Wednesday, April 10, 2013
RANDOM THOUGHTS
There are many who seem to want to master their EXTERNAL world through more education, more competition, more training, more reading, more,more,more. I notice that my work is to understand and master my INNER world through observation, connection with others and reading what life has to offer me through work, family, friends and being alone on a run, bike, hike or simply watching the sun set from my back deck. There are different ways to "fill up our tanks". I prefer the latter approach. This is contrary to the way I was raised as a child yet it is the way I raise my children. What is most important is to be in nature, embrace its lessons, follow your heart ( what your inner voice says), and do what you love. Choose places to live... truly live... that fit skin tight over your spirit... if at all possible. Your external environment will nurture and aid your spirit. It directly impacts your daily mood and outlook on life, on other people, your work, your creativity, your energy ( physical and spiritual and mental) and your relationship with yourself. Choose friends who function on this level as well and avoid at all coast, the emotional vampires who simply such your spirit dry. These are thoughts that I play with daily. I have learned these concepts from many, many mistakes and years of struggle. We all have choice and with that, have the freedom to create a life worth living. DO & BE what is NATURAL even if it is not natural for you right now. What I believe is natural is: health and well being, abundance, joy, happiness, struggle, pain and bliss ( what we experience on the Hero's journey... up and down is natural). More later!
Monday, April 1, 2013
JOYFUL LIVING:
As life continues it's flow into the uncertain future, I wish to be patient. This requires not a suffering but a willingness to immerse myself in the natural flow of life regardless of its pace,speed,direction and not be waiting for things to happen. The natural flow means that life assumes its own form and shape, not necessarily mine. Things occur not when we think they should but when they suppose to, when the time is right. Having said all that, what I notice after several decades of this extraordinary life is that sports,cooking, exercise, eating well, writing, meditating, stimulating conversation, music and love have this transformational capacity to create much JOY. Together they create a marriage of Yin and Yang, East and West, Science and Mysticism, all a manifestation of the DIVINE. Why do we get so busy chasing the ephemeral, external rewards that cause frustration and disappointment and dis-ease. The Chinese word for busy, when translated into English , means " the killing of the heart".
As life continues it's flow into the uncertain future, I wish to be patient. This requires not a suffering but a willingness to immerse myself in the natural flow of life regardless of its pace,speed,direction and not be waiting for things to happen. The natural flow means that life assumes its own form and shape, not necessarily mine. Things occur not when we think they should but when they suppose to, when the time is right. Having said all that, what I notice after several decades of this extraordinary life is that sports,cooking, exercise, eating well, writing, meditating, stimulating conversation, music and love have this transformational capacity to create much JOY. Together they create a marriage of Yin and Yang, East and West, Science and Mysticism, all a manifestation of the DIVINE. Why do we get so busy chasing the ephemeral, external rewards that cause frustration and disappointment and dis-ease. The Chinese word for busy, when translated into English , means " the killing of the heart".
SPIRITUAL LEARNING
WESTERN LEARNING VS. EASTERN LEARNING
When I talk with most sports psychologists in the profession, they seem to focus on learning as something the athletes do to understand and master their external world on the field.
When I work as a sports psychologist, I focus on learning as something athletes do to understand and
master their internal world in their hearts and souls. I teach by having them cultivate the deeper
spiritual virtues such as courage, fearlessness, tenacity, commitment, patience, perseverance, persistence, trust, respect, integrity, sacrifice and humility all of which serve to influence their outer world. In this sense, I become a teacher and philosopher for the bigger game of life, the by product being, higher level performance on the field. I call this... THE WAY... of The Champion.
When I talk with most sports psychologists in the profession, they seem to focus on learning as something the athletes do to understand and master their external world on the field.
When I work as a sports psychologist, I focus on learning as something athletes do to understand and
master their internal world in their hearts and souls. I teach by having them cultivate the deeper
spiritual virtues such as courage, fearlessness, tenacity, commitment, patience, perseverance, persistence, trust, respect, integrity, sacrifice and humility all of which serve to influence their outer world. In this sense, I become a teacher and philosopher for the bigger game of life, the by product being, higher level performance on the field. I call this... THE WAY... of The Champion.
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