lara simmons

"Extend yourself, expecting nothing." --The Universe to me in a meditation on 11/17/11

"If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't yet begun to meditate." -- Ahjan Chah

“Have faith in the stillness my friends, it is good for you and it is good for those that live and work around you.  Think of it like this: Imagine a light bulb over and above your head as you are entering a darkened room.  Before you enter the stillness, this light is very dim, just a glowing filament and It is difficult to see the path with only this dim light.  As you sit and clear the mind of chatter, imagine that the light is becoming brighter as the mind becomes quieter.  After stillness, the light is recharged -- bright and brilliant, lighting up the room where it is easy to see and where others can safely walk as well." --The 11:11 Progress Group Later today I will be starting a 10-day silent meditation retreat. I am excited. Nervous. And a little bit unsure. Can I really do this? Can I really be silent and meditate for ten days? And that's it folks. Just meditation. For TEN DAYS. No books. No music. No internet. No TV. No conversation. Just meditation

"Every kindness I received, small or big, convinced me that there could never be enough of it in the world. Kindness can change the lives of people." --Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Daw Aung San Sun Kyi , a Burmese pro-Democracy leader who spent nearly 15 years under house arrest as a political prisoner ( with thanks to my friend Jonathan for the quote.... ) I wasn't planning to talk about kindness today, but my friend Fiona has a new edition of her book, "Small Kindnesses" coming out today (and a FREE download on Amazon.com today only!) and I want to support that. Plus, as we move into the holiday season with all of its hustle and bustle, it is easy to forget to be kind. Some of the greatest kindnesses that have been shown to me in my life have been the small ones. Last night my husband walked the dog for me when I was exhausted and couldn't imagine doing one more thing. It was such a gift that at that moment I would not have exchanged this small kin

"Just for today, do not worry. Just for today, do not anger....Show gratitude in everything." --Dr. Mikao Usui

"Be grateful for all the challenging people in your life–bosses, co-workers, in-laws, children, friends–because they're your greatest teachers. These relationships are difficult precisely because of your resistance to the lesson, which might be about compassion, self-worth, generosity, or unconditional love." -- Amara Rose

"The formula for happiness is not the same for everyone, but the good news is the things we love are the building blocks of happiness. Play. Having new experiences. Friends and family. Doing things we love. Appreciating what we have. These are the things that make us happy - and they're free. And with happiness, the more you have, the more everyone has." --From the movie " happy "

"Where things are not equal, balanced, or healthy, they need to be let go of or re-negotiated." -- Divine Harmony   Over the past couple of years I have begun to notice how very right-sided I am. For forty-three years I have done almost e verything with my right hand. I brush my teeth with my right hand. I text with my right hand. I scrub pots and pans with my right hand. I scoop up my kids with my right hand. I write with my right hand. And I had never even noticed the imbalance this was creating in my body - and in my life - until very recently. Suddenly I became very aware that the nerves in my right arm felt tender after using the computer for a long period of time, that the right side of my body felt tense after a 30 minute swim, that my right calf felt tight after a run, while the left side of my body still felt strong, healthy, and loose after these same activities. Once I noticed it, I couldn't not notice it, and it became more and more clear that the two

"When you notice something clearly and see it vividly, it becomes sacred ." --Allan Ginsberg Today is the first-ever Mindful Writing Day , a day set aside to slow down, pay attention, and write about what you observe in those moments of stillness. Won't you join us?  For more information, follow the link above or go to Writing Our Way Home . Today is also free download day at Amazon.com of the new small stones anthology, " A Blackbird Sings: a book of short poems ." So hop on over to Amazon and grab your free copy. Write a rave review - and your own small stone - and have it published on the small stones blogzine, A Handful of Stones . Then sit back, relax and enjoy that feeling that comes from being more mindful, more connected to your world. Here is my small stone for the day: home a steaming mug of tea i wait. i wait. i wait.... then, a splash of cream a sip i taste- a good read in a comfy leather chair a roarin