Laughter is an audible expression or appearance of happiness, or an inward feeling of joy (laughing on the inside). – Wikipedia
Set the intention that you will find reasons to laugh on the inside or the outside today.
Here’s a wonderful youTube video that might get you to tears…in that good feeling way!
Photo: 2 year old enjoying pasta/Coyote Karrick
Fears, a web of worry, a little spiral of stress, negative anticipation, disgruntled feelings, etc…
We have to do whatever we have to do to stop that train (if we want to feel well and create the opportunities for what we actually want)!
I have several practices that help me, one I recommend is to simply take a break from excessive thinking, doing, or staring the problem in the face, and sit still. Call it meditation or whatever you like. My crazy “monkey” mind got going today, fortunately, I caught myself early and did the following practice:
PRACTICE IDEA: Pause and check in on how you are feeling. If there are worries occupying your thoughts decide to take 5. Find a place to sit alone if possible, or put in some headphones to cancel out some noise (I’ve done this on the NYC subway). Set your cellphone or watch for 5 minutes. Close your eyes and focus on breathing naturally in and out. Keep all your attention on your breath. As your mind wanders back into “thinking,” say “thank you” to the reminder to get back to your breath. When your time is up, say, “Now I’m open to some positive thoughts, I expect to find one then another, and feel better and better.” Return to the practice anytime you feel stuck, frustrated or hyper-focused on what’s bothering you. You could also look for some reason to laugh or smile.
I wish you the best!
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. FDR
Photo: Bodega Bay/Coyote Karrick
I toss the weeds over the fence and smell the agitated basil and mint come to life! Yum. Dinner is next.
A few thoughts from weeding the herb garden (something I love and find very refreshing):
MY INTENTION: Do something I enjoy outside. Take in the afternoon sun. Make room for the basil to capture more light. And as in everything, look for reasons to appreciate my life and feel good.
APPLICATION TO LIFE: In what areas of my life would I like more room for change, for growth, for freedom, for new possibilities? What thoughts would I like to stop thinking? I am always observing my thoughts and moving from weeds toward what I want. Always, looking to tend more positive affirmations/statements/desires. Sure weeds come up, but I’m in the habit now of catching them and refocusing. Someday I’ll be so good at this that I’ll be totally unimpressed with the weeds. For now, I might simply say, “I want something new and refreshing to come into this part of my life.” Then cultivate the expectation of it.
Then there’s that clutter piling up around and in my living and work spaces. I might want to feel the ahhhh of creating room, even before I have the idea of what I want to fill in! I did this with my closet when I first started practicing Law of Attraction a few years ago. I wanted to attract the possibility of having new clothes and feel refreshed by the organization and ease of using my closet everyday.
PRACTICE IDEA: Maybe you feel inspired to de-clutter an area of your life, or simply take a few minutes and imagine/visualize being in a beautiful simple refreshing place. Make it juicy! Afterward, reflect on your visualization. What came to mind? Are you inspired to take any action as a result? Simply feeling refreshed or relaxed is it!
KEY: Notice the mental weeds as they crop up, but spend most of your time planting, cultivating, expecting, and feeling good about what it is that you are wanting to grow!
This morning I woke up with the same irritated eyes that I experienced the night before. Allergic!? To this beautiful country-side setting in New England, surrounded by gorgeous plants, flowers, trees, streams, and hillsides…is it true?! I’m so aware of my discomfort and I start down the thought train: “I can’t live here,” “I’m not going to be able to get work done today,” “This is so annoying,” “What am I going to do,” “This is driving me crazy,” “I look like hell,” etc. etc. We take our dog, also struggling with his eyes (appears to be losing or lost his eyesight) to the beach on the Hudson. He loves, sight or no sight, “eating” the waves and we love to watch him. After heavy rains the past two months it looks like Land Of The Lost (or how I imagine it!); incredibly green mountains jet up out of the river and are met by a 100 foot waterfall that dashes back down through a lush gorge. It’s beautiful.
I feel better (physically and emotionally) as my focus shifts from the fears and discouragement about my “eye” reality to other aspects of my reality: happy funny love of a dog, beyond belief beauty, delicious hot coffee, wonderful company, the peaceful sight and sound of a waterfall, and the opportunity of the day ahead. Within an hour of focusing on the present parts of my reality that comfort and delight, and my hopes and trust in the day and future, I feel like I’m back to being “me.” Then there’s just love and gratitude.
What part or parts of your reality do you want to focus on today?
