May Magic

Posted in Collaboration, Wellness on 04/30/2012 11:03 pm by Ruth Sharon

How many of you are devoted to releasing old patterns that constrict you? What is working to free yourself? Do you notice how much more life energy you have to fuel your passions, projects, potentials and new paradigms? Please make comments on this blog so we can dialogue and learn from each other.

I am discovering the magic of collaborating with others on important projects. Jim and I have had a private counseling practice for over 35 years. Our community-building focus was usually in the spiritual realms. Now in the business world, we are connecting with others to share ideas, resources, networks and experiences. This synergy brings an exponential compounding effect. In honor of Mental Health Month, I encourage you to uncover what really makes you feel healthy, alive and purposeful, then team up with others to bring your dreams to reality.

For example, Casey Feicht and I are creating a program for Kids and Family Yoga Teacher Training and Coaching. Let me know if you (or others you know) want to share yoga with kids and families and need ongoing coaching to make a real difference in people’s lives and create a successful business. Check it out: www.kidsyogaguide.com.

Another amazing connection has been with my new publisher Books to Believe In. Meeting EJ Thornton, Capri Brock and the rest of the staff and local authors has made such a difference in bringing “Be Your Best Self; Yoga for Families” into the world.

Sharing courage and wisdom illuminates the path of love and fulfillment. The gratitude of “May Magic” fills my heart as I celebrate my birthday on May 1.

My recent amazing synchronicities light up my heart and show me I am on the right and true path for the fulfillment of my soul purpose. How about you? Please share by leaving comments!

-Ruth

 

Chewing the Matzah

Posted in Holidays on 04/02/2012 12:00 am by Jim Sharon

Matzah

On April 6, I will begin observing the eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover, as I do annually, along with my family. Just thinking about writing this blog has jump-started my introspective process.

Central to the many dietary restrictions during Passover is eating cracker-like, unleavened matzah, in lieu of bread. Besides its traditional meaning in the Passover story, the matzah symbolizes “flattening” or effacing one’s ego. So, in addition to Jews celebrating the theme of freedom during this holiday, we have the opportunity to humble ourselves before God and in our daily attitudes and behavior.

I admit that my initial, very cursory view of the state of my ego was that I have thinned it a lot over the years. Indeed I have, yet the ego is a tricky monster, and upon further scrutiny, I quickly realized various ways in which that oversized three-letter word remains active. One of those ways pertains to many of my blog, Twitter and Facebook posts. I became aware that I have a tendency to write ostentatiously at times, being more concerned about appearing skillful as a writer than making my points simply and/or speaking from my heart. Furthermore, rather than merely expressing my feelings, beliefs and reactions, I know that I have excessively challenged others’ statements or positions. I now have the intention to directly and heartfully speak “my peace” and to be vigilant of even subtle forms of confrontation or “dissing,” except when I feel quite strongly that I am serving by relating my disagreement.

I don’t feel the need to do full penance or confession in this post. Suffice it to say that I have always valued self-examination in the name of ongoing efforts at improvement. Some self-disclosure and limited self-deprecation is often in order, too. (I wrote my doctoral dissertation on the pros and cons of therapist self-disclosure).

The last day of Passover, I have scheduled a retreat day, during which I will receive a number of practices from my spiritual guide designed to put the “finishing touches” on my week of introspection. I feel good joining many fellow Jews during their Passover week of self-evaluation, as well as Christians who will be doing the same during their much longer period of Lent observance.

-Jim

 

Passing On Our Legacy

Posted in life changes, Wellness, Yoga and Meditation on 02/27/2012 11:44 pm by Ruth Sharon

I have been reflecting on my life a lot lately. As my daughter, Alyssa, and granddaughter, Hannah, and I finish our book “Be Your Best Self: Yoga for Families,” I realize a new chapter in my life is beginning. I am open to how I can serve you, your family and your community. I will be on a day’s retreat in early March to gain clarity and focus. I know I am being called to a greater arena of influence. I long to amplify passing on my legacy of what I have been learning in my 63 years of life. I invite you to look for the ways that you are passing on your legacy to your family, friends, workplace, community and the world. Here are a few snapshots of my reflections.

Last Sunday I met with Casey Feicht and other teachers of yoga for children and families. I am thrilled we can meet monthly and collaborate with each other on projects to touch our community and beyond through our internet presence. What a ground swell of passing yoga to our next generations! I am honored to be sharing yoga’s ancient wisdom for health, vitality and family closeness.

