The Cycle of Turning
March 22, 2009
Mid air sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy
As I watched the video, Rivers and Tides, about Andy Goldsworthy, an environmental artist, philosopher, and architect, I felt calm and contemplative. His work is meditative and gives me so much to think about. The following link shows him completing one of his works on a beach and we watch the tide come in and gently lift the sculpture off the rocks and into the water. The water gently pulls and pushes and slowly the sculpture begins to change and become something different. It doesn’t fight against the change. (I need to remember that in my life.) His artwork is as impermanent as life. Andy calls it the “cycle of turning”. Here is a excerpt of the video which I highly recommend if you are in the mood for something calming and thought provoking. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBcdL8uO71E
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossiblity.org (join my monthly newsletter)
Staying Focused on the Positive in Tough Times
February 1, 2009
Winding Road Ahead
Think about it. . .
When in your life have you felt the most:
Confident Energized Creative Challenged Focused
Positive In Control Motivated Productive Interested
Forward Thinking ?????
When in your life have you felt the most:
Overwhelmed Hopeless Depleted Negative Scattered
Disinterested Stuck Helpless Bored Unmotivated
Non-productive ?????
How can you create more of the first set of feelings even when things are not as you had planned? If we focus on and practice the kinds of things that bring the positive feelings, do we not create more of those good feelings?
When we focus on our strengths, and take action to use them, do we not expand those strengths and the positive feelings that go along with them?
A Precious Human Life by the Dalai Lama is something I will read over and paste up at work to remind myself to focus on the life I have and all the wonderful opportunites I have each day to enjoy it.
Today I am fortunate to have woken up.
I am alive; I have a precious human life.
I am not going to waste it.
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself,
To expand my heart out to others,
To achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others.
I am not going to get angry,
Or think badly about others.
I am going to benefit others as much as I can.
—Dalai Lama
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossibility.org/Newsletters.html
Peace
December 31, 2008
Here are some wonderful ways to celebrate and encourage peace in our lives.
May 2009 bring more Peace, Joy, and Understanding into all our lives.
Peace symbol created by Gerald Holtom 1958
iPeace Day – 31 December 2008
Sharing Peace – Making A Difference
http://www.ipeace.me
Think in the positive = create peacefulness
Dedicate yourself to sharing your peace – ‘infect’ peace around you.
Write a poem for peace
Make a video. Post a video
Organize a concert for peace
Surprise others with random acts of kindness
Play music in the streets for peace
Plant a tree
Blog or write an article
Speak softly, breathe deeply, observe everything
Organize a gathering
Light a candle
Teach peace
Organize iPeace Day events in your campus
Meditate
Run for Peace. Walk for peace.
Slow down and appreciate little moments.
Organize a game or a match for peace (any sport)
Have peace dinner with friends (or with strangers)
Do anything that will express peace – for you.
Live without fear
Get kids involved
Donate to an organization dedicated to creating equality, peace, knowledge, understanding, and sharing.
What can you think of doing?
- Expand Peace
Gail Brokaw, MA, CC
Sacred Sunday at Mill Valley
September 21, 2008
The Mill Valley Arts Festival is one of my favorite things to do each year. I went there yesterday to stroll among the talented artists and the gorgeous redwood trees. The festival is held in the Old Mill Park at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais in the middle of a grove of beautiful redwood trees. The smell of the trees and the feel of the thick carpet of leaves and bark is soothing and relaxing. There is even a stream flowing through the end of the park which makes it even more appealing to me. It’s the perfect setting. The sound in the park is muffled by the trees and the heavy carpeting of fallen leaves, but during the day there is usually live music played at one end of the park. The groups they select blend well with the feel of the park; mellow and uplifting.
2008 Festival Poster
One year we saw Huey Lewis at the festival partaking of festival food with his family. We were reminiscing about it yesterday when we looked up and there was Albert Brooks sitting with friends and visiting. It’s such a relaxing place, even actors and musicians can come and relax among the big trees and feel sure they won’t be bothered by cameras and publicity. How nice is that?!
Two-time Emmy Award winner Rita Abrams and her Strawberry Point School kids captured hearts and airwaves worldwide with their chartbuster hit song, “Mill Valley.” For a blast from the past check out this video. You will have to scroll down on the linked page and look for the video as it is not on YouTube directly anymore. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=mill+valley+art+festival&fr=yfp-t-501-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8
Here is a guide to the great outdoors in Marin County. Enjoy! http://www.marintrails.com/
Enjoy a walk in nature in the next few weeks and embrace Fall and the transition from one season to another.
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossibility.org
Freedom – Sacred Life Sunday
August 10, 2008
As I was reading BlogHer news this morning I came across a website that I want to share with you. The Olympic Games have continued to keep Tibet in the minds of the people around the world. Despite some of the things I’m not happy about in regards to the United States Government, I do cherish my freedom. Others in this world are not as fortunate. Join the Light Protest to keep Tibet on the minds of the world in an effort to help regain their freedom. http://www.candle4tibet.org/en/ (Though the word PROTEST has a negative connotation in that it is in opposition to something, and I prefer the idea of putting out to the universe a positive thought, I join this organization’s idea to create a greater consciousness about a people that need the world’s attention and help.)
