Demanding

Hot sunrises are demanding. One minute the air is cool and damp and then all of a sudden it's hot outside. There is absolutely no transition. If you are not totally present to what is happening then you will find yourself sweating immediately. Thankfully, this morning there was a strong breeze blowing from the east causing ocean-like wave breaks along the shore. This helped with keeping me cool. Luckily, I had the presence of mind to walk down to the water to feel the wind balancing the sun.

I'm pretty demanding myself sometimes and I have often given myself a hard time about this. But when I think about it, I can honestly say that my demands have always come from a place of love. Usually I am making demands of someone else to step up and bloom into their full potential. This can be hard to do especially if the other person is resistant (or completely blind) to their greatness. I suppose I'm willing to suffer their rejection and scorn because I believe so strongly that anyone can have anything they want or be anyone they want. It's a matter of decision. We don't get what we deserve. It doesn't matter if you're a "good person" or a "bad person". It's very simple. We get what we consistently think about. Whether those thoughts are conscious or unconscious, our reality reflects our thinking. Period. End of conversation.

Peace and Quiet

I am in London, ON this morning and went for a walk near a beautiful seminary. There was something uniquely peaceful about this location. The sun rose up and over the building and created a halo effect of light. Just looking at it filled me with a sense of calm.

This is another example of the power of focus. There are always a million things to focus on and your experience will be shaped by the choice that you make about your focus. It was a cliche morning with the birds singing and the cloudless rosy sunrise. I walked around and around this seminary drinking in the peace that was literally oozing from its walls. The closer I got the more peaceful I felt. Perhaps I was sharpening my focus to look for more and more peace. All I know is that as I sit here to write this I feel an inner peace deep inside me where before there was none.

Balancing Act

I came across the rock formations during my walk this morning. I've seen these things before but they never cease to amaze me. The artist has a firm understanding of balance and what it really takes to achieve it. The whole morning was about balance. If you look closely in the rock photo you will see the almost full, gently waning, moon setting in the distance. This is balanced by the fiery sunrise in the second photo. Balance was definitely in my awareness this morning.

Have you ever considered that it's possible that the only way to really define and/or experience something is by first experiencing the complete opposite? In this context, all experiences would be worth having. On one hand, we all love to experience positive emotions and happy memories. On the other hand, perhaps all of the negative emotions and challenging times are really serving a purpose because they serve to highlight the contrast and thereby deepen any experience of the positive. Another way of looking at it is this: if you really want to experience the amazing heights of your life then you have to also be willing to explore the depths in order to maintain the balance.

Hot and Sunny

Well summer has definitely sprung here in Toronto. I swear it was 30 degrees when I got up this morning. Well, maybe not 30 but it was hot. Less than two weeks ago I was wearing a hat on my morning walks!!! The summer just descends on Toronto in one swift motion. I think it's safe to say that it's here.

It makes me think of taking action in my own life. Sometimes we need to just take swift and definitive action to get the job done. This action might be a little scary and it might be unproven but it almost always produces results. It does this because it breaks the inertia of inactivity and this causes things to start flowing again. When you're stuck, the best thing you can do is take an action. The bolder, the better!

Hot and Hazy

It's a typical NY summer day albeit it's only May 27th but it feels like summer nonetheless. The humidity is about 200% and it's already hot and sunny. It's so hard to see the sunrise in this place unless you are standing on the banks of the East River. Last night's sunset was spectacular again because we happened to be on a rooftop patio overlooking the Hudson. Perhaps I should have written a sunset blog whilst in New York.

There is something peculiar about today. It is May 27th and I have five good friends with birthdays today. In fact, from the period 24 May to 28 May, I have a total of 11 friends who share birthdays. This is odd. There are a very disproportionate number of May Gemini's in my life. In fact, the other night, I was out for dinner with my very good friend Alana who is born today. We were joined by my other very good friend Sara who is also born today. That was weird enough. But it gets better. Sara's boyfriend, Edward is a Scorpio born on November 18th which also happens to be my birthday. So, there we were: four people sharing only two birthdays between us. That had to be more than coincidence. When things like happen I start to pay attention to other things. What am I meant to be learning or noticing from these odd events. Perhaps these people contain a lesson for me. I know one thing for sure. The people born during this stretch of May have all had a major impact in my life. That's for sure.

Hiding Out

It's hard to find the sunrise in New York City. It's always hiding behind one of the over 5,000 buildings in Manhattan. It was a beautiful morning though, warm and sunny. Even though I couldn't see the sun, I knew it was hiding somewhere doing its thing. We had a beautiful view of the sunset over the Hudson river last night. Even in this concrete jungle there is still plenty of natural gorgeousness. I suppose it all depends on what you focus on.

A good friend asked me what I was spending my time focusing on. This friend suggested that I write a list of all the great things, accomplishments and kudos that have happened recently and then focus on them. The emotional shift is amazing. I could actually feel the energy change as my emotions shifted. Many people don't like NYC because it is busy and grimy and I can definitely see why they would notice these things. But it is also full of energy, bustling with diversity and surrounded by beauty. The paths that run along the Hudson River and the East River are among the prettiest river strolls that I have ever done. A ten minute walk from Wall Street itself puts you on a pier on the East River soaking up the glorious sun. Your experience all depends on what you choose to focus on.

Hazy and Lazy

The sky was really hazy this morning. The whole sunrise looked like it took place behind a sheer veil. It was quite pretty with the muted beauty. It reminded me of the colours in the desert - beautiful in an understated way. It was really hot yesterday so perhaps the sun was feeling exhausted from all that heat giving and decided to be a little lazy this morning and hide out in the haze.

I, on the other hand, will not be hiding out anywhere. I am on my way to NYC for the Book Expo America. This will be a whirlwind of extroversion. I'll be staying sane by watching my beloved sunrises when the city will be relatively quiet. It is supposed to be very hot and very sunny in New York so I guess the sun will also be "on" for a few days. I'm looking forward to creating a little magic!!