 30's? I thought that teens and twenties were the time for growing, but I'm finding, that it's always the time. Being awake means non-stop growing.

I LOVE that. And for that reason alone, even if I didn't count all the other benefits, I think Toastmasters will be a good experience for me.

I'm ready. For whatever happens.

Spirituality Exists Everywhere

Anyone can be spiritual. Anyone can choose not to be. It doesn't matter if one is religious or not, believes in God or not, believes in anything really.

I suppose, some of this interpretation depends on one's definition of 'spiritual'. My definition, is to be connected to the universe and everything in it. There's a lot to to with that, but that's essentially it.

The Barefoot Bum talks about atheist spirituality here.

Religion of Simplicity

ScottFree2b talks here about deeper religion and spirituality stemming from more and more simplicity, not complexity. Going deep and defining our own connection with God.

He quotes The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for Living Your Best Life by Marianne Williamson, which is now on my Amazon Wishlist.

I love the idea of simplicity. Perhaps that's why I am so attracted to Buddhism. But even Buddhism seems "heavy" sometimes, with the eightfold path, and the chanting and various other things.

The basic message tho, that everything is *now*, is as simple as it gets. And that's the ONE message that hits me hardest, and wakes me up. All the other things, are complexities on this. Now is the only time we have. So whatever we're gonna do, however we're gonna live, has to happen now.

I love that. It's so simple. And so true.

Religion and Spirituality

I'm not sure the purpose of this piece, but it makes an interesting conclusion:

In our circle of friends, it is often stated that religion is for those of us busily preparing for Heaven. And spirituality is for those of us who have been to Hell and wish never again to return.