authenticity

I’m not traditional by any sense of the word. Radically authentic is more like it. Often times I spent more time with my nose against the wall or in the…

When you’re about to make a major announcement (My book cover) and your conditioned selves start putting up their hands… “No one cares what you have to say.” “You’re not…

The question is, has the world gone nuts? It certainly looks like a lot of people are being driven by fear, hatred and greed. The rising anger and animosity, is to the detriment of us all. Is it not time for some real sanity?

At the Heart & Soul Center we first saw a woman we knew leaving with bruises all over her face. However, an Indian man quickly replaced her as he came towards us and introduced himself as Deepak Chopra.

A quiet mind is peaceful, joyful and compassionate, because these qualities already exist within us all. Meditation simply enables us to connect to them.

Mudita encourages us to look at these places that are wrapped up in ego, such as jealousy, envy, judgment and comparison. We get to see how jealousy doesn’t get us anywhere other than into further pain and suffering, as it takes us out of the present and we get lost in the future, in the ‘what if’.

We’ve already proven that war does not work, that fighting and killing in the name of religion, to wipe out an enemy, or to claim control never has a happy ending, always there is suffering and anguish and continued pain with no end in sight. The dualistic belief that there’s an ‘us’ and ‘them’ causes an endless no-win situation, blanketing our minds with ignorance.

Abhorrence towards others is based on the belief that we are all separate from each other, that we can hurt another without hurting ourselves, that I am more important than you. It breaks friendships and families, while creating self-righteousness and arrogance. Prejudice closes our heart and shuts down our sensitivity.

As long as I can remember, I have noticed trees. They are living giants of redeeming attributes – strength, beauty, resilience, excellence and generosity. They teach me of how to be a better person – of developing values that add to life and to the world.

Is it possible to live in this world that appears so heartless, with a heart that is open and loving?

Mindfulness doesn’t necessarily change circumstances, rather it changes the way we perceive circumstances. So a mindful life might appear the same on the outside, while on the inside there is greater clarity and expansiveness. That difference may or may not translate into external changes.

Founder of Powerfull Living, Rev. Lorraine Cohen is an internationally recognized life strategist, soul guide, inspirational speaker, heart healer, interfaith minister and charismatic broadcast personality . For more than 25 years, Lorraine has used her extraordinary spiritual and intuitive gifts to support spiritual women who want to make a difference to release fears, traumas, and not feeling good enough to live a soul-fulfilling, abundant and happy life.

Have you ever wondered how amazing it is that a water lily doesn’t grow in a pure mountain lake but in murky, muddy and dank pond water thick with weeds, and yet its beautiful flower appears on the surface totally pristine? All life starts in the dark, either in the earth, mud, or in the womb: the darkness contains the nourishment needed for life to emerge.

One of the greatest things that has happened to me is my discovery of my late in life career of coach, speaker, professor and writer (goodbye CPA and CFO). I regularly tell my classes at the college and my audiences that it took me so many years to find my fit, that I now commit all of my time to helping others find theirs sooner in life. Not that any day of life is wasted, but think about the impact we each could make if we were more aware sooner of who we are, what we are good at, passionate about and what in today’s world fits us. So, it got me asking some questions (we overly analytical and philosophical people do this)…

There’s too much fear and fighting going on in the world, between ISIS, Ebola, violent assaults and rape. We may feel completely powerless, unable to help, but perhaps the greatest thing we can do is to make friends with our own fear rather than blaming others.

It’s that time of year again when the holidays are over and life gets busy, your work load is picking up, kids are back at school, and autumn is beckoning.

Learning to open our heart, to listen to, respect and trust what we feel, is one of life’s most powerful teachings. For the heart is more than just the center of love, it’s also the core of our being, the place we point to when we refer to ourselves. When we say, “you have touched my heart” we are really saying “you have touched the deepest part of my being.”

Change can be daunting. It can push all our buttons, fear and confusion can arise, doubt or insecurity as such a time is full of so many unknowns. We are personally dealing with big changes right now: selling our house, downsizing, finding the next place, getting the timing right, letting go of all that was and opening to all that will be.

One time when, as a couple, we were disagreeing and getting heated with each other, a wise friend said, “Can’t you just laugh?” This had the immediate effect of reminding us that the ego loves to be right and easily over-reacts and clings. By remembering to laugh we not only see the ego at play and defeat it at its own game, but it also enables us to not take ourselves too seriously. In that way we don’t react to the accompanying emotions and move on much more quickly.

Have you ever been in a crowded subway or busy street, lost in a marketplace in a foreign country, or caught up in an argument that was going nowhere? Does it make you lose your mindfulness and awareness so you end up overwhelmed and confused?

So what is it that makes us stand and bow our heads when we see a monk, priest, or any robed religious teacher? What makes us more polite, and pay extra attention? What makes us feel such people are more holy or enlightened than we are?