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DailyOm on Completion, Madisyn Taylor

SGC Admin: From our inbox to you: DailyOm on Completion Madisyn Taylor …

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June 17, 2015
Completion
The Road to New Beginnings

by Madisyn Taylor

The period of completion, rather than being just an act of finality, is also one of transition.

Life is a collage of beginnings and endings that run together like still-wet paint. Yet before we can begin any new phase in life, we must sometimes first achieve closure to the current stage we are in. That’s because many of life’s experiences call for closure. Often, we cannot see the significance of an event or importance of a lesson until we have reached closure. Or, we may have completed a certain phase in life or path of learning and want to honor that ending. It is this sense of completion that frees us to open the door to new beginnings. Closure serves to tie up or sever loose ends, quiets the mind even when questions have been left unanswered, signifies the end of an experience, and acknowledges that a change has taken place.

The period of completion, rather than being just an act of finality, is also one of transition. When we seek closure, what we really want is an understanding of what has happened and an opportunity to derive what lessons we can from an experience. Without closure, there is no resolution and we are left to grieve, relive old memories to the point of frustration, or remain forever connected to people from our past. A sense of completion regarding a situation may also result when we accept that we have done our best. If you can’t officially achieve closure with someone, you can create completion by participating in a closure ritual. Write a farewell letter to that person and then burn your note during a ceremony. This ritual allows you to consciously honor and appreciate what has taken place between you and release the experience so you can move forward.

Closure can help you let go of feelings of anger or uncertainty regarding your past even as you honor your experience – whether good or bad – as a necessary step on your life’s path. Closure allows you to emotionally lay to rest issues and feelings that may be weighing down your spirit. When you create closure, you affirm that you have done what was needed, are wiser because of your experience, and are ready for whatever life wants to bring you next.

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Words of wisdom from Daily Om: Taking Responsibility for Your Destiny Answering the Call by Madisyn Taylor

SGC Admin: From our inbox to you: Daily Om on …….

June 10, 2015
Taking Responsibility for Your Destiny
Answering the Call

by Madisyn Taylor

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Your destiny may be waiting for you

whether or not you meet your destiny is up to you.


Your destiny may be waiting for you, but whether or not you meet your destiny is up to you.
There are those of us who believe that our lives are predestined and that we should resign ourselves to our lots in life. Yet the truth is that it is up to each one of us to decide what that destiny will be. While each of us is born with a life purpose, it is up to us whether or not we will say yes to fulfilling it. And just like when we choose what to eat, who to keep company with, and whether to turn right or left when we leave our home everyday, choosing to say yes to your destiny is a decision that can only be realized when you take action to make that choice a reality.

Whether you believe it is your destiny to be a parent, an adventurer, an artist, a pioneer, or a spiritual guru, saying yes to your destiny is only the first step. While manifesting your destiny starts with knowing what you want and believing you can attain your goals, there are then the actions that must be taken and the decisions to be made before your destiny can truly happen. When you take responsibility for fulfilling your destiny and begin acting with the intention of doing so, you not only take fate into your own hands, but also you become the hands of your own fate. Doorways inevitably open for you to step through, and every choice you make can be a creative act toward realizing your goals and dreams. You begin to follow your instincts and intuition, recognize opportunities when they are presented to you, and seize those golden moments. You also begin to recognize the decisions that may not serve this greater picture and can more easily push them aside.

Remembering that the decision to fulfill your destiny is always a choice can be empowering. Knowing you are fulfilling your destiny because you want to, rather than because you have to, can make a huge difference. When you are freed from obligation, obstacles in your way become challenges to be overcome, and the journey becomes an adventure rather than the obligatory steps you are being forced to take. Your destiny may be waiting for you, but whether or not you meet your destiny is up to you. Your fate is in your hands.

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DailyOm … A closer look at Meditation with Madisyn Taylor and various courses being offered.

From our inbox to you:    DailyOm 

A closer look at Meditation from Madisyn Taylor‏

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Meditation creates the space you need to get through your day, your life, your challenges.

Dear Friends,

The month of May has arrived, which is one of my favorite months of the year. Spring is in full force in most places, and the anticipation of summer’s arrival is palpable. I start working more outside, bringing my laptop to the outdoor table and setting up for the day under an umbrella in anticipation of new and wonderful ideas to come forth. Another thing I love to do outside is my daily meditation practice, and the lovely weather of May makes it ideal in so many ways.

For those of you that have been reading my work for years, you know how important meditation is in my life. Some of you already have a practice in some form, and still others either have not yet tried it or are a bit reluctant to try. When I do radio interviews I always talk about meditation and how it is for everybody, not a select few. You don’t need special equipment or to go to a sacred place or to even sit in the lotus position (legs crossed over each other). All you need is the intention to sit and be still for as long as you can, whether it is only a few minutes to start or 30 minutes. People ask me why I love to meditate, and the reason is that it is my quiet time to connect to spirit and listen. Then my mind clears out and I come to a place of complete peace. This, in turn, sets the stage for my day, and if I become upset or scattered I need only tune into the feeling I had during my morning meditation. I wrote a story a while back about prayer being an active time ! of asking and meditation a quiet time of listening. For some reason people thought I was bashing prayer, which is far from the truth. I was simply explaining the difference between the two practices.

Over the next four Mondays in May, I will be sharing with you different stories about the topic of meditation. Keep a look out for those in your email Inbox.

If starting a meditation practice sounds like something you may want to explore further, I have gathered four courses to assist you.