On Saturday night, Jim and I attended a Be Men event with founder Brett Zachman and facilitator Michelle Fox, with a lively group of divorced and married people. We discovered and discussed our Love Languages (from Gary Chapman’s book). How lovely to look across the room at my beloved Jim and to share some of our “secrets of a soulful relationship” with terrific people longing to love and to be loved. How grateful I am to pass on our legacy!

Last week we had the pleasure of reuniting with our dear friends Regina and Jere, from our 1970’s Greeley days through the 1990’s in Denver. Since they have moved to Arizona, it’s been 15 or more years since we have been together. What a touching heart-filling moment to sit at dinner with our daughter, Alaina, and her family, whom Jere and Regina have known her whole life, having lived with us when she was 7, and here is granddaughter Hannah at almost 7! What a lovely legacy to the next generations that true friendships make time dissolve! See Jim’s blog post about his experience, too.

During my whole adult life, I have been a student and teacher of wellness, yoga and meditation, healthy relationships, peaceful conflict resolution, spiritual practices from many disciplines, human rights and nature conservancy. I hope my progeny and those whom I touch continue on the path of fulfilling the soul’s purpose. This gives my life meaning.

Please write comments here or send me an email about your evolving legacy. What motivates you? What do you pass on to your family? I would love to learn from you!

Be true to yourself.

With warmth and gratitude,

Ruth

 

Can’t Count the Ways

Posted in marriage, Relationships on 01/31/2012 03:35 am by Jim Sharon


We live in a very fast-paced, restless, impatient and largely unforgiving society that places a premium on newness and manufactures product obsolescence. Relationships are fast becoming relegated to tweets, text messages and a few Facebook lines. Given that climate or unfertile soil, is it any wonder that romances often quickly fizzle and that our divorce rate is so high? Enough said about the downside.

I’m unabashedly proud to announce that this month Ruth and I will be celebrating our 43rd Valentine’s Day together — should have been 44, but I broke up with her after three fabulous dates because I was frightened of the intimacy at age 21. Fortunately, I acquired some “sanity” and courage in March of that year and have never again “pulled the plug.”

Over the years, we have learned that intense drama and dull knives only hurts us and detracts from our personal and relationship growth. For most of our 41 years of marriage, we have worked diligently to become more mutually accepting and supportive, as well as more centered and increasingly resilient. On a core level, we have devoted ourselves to gradually, yet steadily effacing our egos and to “leveling the playing field” in our relational attitudes, communication and conflict-resolution efforts.

None of this has been easy; we’ve probably endured as many valleys as we’ve celebrated peak experiences. However, our foundation of unconditional love and our commitment to persistence has paid off royally. Regarding the latter, I recently read a great quote by the decorated World War II general Douglas McArthur, “People grow old by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up wrinkles the soul.”

Several overarching realizations fill me with utter joy:

  • the depth of our cherishing and respecting one another
  • the quantity and quality of parallel career and spiritual paths we’ve shared
  • that we have raised three stellar children, one of whom has an incredible daughter

As the old romantic saying goes, “How many ways do I love you? Let me count the ways.” Happily, Ruth and I have both lost count. Our cups indeed runneth over, yet we have room for a lot more zesty juice!

-Jim

 

Be Your Best Self in 2012

Posted in Balance, Coaching, life changes, Yoga and Meditation on 01/04/2012 12:59 am by Ruth Sharon

Happy 2012!!

As we enter this auspicious new year, I am remembering the famous quotes: “Be the change you want to see in the world,” and “Let there be peace in the world, and let it begin with me.” My intention for 2012 is to make my own personal changes (just met with a fitness coach, for example!), align with my best self and serve as a hopeful example for others. What changes do you want to see in the world and what peace/piece of this do you want to take responsibility and ownership of this year?? We are all called to something….what’s your deep desire??

Check out this inspiring ten-minute video: “Change for a Dollar”!

Please feel free to let me know your intentions for change in 2012, by email, phone (303-796-7004), in person, or in the comment section.

As predicted, this is time of great polarization and upheaval. Many of my clients, students, neighbors and extended family feel the societal downward pull into fear, fatigue, anxiety, depression, resignation, misbehavior, dishonesty, deception, illness, instability and terror. The younger generations seem so confused about what life is really about and how they can make a difference. They long for models and guidance. I call on myself daily to raise my own awareness/wakefulness, to choose my thoughts, words and actions with utmost care, and be present to participate fully in each moment. How can we serve as models for our young people and our peers? Let’s rise to the challenge!

“Be Your Best Self: Yoga for Families” is my new book, soon to be released, that I wrote with my daughter and granddaughter, as a contribution to serve the next generations. We offer some practical, healthy ways to take care of ourselves and build family closeness.

