Below is a reprint of an article I wrote in October of 2005 that I thought I would share again this month  - Enjoy!

Have you ever taken a walk in the forest or by the ocean and just be in the moment? No thoughts, no planning of events, or thinking out conversations in your mind....just being in the moment.  The Dalai Lama suggests that we don't have to take out a special segment of the day to meditate, but rather instead we should be in the moment and meditating through out the day. This means when we are doing the dishes, taking a shower, brushing our teeth, or walking in the woods we can be in mindfulness.  All of these can be powerful spiritual experiences. 

I am a daily meditator and have learned through discipline, and application to sit and go into the gap every morning.  Since I walk my dog every morning, rain or shine, I have also wanted to add this time as a walking meditation.  I gave up on using it as a form of exercise, at least  for the most part, as my dog Scooby loves to stop to sniff every thing in sight or everything in "smell" I should say.  So it is rather hard to get a good pace going with her.  I even went as far as to tie a yellow Velcro ribbon on her leash in hopes that every time I saw it, it would remind me to go back to just being.  Most of the time all I completely forgot about the ribbon.

Then this summer I tried again.  Actually Shirley Maclaine inspired me when I read in her latest book, "Out on A Leash" that she tries to do this every day for her morning walks with her dog Terri.  This time I tried a different technique.  Instead of the Velcro ribbon I now do Chakra Activation as I start my walk up the hill toward the path in the forest near my house.  By time I am at the end of the hill I have visualized all my chakras flowing fully and expanded with color.  I then spend some time thinking about all the things I am grateful for that day and things I am grateful for in my life.  I include things that have not occurred yet as I also start to "Create My Day." as described in the movie "What the Bleep Do We Know".  (If you haven't seen this yet, I highly recommend it.). By time this is done I have set the preparation for a remarkable hour experience every morning and I am able to be in the moment.

I have walked this path many times yet each day I see something new or see it in a different way.  When I remain in the moment I am able to see new flowers, or trees or hear different birds.  Often there are a flock of geese on the golf course or flying over head that I might have missed if I was lost in thought.  I have not been able to spend the entire hour without thoughts.  Just like a quiet, sitting meditation there are time when the chatter of the mind will begin.  Since Scoobs likes to sniff or pee a lot that is my focus to check to see where I am.  I use the time as a reminder to Just Be.  I will often look up and see a beautiful tree I didn't notice before.  Many times right at that moment a bird will fly over head or maybe several birds.  Often they are bright colors of yellow or blue.  I have come to believe this is no coincidence and that adds to the sacredness of the moment.  More often than night my third eye is expanded enough to see the energy flowing in the air above the trees.

 Life is short.  Ask yourself, when is the last time you sat with a butterfly?  When were are in the moment there is so much to notice and be thankful for in our lives..  It is easy to see in nature.  But try this in your kitchen when you are chopping vegetables, or just take a moment to breath when you are stressed and driving in your car.   No matter what life events come our way - remember Just Be.

Upcoming Workshops and Events To Add Motivation and Balance This Summer:  Learn How To Meditate; Manifesting A Darn Good Life and A Day of Healing

Thoughts for the Month   In Vedic Science, the age-old philosophy of India, the principle is know as the principle of economy of effort, or "do less and accomplish more." When you are in harmony with nature, when you are established in the knowledge of your true Self, you can make use of the Law of Least Effort.  Least effort is expanded when your actins are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love.  When you seek power and control over other people, you waste energy.  When you seek money or power of the sake of the ego, you spend energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment. When your actions are motivated by love, your energy multiples and accumulates - and the surplus energy you gather and enjoy can be channeled to create anything that you want. Attention to the ego consumes the greatest amount of energy.  When your internal reference point is the ego, when you seek power and control over other people of seek approval from others, you spend energy in a wasteful way.  When that energy is freed up, it can be rechanneled and used to create anything that you want.  When your internal reference point is your spirit, when you are immune to criticism and unfearful of any challenge, you can harness the power of love and use energy creatively for the experience of affluence and evolution. In "The Art of Dreaming" Don Juan tells Carlos Castaneda "....most of our energy goes into upholding our importance....If we were  capable of losing some of that importance, two extraordinary things would happen to us.  One, we would free our energy from trying to maintain the illusory idea of our grandeur; and two, we would provide ourselves  with enough energy to...catch a glimpse of the actual grandeur of the universe. When you feel frustrated or upset by a person or situation, remember that you are not reacting to the person or the situation, but to your feeling about the person or the situation.  These are your feelings, and your feelings are not someone else's fault.  When you recognize and understand this completely, you are ready to take  responsibility for how you feel and to change it All problems contain the seeds of opportunity, and this awareness allows you to take the  moment and transform it to a better situation or thing.  Once you do this, every so-called upsetting situation will become an opportunity to create something new and beautiful, and every so-called tormentor or tyrant will become your teacher.  Reality is an interpretation Nature's intelligence functions with effortless ease...with care freeness, harmony and love.  And when we harness the forces of harmony, joy and love, we create success and good fortune with effortless ease. Excerpts from the Seven Laws of Spiritual Success by Deepak Chopra "If you could really see that tree over there...you would be so astounded that you'd fall over.  It is just a tree in you mind.  To another mind it is an expression of infinite spirit and beauty.  In God's mind it is a dear child, sweeter than anything you can imagine." The Way of the Wizard, Deepak Chopra