“We believe in the tremendous power of the people when uniting together to make a true change in the world.” –www.candle4tibet.org
What is a LIGHT PROTEST?
A light protest is similar to a normal protest (the kind you hear about in the news or in the papers) but with several main differences:
- A light protest unites millions of people around the world.
- A light protest invites people to take a simple act on a specific moment in time, for a single goal.
- A light protest is a new global medium which enhances the power of one person to make a stand.
- A light protest will always fight for a noble cause, such as human rights, freedom of choice, thought, belief and so on.
- A light protest is non-profit, and non-violent!
Remember, that a light protest depends on each and every one of us making our stand on the same day, and inviting other people & friends to join.
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossibility.org
You CAN create the change you want in your life!
Sacred Life Sunday -What Now?
August 3, 2008
What's up Ahead?
I just finished reading “What Now?” by Ann Patchett. It is a small book based on her commencement speech given at Sarah Lawrence College and aimed at the question that comes to us throughout our lives. We all remember family and friends asking throughout our lives – - What now? when you graduate from high school, What now? when you graduate from college, What now? when you start job hunting, What now? When you are in a committed relationship. Everyone seems interested in the next step we will be taking and all along, we are also asking ourselves that same question. She includes photos of puzzle pieces, someone standing at a crossroad, someone standing in front of multiple doors, someone walking in circles; all demonstrating that feeling and thought process of What Now? I found myself thinking, What now? is a process, not a destination. Some of us think we know where we are going and some of us actually arrive at our predetermined destination, but I’ll bet most of us take this detour and that detour and end up somewhere quite unexpected. I think this is what makes life interesting. Have you thought of your life and realized because of one decision or another, this is how you ended up where you are right now?
Patchett says, “. . .see how all the dots in your life are connected, how one decision leads you to another, how one twist of fate, good or bad, brings you to a door that later takes you to another door, which, aided by several detours- long hallways and unforeseen stairwells – eventually puts you in the place you are now. Every choice lays down a trail of bread crumbs, so that when you look behind you there appears to be a very clear path that points straight to the place where you now stand. But when you look ahead there isn’t a bread crumb in sight -. . .so you stand there, sniffing at the wind, looking for directional clues . . .What Now?”
Dreams
July 11, 2008
- Emerging From the Fire
Discovering new paths
March 27, 2008
This last weekend I walked with a couple of friends in a beautiful wooded area near the local lake. I found an easy hike since we don’t do this regularly, and we headed out for a walk hoping to find sign posts along the way for direction. None of us knew where we were going. We dodged poison oak, enjoyed spring wildflowers, and made choices about the way to go as we approached a fork in the path with no clear direction. We hoped it would take us where we were heading. We found the lake, and along the way made friends with a woman and her dog, who was having a blast retrieving a stick from the lake over and over again. Such joy and energy! The temperature was just perfect to be out in nature, the quiet was refreshing and we actually saw some wild turkeys and heard a few birds singing above our heads. We had a great time visiting, talking about future vacations and just laughing. It was a great day. On our way back from the lake, we took a path that lead us to a different destination than the one we wanted. We received differing advice from fellow hikers about how to get to our destination. Of our choices, we decided to take the quicker but steeper path up the hill. I couldn’t help but see the similarities of our hike with the path we take during our lives. We start down our path with no specific map telling us which fork in the road to take along the way. We try to dodge things that are not good for us, find friends and happy experiences along the way, receive lots of suggestions from others telling us which way to go, and sometimes take the trail that involves a struggle but sure feels good when we’re successful. It helps to keep your wits about you, have friends and supporters close, and listen to the voice inside, telling you which path seems right for you. Enjoy the journey.
Gail Brokaw, Life Coach You CAN create the change you want in your life.
Hello world!
March 7, 2008
Welcome to my blog. Let’s create a place where women can discuss what’s on our mind and in our hearts. Let’s dialog!
After listening to Eckhart Tolle last night I was reminded of a time in my life when it was so much easier to be present, still, and appreciative. I believe as children we are more likely to have an inherent ability to just “be”, to just enjoy the moment and not let all the internal voices of shoulds and coulds get in the way of appreciating the moment we are in. I remember, as a child, laying in the grass and watching the clouds in the sky, or laying face down and looking at the grass and any little bugs that might crawl through my field of vision. Time was meaningless. I just was in the moment. I was very fortunate to live in the country and have time to myself to make mud pies and decorate them with leaves and twigs. I could build forts or outdoor rooms (still love to do that to this day) or just swing and think. Sounds so luxurious now. What a great way to grow up.
As I aged, it seemed that more and more responsibilities and things I wanted to accomplish began to get in my way of finding that stillness and awareness of present moment. Too much time was spent worrying about the future or rethinking the past. Now, I’m back to finding more opportunities to just take a few minutes, notice the world around me, and appreciate everything that I have and everything that I am able to do. It makes such a big difference in my day and amplifies the positive in everything. Every sunset reminds me of how fortunate I am to be alive and witness this beauty around me.
What are your experiences with realizing the stillness, the sacred, the awareness in yourself ?
Gail Brokaw http://www.embracethepossibility.org
You CAN create the change you want in your life.