This book title reflects my spiritual longing. How can I awaken to who my “best self” is and energize the ability to manifest what is best in any moment?? Many of us are calling on ourselves to be/ do the same. The five chapters of the book share yoga practices and other methods to be flowing, be flexible, be strong, be balanced and be calm.

Hopefully, we can move through 2012 as the change we want to see and make peace with ourselves and with those in our sphere of influence.

Be well,
Ruth Sharon

 

Secret Passageway

Posted in Balance on 11/29/2011 12:31 am by Jim Sharon


I have long considered myself an observor of human nature and cultural trends. During most of my lifetime I have witnessed Americans at large being obsessed with consumption. This past decade, our nation is being consumed by consumption. Many of us cannot seem to satiate our appetites for material goods, advanced technology, travel, etc. I am not “dissing” any of these things in themselves. However, I suggest that our prominent focus on the external, including on social media, has taken us way out of balance in our daily lives.

A refrain from a popular song by “Charlene” simply, yet aptly states, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.” The Greek philosopher Plato implored, “know thyself!” Indeed, we need a cultural return to developing inner wisdom, a commonly-lost art in our contemporary society. Do you crave more alone time, repose, opportunities to take stock of yourself, etc.?

I feel very privileged and fortunate (but not holier than thou) to have received a rigorous psychological and spiritual education from a number of wise teachers and guides. While such learning served to refine my basic introspective nature, I am especially grateful for being taught to discover the depths of love.

The human heart contains a portal to Divine Love, aka Truth, which is replete with beauty and free of dogma. One arrives at the threshold of that portal once s/he realizes his inner beauty and resurrects or contacts the longing to connect with The Source of All Life. At that point, one’s journey toward The Light is quickened. Then, one’s relationship with the external world shifts, essentially taking on less significance (although it’s still often enjoyable).

Thus, the heart’s sincere intention and profound desire to “come Home” is enough to invoke the grace that at least gradually illuminates one’s personal path.

“Once you have given up your limited self willingly to the Unlimited, you will rejoice so much in that consciousness that you will not care to be small again.”
-Hazrat Inayat Khan

-Jim Sharon

 

Paw Print on My Heart

Posted in family healing, life changes on 11/09/2011 11:36 pm by Ruth Sharon

Learning from loss is powerful heart medicine. Our precious Daphnie dog passed from this life last Sunday after the vet diagnosed her with spleen cancer the prior Tuesday. We had little time to prepare.

When she passed away, we took her to our vet. One of the lovely vet techs made a clay impression of her back paw for us to take home to bake. When I took it out of the oven, the pad looked like a heart. Her presence in my life surely has left a paw print on my heart.

We put this paw print, her collar, a scarf she liked to wear, her ashes, family photos with her and some candles on a table for a “shrine to love.” When our younger daughter comes home from LA at the end of this month for our book launch party, we will have a memorial service.

Daphnie was a dear friend who is missed greatly, not only by our family, but also the myriad of people who came to our house for business and socializing. She was our trusted “receptionist” for counseling and coaching clients, and a warm greeter for those coming to parties and meetings. The house feels so empty without her.

I never knew the unconditional love of a pet before and that grieving could be so very painful. Jim and I kept instinctively saying or doing routine things to our absent dog for the first week—like asking her to take her daily walk or eat or have a treat or play with something or go outside or…. The rituals were so ingrained after 11 years of her living with us. This week, the impulse is gone and only her loving Spirit remains in our hearts. The crying comes in waves, like an old friend coming to visit then leaving. Softening the heart with vulnerable feelings of loss also serves to awaken in me the humility and gratitude for all that this life means to me. What a gift!

Jim and I now feel the compelling need to create and allow new routines from morning to night that do not include Daphnie dog. Our morning prayers last longer without the interruption of letting her outside. Our dinners can be candlelit and slower; yoga in the living room without being licked in the face allows me to go deeper; spontaneous play and lovemaking can be anywhere in the house! Going out for a whole day without having to come back to feed and walk her gives us a new freedom. So our “empty nest” allows for more couple and private time, which is a real blessing.

Namaste,
Ruth

 

Recipe for Successful Healing

Posted in Health, Wellness on 10/18/2011 02:45 am by Ruth Sharon

As I recover from my hard fall at the end of August, I am integrating some very valuable lessons. I will call this my “recipe for successful healing!” First of all, falling can be viewed as symbolic, as well as literal. My left knee is healing and in fact, I took my first slow walk around the block today with my dog Daphnie, who was with me on my fall. So my obvious lessons involve being present and looking where I am going (as I did today), accepting help and taking really good care of myself.

