IMPORTANT: SITE CHANGE

Hello lovely followers!!

I've gone and done it...no big fanfare, even surprising myself that I finally got this done.

I HAVE A NEW WEBSITE / BLOG!  

Http://www.lifeunity.com

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR FEEDS/SUBSCRIPTIONS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STAYING WITH ME!

If you are viewing this, it means you are currently subscribed to or following "lifeunity.blogspot.com".

(Within a few days, f you type in, "lifeunity.blogspot.com" now in your browser, you will be redirected to the new site, "www.lifeunity.com".  I am not sure, but current subscriptions to "lifeunity.blogspot.com" may no longer work.)

If you are interested in still receiving updates (meaning you don't want to manually type in "www.lifeunity.com", please be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed OR click on the link for Google Friend Connect at the new site (http://www.lifeunity.com).


I am truly sorry to add this new step - originally I thought I'd be able to transfer all of my current followers.  There may be a way to do it, but my technical knowledge is limited!


If you have any questions or any troubles accessing the new site, please feel free to leave a comment here!  I may cross-post for a bit, but most new blog posts (and all new photos, etc.) will appear at the new site.


I am SO thankful for all of the love I've received since I started blogging, and seriously hope I don't lose anyone in this transition.  I am confident, however, that the new site will allow far more opportunity to expand (art photos & more!).


THANK YOU for everything!!


Namaste,
Lisa

IMPORTANT Change

After much procrastination, I am finally attempting to import this blog to my new Squarespace website.  

If everything goes correctly, you will not need to do anything to access the new site.

I will be working on this throughout the day today (Friday, January 28th).

Again - If I do all of this correctly, I believe the only change you should notice is the look of the blog.  (i.e. all post links and feeds should still be active.)  This blog will remain "here", but all new posts will appear via the new site.

**I will update with more specific information once I'm sure this is working**

I am NOT technically proficient and there are bound to be some problems.  Please hang in there with me as I try to get this all in working order.

If you notice any problems, please don't hesitate to contact me (lifeunity at gmail dot com)!!

I will post updates as I work through this....here's hoping for the best!!

Exciting Sneak Peak!

The winter of this cycle in my life is coming to an end.

It may still be cold and snowy outside, but things are budding within that are yearning to break through the surface.

I have been quietly working on projects as I write online the resulting deep thoughts and experiences.  I am SO excited to announce not one, but TWO big things on Monday.

Ok....I can't wait to give you a sneak peak of one of them:

This year, I will again be participating in One World, One Heart - the final one.  (For those not familiar with this, Lisa Swifka created an annual online event that has exploded in participation.  Bloggers across the world offer giveaways as part of a get-to-know-you around-the-world journey.  Visit HERE for more information.)  Basically, it means a giveaway that YOU can enter!

I have been working on a painting for my giveaway...and can't wait to share!  All of my regular followers will of course be able to enter as well - and I hope that you do!  More info on Monday.

Ooooh....it is going to be an exciting weekend leading up to an exciting Monday leading up to...well, I'll just keep flowing with where it's going.


Namaste!

You Already Are.

How much more do you need to do in order to be?
How much more do you need to read?
How much do you need to see, to taste, to hear?


How many more lessons do you need in order to be?
How many degrees?
How many teachers and gurus and mountains must you visit?


How much money do you need in order to be?
How many cheers from others?
How much security do you need to feel?


The answer is but one: None.


You are.


So Be.






Namaste.

The Beauty of Practice

I had something ready to go for this morning.  A poetic reminder of being instead of doing.  I will post it later today or tomorrow because sometimes - well, sometimes life shares with us something that needs to be passed along.

This morning was progressing beautifully - I completed a 15-minute yoga sequence while the kids got ready, the house quietly humming along.

Of course at the last minute, right before we are to leave for the bus stop, things fall apart.  My son's bag isn't ready, shoelaces untied, my daughter is crying...yeah.

My son and I finally exit the house...only for me to notice that he has just one glove on.  Upon asking him where the other one was, he sheepishly replied, "In the house" - at which point (my yoga calm now gone) I yelled at him to just run in and get it.  (Visions of the school bus whizzing past dancing in my mind.)

As he went in the house, I was left standing alone on the quiet driveway, brisk wind reminding me yet again of the season.

Whether it was the shock of the wind or a leftover result of yoga or just pure exhaustion I'll never know, but suddenly, I stopped complaining.  My mind...it just stopped.

I was there, experiencing the soft wind, listening as a pristine blanket of snow gently rustled on our roof, watching as the trees leaned into one another and then yawned back into a stretch.  Wind chimes, hung a few houses down, began a song to accompany this as if I were watching a documentary of beauty unfold before my eyes.  I was not cold, I was not angry - I just was.

My son returned with his other glove and we walked hand-in-hand down to the bus stop....arriving just as the bus did.

THIS is why I practice.  Why I practice awareness, yoga, art, journaling, meditation....

I don't really have any goals to reach enlightenment.  I don't really care if my toes touch the back of my head or if I sell a piece of art after a gallery display.  (Both would be kinda cool, though.)

I am fascinated with my experience of living.  Those things I practice?  The results start to infuse my life.  They change my entire way of being.  

There are so many ways of being (of feeling, experiencing the world)...I want to know them, for you to know them, for us to delight in playing with them.

And when mornings like this arise - which they will, again and again - I am eternally grateful to be able to experience them.

Namaste.

How To Say Thank You

What if every act we did, every thought we had, was one of devotion?

What if

To get up,
get the report done,
check on the bank account,
acknowledge the pain,
steam the broccoli,
order through the drive-thru,
click the t.v. remote,
pay the bills,
kiss the child...

was a sentence,
or a phrase,
or an exclamation!

to our unique understanding of the divine
that "something else"
that voice, that pull,
that knowing that this job
and routine
and suffering
isn't all there is.

Our existence being
Our way of sharing the story of our life -

our magnificently mundane individuality -

and saying

thank you.

Vibrant Creating

There are many ways to both become aware of vibrancy - that energy that makes us feel alive - and to BE vibrant - to express it.

I practice yoga - on and off the mat.  I run. (Ok, less so recently.)  I sing in the car.  I do random acts of kindness.  I hike.  I journal.  I play games with my kids.  And throughout many other things, I create.

Creating through fear (as I'm exploring on my Fearless Painting path) taps into that vibrancy, puts me in harmony with those waves of energy that just make me tingle.  I usually end up with some fun creation - but more importantly, I am more vibrant myself.

Here I am...completely not vibrant (hah!) after a few nights of not sleeping well....holding my newest creation to give you an idea of its size.

And here is the completed piece.

(Painted with acrylics...on fabric.)

I adore the sensual nature of the final piece, one that started with no goal other than to tap into whatever message my creative source wanted to share.

I started with swirls and ended with what you see here.  When I view it, one word keeps coming to mind:

Namaste.

I see my vibrancy and I see yours.  Let's keep tapping into them together.