As Valentine’s Day approaches I realize – after sifting through the B.S. of romance books and movies and media interpretations of “love” – that what we all deeply want is a deeply spiritually connected relationship with our spouse.

One of the things that finally clued me in – aside from denouncing all the popular culture myths of what love is – is Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now.
It always breaks my heart a little when people get a divorce. Even celebrities. It’s worth mourning.
It occurs to me when others divorce, or when I have considered ending my …read more

Forget Punxsutawney Phil …
Whether he comes out and rushes back because he’s afraid of his own shadow or not doesn’t tell me much.
A far better indicator of whether spring is on it’s way is the fact that I’ve changed my hairdo, cleaned out the refrigerator, wiped out the microwave, scrubbed down all three bathrooms and looked for the oven cleaner. I’ll probably mop the kitchen.
I have an incredible urge to cover my lawn with grass seed, weed killer and fertilizer.
Yep, Spring is on her way.

I’ve been reading Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now.

He introduces the idea of a Pain Body. The Pain Body is also discussed in great detail in his other book A New Earth.

Basically, he says that one part of the human condition is a pain body. We have personal pain bodies that result from things that happen specifically to us. But, we also have collective pain bodies that come from being members of a group – women, for instance.

Tolle says that because of several thousand years of oppression, repression, violence, rape, battery, harassment, slavery and sexism baby girls are born …read more

So my husband sent me this story, A World Enslaved,by E. Benjamin Skinner about how you can buy a person for $50 five hours away from New York City in Haiti. The article goes into great detail about how many children, girls, women, men are in slavery today. Both for sex and for domestic and agricultural labor. There are more slaves now than in the entire history of the world.

What are we supposed to do about it? I asked him. The story goes into this whole futile effort the United States has been trying to pass more laws. More laws …read more

Remember the old adage:

Treat people how you want to be treated.

There is enough evidence to suggest that this may not really be effective. Certainly, I’ve found it lacking when attempting to change another person’s behavior toward me or expecting like-behavior.

But, I have noticed this lately:
People treat others in the same way they treat themselves.
If you see someone harshly judging others, screaming at them, emotionally browbeating them, withholding support, bad-mouthing them, invalidating them.

Its safe to assume they are doing far worse to themselves.
Could this be why the Bible tells us to “Love others – as we love ourselves?” It then …read more

My cousin got married and I got to go to a really fancy wedding. There were “whispered secrets” about how much this shindig cost.
We had to drive 10 hrs round trip to Houston in the same day. I almost didn’t go to avoid the driving. But, then I went to the bathroom with a book and my kids wouldn’t leave me alone for two lousy seconds and I thought “Hey, I could read for 5 hrs straight without annoying kids screaming at me – I’m in.”

I had two really important goals to accomplish.
I’ve been praying and meditating …read more

Am I the only one who would like to take a break from outrage and moral indignation?
Yes, there is injustice in the world.
True, George W. Bush is a bad mother-bleeper who needs to go sit on a ranch and think about what he’s done for a while.
Yes, there are still homophobics in California. They love marriage and monogamy so much they don’t want to share it.
There are also gays in California and some of them want to get married so they can have all the legal rights and responsibilities marriage provides.

And yes, there is a crazy …read more

Watch this for instant goose bumps and empowerment, The Women’s Conference.
Main stage highlights include the Dalai Lama, Oprah, Sarah Ferguson, Queen Rania of Jordan, Tony Blair, Tim Russert, Billie Jean King and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

I want to speak there someday. My dreams are BIG!

Check out the website, www.californiawomen.org and see what kind of power awaits women in this lifetime.

You can participate in The Women’s Conference on this podcast.

Many of the people at this conference declared that women will be the force of change in this country. I know that to be true.

Unleash your inner power Ladies!

I wish I had been …read more

You know what I find fascinating?
The religious conservatives, by which I mean the specific people in my life, who have always been the biggest influences on my own Internal Mommy Wars are in full, unequivocal support of Sarah Palin and have no doubts that can be both an effective mother and vice president.
Then why do you doubt that I can be both a great mom and fulfill my professional ambitions using the gifts and the calling God gave me? I wondered, as I lay sobbing during one yoga practice last week. If there is some distinction between …read more

I hear mothers talk about how sacrifice is “worth it” for their kids. I especially hear this if mother’s have given up something valuable – economic independence, dreams, ambitions, time, goals, careers, autonomy, hobbies, interests, etc.
When did I – as a human being – lose my inherent value? Was it when I stopped being the child so worthy of my mother’s sacrifice? Or was it when I became the mother, expected to sacrifice everything for my children, and then say, “it’s worth it?” Or was it when I turned 18 and stopped being a legal child?
I’m just …read more