The symbolic lessons have been unfolding: falling has brought me to humility, vulnerability and receptivity to being supported. (literally “to my knees”). The seven weeks, thus far, of limited activity have also narrowed my scope of what I can take on and accomplish. I have said “no” to more offers and invitations than I normally would in my “Super Woman” suit. As you may have heard, being in bed with my leg elevated allowed me to finish writing my book! I guess I had to be wrestled down to complete the task at hand! The Universe/God sometimes takes drastic means to get a point across.

I am so grateful for the loving support of family, friends, clients and students, expert healing assistance from amazing professionals and a deepening commitment to self-care. I draw on my inner resources daily through meditating, breathing, energy healing, praying and being receptive to intuition. Yoga continues to be a valuable ally that helps me everyday to be aware, to stretch, to strengthen, to balance and to be calm. Rest, repose, music and reading soothe my soul as well.

So the lessons continue: focus and do what is essential, do not be distracted with the myriad of demands and enticements, and keep stress and fear to a minimum. I really hope and pray I can keep including these recipe ingredients:

1. Be present.

2. Take one small step at a time.

3. Be humble and grateful.

4. Stay focused on the essentials.

May you be blessed with safe travels on your life journey and create your own recipe for success (without falling).

Be well,
Ruth

 

Falling Gracefully

Posted in Holidays, spirituality, Wellness on 09/27/2011 09:33 pm by Jim Sharon

About a month ago my wife, Ruth fell hard (while running with our dog)—and despite considerable knee swelling and pain, she has responded gracefully. Ruth’s attitude has been “that’s what God gave me for now, so I’ll be with it and use my healing time well.” During the month, she has valued her quiet time and the opportunity to complete her family yoga book. Once again, Ruth has proven a good model for others and for myself about accepting what is and going with the flow.

The season of Fall typically brings with it several major Jewish holidays (sometimes a couple of those begin in late summer), which my family and I observe annually. The most significant of those holidays is Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the most solemn day of the year. These holidays afford an opportunity for strong introspection or self-reflection, as well as a focus on atonement. Diligent attunement requires a “fall” from ego: a humbling, self-effacing process.

My psychological and mystical training, along with my natural mindset and “heart-set,” has given me extensive preparation for not only the intensity of these holidays, but for frequent self-scrutiny throughout each year. However, the grit work of facing the “shadow” side of myself is rarely a pleasant task. Because it is usually uncomfortable and elicits aspects of myself that are challenging to acknowledge, I sometimes resist or avoid the task. Yet, I know that developing or evolving myself and hence being a more loving and serving person does not come by grace alone.

Ultimately, I am always willing to uncover the dark places within me and at least come to terms with my ego. Stripping off all of our veneer is always a (very) gradual process, and over the years I have learned to be patient and gentle with my process–and less ponderous about it.

It is most helpful to remember that the “gold mine” of our true essence lies beyond our personalities and roles, and is attainable through gracefully letting go of these identity-attachments over time. It is also very helpful to seek credible, safe guides along the way.

-Jim

 

Highlights of Whole Man Expo

Posted in Whole Man Expo on 09/19/2011 03:19 pm by Jim Sharon

One of my main purposes for founding Whole Man Expo was to bring together men who have been conscientiously developing themselves in various areas for many years. I felt that such a gathering would create a lot of momentum for dignifying men and for both educating and supporting guys struggling to comprehend our society’s numerous re-definitions of mature masculinity and ideal manhood.

Whole Man Expo, presented by Energy for Life Saturday, September 10th at the Sheraton DTC Hotel in Greenwood Village, proved a great success in every respect other than low mainstream attendance (for which we need to be patient). Some of the highly favorable characteristics of the event were:

  • Authentic, open dialogue amongst presenters, panelists and attendees
  • A vast amount of warm-hearted, mutual respect and support amongst the participating men and women
  • Sharing positive vision about men’s potential and possibilities
  • Delight in activities such as spiritual circle dancing and energy balancing via attunement to sounding bowls
  • An energetic comedian’s good-natured, witty jokes about male trends
  • Over 90% of the presentation ratings in the very good or excellent range

Many friends who hadn’t seen one another for long periods were reunited and a number of strong new connections were forged. Love and strong caring supplanted academics and preaching at this event.

Another highpoint of the day occurred during the closing ceremony, when Captain Coy Theobalt very humbly accepted the honor of Whole Man of the Year in the Front Range, which was bestowed on him by an independent selection committee.

My spirits were further elevated by a number of enthusiastic men and women offering to become involved in planning and promoting Whole Man Expo next year. We learned a lot in this inaugural event that we will carry forth toward enriching our second annual event. View more event photos!

Thank you to the sponsors who supported the Expo!

-Jim

 
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