Category Archives: spiritual

I Am Grateful For My Spiritual Journey To Health And Wellness

I am nearing four and one-half years of health after multiple cancers and surgeries in 2017. I am grateful that I am still healthy, but never do I take my present health for granted. The source stimulating these postings is my joy with life, and my sincere appreciation and happiness to have time to “pay it forward” to others while here.

As many people do, I read and ask questions, and share with others to learn about healing and health and wellness. I can tell you from experience that there is a lot to learn and practice to maintain health. Sometimes I stray from my devotion to a healthier lifestyle, better eating, mindful practices with toxins and GMOs in our world, and Western and Eastern medical beliefs. But, when my CT scans and labs remind me that my body chemistry is changing, I jump back into better practices and pray.

People ask me what am I doing to stay so healthy? I tell them what I am learning, but many people do the same things I do, and much more, and, sadly, many people continue to die around me which makes me so sad, and gives me a feeling of survivor’s guilt. I want to do more to help others so I keep posting happy ideas, and peaceful thoughts. Also, I post joyful events like playing with your pets, and enjoyable moments with family and friends or beautiful trips deep into nature.

This month I am pulling all of my postings, videos, blogs, tweets, and Instagrams into more of a common “digital media” composite so that I may share what I believe and what I have learned thus far. If this is helpful to you, please let me know. If you would like more from me, please let me know.

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I’m Grateful I Learned About The #SpiritofPlace After a Visit to the #Pontdel’AlmaTunnel in Paris, France

Have you ever visited a special place where you experienced a memory or learned about a historical event? As I grow older, I am discovering many “special places” in my life: my mother’s gardens, an outdoor wedding spot, a fun family reunion memory from childhood, a loved one’s grave, a walkway where great men/women passed…. my little doggie playing in the bushes… What places are special or sacred to you?

Recently, I learned about the concept of #SpiritofPlace when I was reading about #water. Many religious practices recognize locations as significant and it is through that context that I am learning. Due to an illness I had an opportunity to go to Lourdes, France and on the way there, I passed through Paris, France and asked my driver to take me to the tunnel where Princess Diana died – the #Pontdel’AlmaTunnel. I was so moved to see the exact spot where her car crashed, and she lost her life.

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Grateful For This Sacred Day

Today my Facebook reminded me that 10 years ago today was my father’s last day of life! Tomorrow will be his 10 year death anniversary. I miss him so.

Rather than be buried in the usual stress of my own life, I devoted this day to those memories of my father. He was a minister 100%. He always was in a suit, tie, jacket. I remember one year on vacation he even rowed a boat in a suit and tie. We sometimes had to cancel our own vacation plans because someone in the church was in the hospital, or was dying, or needed him.

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Gratitude For Marine Rev. Robert Blake and Wife

I believe we must remain in a State of Gratitude these days even in the midst of the pandemic, the hurricane, the ending of the 20 year war, the murder of service men and women, the fires, the arguments over masks, and on and on…

Recently, I talked about #portals opening briefly in our lives, and closing just as quickly. Over the last few days I wondered what kind of portal opened up this week? It seems the news is all bad.

I reflected on what makes me continue to believe in gratitude in spite of everything? In fact, one site I view daily is #gratitudemakestheattitude. I was drawn to an old video my son made for my father’s celebration of his 90th birthday and I share it with you today.

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Grateful For Each Family Member

These times are tough. The virus is disrupting our lives. Many people are troubled with serious, deadly illnesses. Years of relationships are breaking up. People are in pain.

When I look at this old family photo, I am reminded that the entire back/top row of my family is already gone. They have passed away. Only myself and my brother (in bottom row) remain. How does that make me feel? Sad, but reflective on life. What have I done with my life? Have I been a helpful, loving member of my family as well as my community, and society? With my remaining years, how might I become more giving, helpful, a better listener to all others, more contributing, kinder, more sensitive to “hear” the pains and frustrations of others, more understanding, more selfless, more decisive in helping other persons move through their various pains of life with illness or with loved ones?

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Gratitude Is An Emotion Causing One To Give

Currently I have so many people around me who are seriously ill: a dear friend with blood cancer, and large masses throughout all the organs in her chest; a relative about to have a permanent peg feeding tube (never to eat or drink by mouth again); a friend about to have a double mastectomy; a relative needing to repair a cleft palate again so he may eat normally; and so it goes with so many various and differing health problems. My reaction to each of these individuals is “what might I do to help you?” “What might I say to provide support and encouragement to you?” Personally, I am not sure that I have the proper background and knowledge to offer help, yet they contact me regularly so perhaps my “listening” to their fears and anxieties is of some assistance.

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Gratitude, The Brain, Morality, Group Behavior

Those of you following my posts will note that I love to study gratitude in addition to feeling it and watching others practice and talk about being grateful. The study of gratitude will take years to fully understand all the dimensions, traits, and states. My purpose is to excite you, influence your thinking, invite you to reflect, and please you with various examples of joyful gratitude. Once in a while I will take you a bit deeper into an understanding of what it means to be grateful. Today is such a posting, which is why I label this particular blog as #gratitudeultra.

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Staying in a State of Gratitude Is Not Easy: So How Do I Do It?

Recently, I wanted to go out to lunch with a friend. We tried four different restaurants and each one was crowded with a long wait. Plus, we had to mask up so we wanted to social distance. We had even gone at an early hour to avoid the crowds. I guess everyone else had the same idea. However, when we got to restaurant number five, it was empty. The food was better than the other places we had visited and the lunch was actually more enjoyable.

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Gratitude For Exploring Energy in Neuroscience

Today I was listening to a Webinar with Dr. Zach Bush, Dr. Kristen Willeumier and Dr. Peter Cummings as I was riding my stationary bike. The topic was on The Brain…neuroscience..offering actionable strategies to live a more healthy, balanced life… I love Dr. Bush’s talks!

The Drs. were focusing on the energy within our brains, our minds, our consciousness, and learning to control our emotions and responses to events in our lives… I started riding my bike as I listened. I was also thinking about a posting about being a good listener to others…

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#Gratitude is a Teacher for Us to Moderate #Desire (Audio)

This is the audio version of my posting on April 30, 2021 titled “Gratitude is a Teacher to Moderate Desire”. Some of my followers have requested audio versions rather than to read the text. Since this is a longer and more complex subject than I sometimes post, I request that for any of you who wish to take notes, please refer to the text posting as linked above. All of the audio content is provided within the above link.

In general, this posting explores the relationship between desire and gratitude with reference to the book “Psychology of Desire” (2015) edited by Hofmann, W., & Nordgren, L. F. (Eds.). (2015). The psychology of desire. The Guilford Press. Content within this book is described in detail in the posting linked in the above paragraph.

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