Learning to Meditate by Madisyn Taylor. This is a course I wrote with my DailyOM readers in mind. It is an eight-week course that takes you through everything you need to know about meditation, from the very basics. I also explore all of the ways you can meditate, such as guided meditations, music meditation, walking meditation, etc. Everybody has a way to meditate that is ideal for them. You just need to explore to find what suits you best. more info

How to Quiet the Mind by Gina Lake. This is an eight-week course that includes exercises, videos, and meditations to help quiet your mind. Explore the truth about your mind and who you really are, detach from the egoic mind, and learn how to experience the ”now” and stay there. more info

A Year of Guided Meditations by Dudley and Dean Evenson This is a 52-week course brought to you by our friends Dudley and Dean Evenson. Each week you will receive a new meditation featuring soothing voices and beautiful musical background with video images of nature. The meditations are about one minute long and are spoken in the ”I am” tense, or affirmations. more info

Being Here Now by Ram Dass. This is an eight-week course where you will learn to live with change and to navigate the complexities of your life by being in the moment. Come back, come home, be present again, be here now. more info

I would also like to mention that I have a new guided meditation that I released last month called Releasing Fire Guided Meditation. It has been so warmly embraced by you, my readers, and I am so happy to hear that it is helping you. Look for more of my guided meditations coming soon.

Until next time, please be well and wishing you the best on your meditation journey.

Madisyn Taylor

 

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DailyOm shares with us…. “Creating a Garden Sanctuary”

From our inbox to you: DailyOm on creating a garden sanctuary

Creating a Garden Sanctuary
A Refuge of Your Own
by Madisyn Taylor

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A personal outdoor sanctuary is an important part of feeling connected to all of life.

Each of us has been blessed with an innate need to celebrate and glorify life. At a most basic level, we honor the forces that came together to bring us into being by caring for our bodies and our souls. To truly rejoice in existence, we must also learn to cultivate loveliness in those special places that replenish the soul. When we create a garden sanctuary, we are reminded that we are a part of both nature’s essence and something more. An outdoor retreat is a place we can surround ourselves in nature, beauty, and the life force. It is not difficult to create a sanctuary—we should endeavor, however, to create sanctuaries that speak to us as individuals.

Whether we have a yard, a grassy corner, a patio, or a porch at our disposal, our creative potential is infinite. Any of these spaces can become a magnificent garden. When we feel drawn to specific themes such as Zen, angels, paradise, or the ethereal, we should explore them. Décor and furniture crafted from natural materials like wood and stone blend seamlessly into nature. Yet we can also augment the natural world by filling our garden sanctuaries with statues, bells or gongs, or colorful flags. Running water, like that in a created stream or fountain, helps energy flow smoothly. If space is a concern, crystals and mirrors can fulfill the same function. Hidden features like concealed swings and reflecting pools veiled in shadow can surprise and delight. As your garden sanctuary evolves, remember to invite the elemental spirits of nature to assist you in your efforts to create a small pocket of harmony, beauty, and peace in your own backyard. If you have not already felt their presence, sit quietly in your garden and reach out to them. You will feel these earthly guides at your side as you continue to develop your sanctuary.

In the refuge of brilliant color, sweet scents, and stillness you create in your garden, the burdens imposed upon you by a sometimes hectic world will melt away. The splendor and tranquility of what you have brought into being will entrance you, allowing you to forget the constraints of time and space. No matter how large or small your garden sanctuary, the time you spend reveling in its pleasures will refresh your spirit and provide you with innumerable opportunities to celebrate life.

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DailyOm & Drumming…. “The rhythm of drumming is easy for our bodies to take in as was the rhythm of our mother’s heartbeat”

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DailyOm & Drumming…

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The rhythm of drumming is easy for our bodies to take in as was the rhythm of our mother’s heartbeat.


That rhythm renews us is no secret. Drumming is the oldest form of music on the planet. Virtually every culture that exists or has existed on earth has practiced some form of drumming. In Africa, the beating of a drum continues to be an important part of significant ceremonies and holiday celebrations. Native American cultures use drumming as a means to reconnect an individual’s mental and physical selves. Throughout history, drumming has been a part of performing rituals, marking significant transitions, and celebrating life’s cycles. Our lives are infused with rhythm beginning at the very moment we first sense our mother’s heartbeat in her womb.

All manner of drumming has the ability to put us in touch with our own natural rhythms, the rhythms of the earth, and the rhythms of the people we choose to drum with. The drum can represent the heart, and drumming awakens the mind while stirring the soul. Drumming can take you to a place deep inside you where you are keenly aware of your mind and your body, as well as the vital bond between the two. Much like human beings, each drum has its own vibration and voice. Drumming alone can help you release tension, dispel stress and aggressive feelings, and restore your energy. It can also give you an opportunity to reestablish your connection to Mother Earth, as the beat of a drum can represent a crack of lightning, pounding ocean waves, or the tumult of an earthquake.

Drumming with others brings with it many benefits. Taking part in a drumming circle attunes us to the invisible energy that exists between us while uniting us in a common purpose. Drumming can be relaxing as well as energizing. It quiets mental chatter and can create a peaceful meditative state. In Navajo lore, the drum is the Great Spirit’s favorite instrument. It is said that this is why all human beings were given a heartbeat. The rhythmic beating of a drum can move us into new realms of consciousness. There is no right or wrong way to drum, and everyone has the innate ability to create rhythm. When you drum with intention, you’ll discover the rhythms that move you.