thelawofdharma

Today I spent a lot of time staring at my computer screen. With four days left, I found it extremely difficult to concentrate on the work staring back at me.

The one thing I did do today was think…

Why is it that our “comfort” zone is so uncomfortable? Is it because these comforts that we’ve been socialized to seek are rooted in the ego; essentially the comforts starve the spirit in order to feed the ego. Now, here’s the real kicker; how do you feed the spirit within a world paradigm that is set up to do just the opposite?

 This year, my New Year’s resolution is a biggie – I plan on discovering my life’s purpose.

To be honest, when I think too much about it, I get overwhelmed. To contend with the “bigness” of the task ahead, I plan on applying aspects of Chopra’s other laws outlined in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

In 2011, I will:

Practice silence and meditation

Practice nonjudgment

(Law of Pure Potentiality)

Gracefully receive gifts that life offers

Silently wish everyone I encounter happiness, joy and laughter

(Law of Giving and Receiving)

Be fully present and witness the choices I make in every moment

(Law of Karma)

Accept people, circumstance and events as they are in the moment

(Law of Least Effort)

Relinquish attachment to the outcome

(Law of Intention)

Remain open to all possibilities and enjoy every moment in the journey of life – all the fun, mystery and magic

(Law of Detachment)

I have a favour to ask. Over the year, if you see me stray from the above, please call me on it. I could always use a little help from my friends. Thanks.

Happy New Year! I wish you all happiness, joy and laughter. 

On the last day of one of my more difficult years, the feeling that is overwhelming me is one of gratitude. I realize that as I stumbled and struggled this year, I was held up, loved and supported by family and friends. Their understanding and caring buoyed me and kept me afloat. For that, the gratitude I am feeling is hard to contain; it needs to be expressed.

Mom and Dad, thank you for all of your love and support; for welcoming me back with open arms into our home.

Gail and Chris, for being there when I reached out for help. You listened; never judged. Thank you for being my spiritual safety net and for offering me a safe haven as I embark on this new adventure.

My girls, Bronwyn and Hannah, thank you for being my girls. Hannah, your hugs were (and are) phenomenal and healing. Bronwyn, you are wise beyond your years and sometimes I feel I learn more from you than you do me.

Stephanie, my Monkey, your love and our laughter was a source of healing for me, thank you sweetie.  

Ash, thank you for picking me, dusting me off and bringing me to my doctor that day in June. Both you and Hector showed me so much love and compassion, I will never forget it.

Alan, Janina and Vivi, thank you for welcoming me into your home every week. The time I’ve spent with you was another source of healing.

Alan, thank you for being you; I’m a better person for having met you and I’m so happy that you’re in my corner.

Friends, you know who you are, thank you for checking in, being patient and not giving up on me.

Richard, thank you for seeing the potential to help others by sharing what lies ahead. Your positive energy has been contagious.

Terence, my soon-to-be trainer, thank you for taking a chance and agreeing to take me on as a fighter.

Universe, thank you for sending Tommy my way. Tommy is the owner of the moving company I hired to pack up my things. When Tommy noticed a boxing figurine it sparked a conversation that led him to recommend Alan.

Universe, thank you for sending Dahna my way with a gift in hand that I hope will shape the year ahead; a book that has become my new life paradigm.

I have been so fortunate to have received so much in 2010. I can only hope that I was able to give you as much as you have given me.

 Happy New Years Eve Everyone!

When thinking about my true self, I really didn’t know where to start. According to Chopra, we are never-ending projects of the universe. This concept appeals to me so I decided to start at what would be the beginning of my “project”.

It’s a story that has been told many times in my family; the story of how I came to be. Gail, my older sister, was 5 years old and desperately wanted a baby sister. At that time, Gail often spent weekends with our Aunt Mimi and Uncle Larry and would come home each Sunday night hoping to find her wish realized.

Partridge Family

Now Gail’s motivation wasn’t typical. She wanted me as leverage. You see, Gail and her best friend played The Partridge Family on a regular basis. For those of you who are too young to know The Partridge Family, here is a brief synopsis: a TV series in the 70’s chronicling the life of a family of pop musicians who tour in a big old painted school bus. The show was huge; David Cassidy, the actor who played the older son Keith, was THE teen idol of the 70’s. For Gail and Co., their attention was mostly focussed on the two sisters in the series — Laurie (the older sister) and Tracy (the younger) and many an hour was spent arguing over who should play the coveted role of Laurie Partridge. Gail was determined to be Laurie and what better way to make her the natural shoo-in for the part than to actually have a baby sister named Tracy.

So, as my Dad would say, she haunted my parents until they conceded and gave her, her very own Tracey. And yes, Gail was the one who named me. She had launched the project and gave it its own title.

Gail and I

In Judaism, your name is considered to be connected to your fate. I like this and like it even more now that I’ve spent a few minutes googling the meaning of my name.

Tracey:

late summer; warlike (Irish, Gaelic)

fighter, brave (English)

To me, this feels right; my name fits. What strikes me is how the universe knew? I guess the universe has always known; it was just me who was in the dark. Now it’s up to me. I need to “open (my) spiritual eye and see through the illusion of conditioning” and “the path of dharma (will) beckon me.”

When I finally kicked myself out of my car (aka Bonbon) I headed off to Starbucks for breakfast. It took all of 5 minutes to inhale breakfast…it’s now 8:45 am.

Each morning I cross off the day, some would say that this is a negative practice. I don’t think so. How could something negative make me feel so good?! It’s now 8:46 am.

the calendar

Then work happened. It was a necessary evil.

Around mid-afternoon I was fading fast. When this happens, I put my ipod on and dance. Cube dancing is risky; the distraction of eyeing my cube opening for unsuspecting colleagues tends to stop me from fully committing.

And apparently the dancing happened on the ceiling (damn technology!) for some reason this video embeds upside down. Oh well, I think you still get the picture.

And then it was over…Day 7 was behind me.