With Love,
Coyote
We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong [happy]. The amount of work is the same.
- Carlos Casteneda
Our dog lost most of his eye sight this week. It was sudden and startling for all of us. However, through the experience we’re learning and remembering some things about his and our own full potential. I’m being reminded about how good it feels to practice being present, patient, loving, and allowing another being to find their own way.
Just a minute ago he came down a flight of stairs on his own! I celebrate this accomplishment and I realize how valuable it is for me to sit back some more, maintain a calm center, and let him figure out how to navigate. At first, we were holding his neck, guiding him and protecting him from knocking into edges. Now I see that we were crowding and confusing his own sense of things due to our fear (like parents who are acting over-protective or controlling). He is expressing new skills and shows uncertainty at times, so he does benefit from some encouragement and guidance, like a leash on a unfamiliar trail, and a calm guiding voice. However, dogs, like kids and adults, respond to our energy and so any guidance we give is only truly helpful if a: we are centered, and b: they want what we want at that moment. He does have a mind of his own.
A little example of how our “energy” gets into the mix: imagine saying, “It’s OK.” The simple statement has very different energy from it’s meaning when you are saying it with fear or frustration, then when you simple know and say, “It’s OK.”
When I have kids I want to remember this experience, take care of my own “energy,” or in other words keep the practice of going back to my “center” where I feel good, calm, and clear. I also want to give my children guidance when appropriate and the space to have their life experience. Practices that will help me include: self-care, centering, meditation, as well as, the belief that we are not here to control or mold another, but let them be and become who they are.
You may want to ask throughout the weekend, “Is my ‘help’ coming from my clear and calm center?” “Is my offering one of pure positive energy or are there attachments to fear, results, etc.?” “What would happen if I step back and trust more?”
Love,
Coyote & Gunner (below)
Photo: Ice Cream For Dogs/iPhone/Coyote Karrick
The things that cause us to “lose our minds” in that good feeling way.
Today watching my friends mountain bike reminded me of how great it feels to ride rocky winding trails and lose the active mind. For me, I become so focused on the trail and staying up right that my mind relaxes. Riding curves on my motorcycle, yoga, and tango dancing, among other passions, have a similar effect. I can’t wait to try hang gliding and sky diving too.
No need to do anything crazy to cultivate this relaxation of mind, it might be fly-fishing, knitting, a simple walk…
Meditation, even 5 minutes, can relax the body/mind into a more peaceful relaxed state of possibility. One way to meditate is to just sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on the in and out of your breath. Set a watch for 5 or 10 minutes so you can release any awareness of time.
Whatever you do to “lose” or loosen your mind as a practice, enjoy.
Photo: Free Your Mind – Bike, Meditate, Knit, etc!/iPhone/Coyote Karrick
I bought these shoes following the thread of my year and moving again, this time to NYC. In Jan. 2008, I asked myself, “If anything were possible what would I do?” My Inner Compass pointed toward these experiences: travel, study dance, coach, write, photograph, fall in love, and most importantly, follow the thread of my desire and joy moment to moment.
It has been an amazing year. Last spring, I put all my belongings into a mini-storage, moved out of my comfortable condo in Seattle, and drove to San Francisco to live each part of the dream. I picked up information along the way about what I wanted and did not want. For example, I confirmed my love for dance and desire not to be an official ballroom dance teacher. It was a learning year, an adventure, and a good time in the practice of listening to my emotions and making choices based on what feels good to me in each moment. Imagine nothing you “should” do, only that which you truly want to do? It’s taken me a while to get used to guiding my life this way, there’s that little voice or sometimes large voice saying, “Is this really the responsible or appropriate route?” “Your family and friends are not going to get this!?” “Is it right to have this much fun?”
After five months, I decided to exchange my car for a red Ducati motorcycle I named “Roma” and take a new adventure. After not riding for 4 years, I took a solo trip along the Pacific for 31 days, continuing all the other parts of the dream too – writing in hotels and cafes, taking pictures, coaching, studying dance (Argentine Tango Bootcamp, etc.), and falling in love (the second time). I can’t say I’m a “Dancing With The Stars” candidate yet! However, I danced in Cheryl Burke’s studio where I met some amazing teachers and fell in love with Argentine tango and Lindy hop. If you have any desire at all to dance, I highly encourage you to try it with a teacher you enjoy.
In late fall, I followed the thread back to the NW where I kept enjoying my themes for the year. I took part in several key family events and kept listening to my Inner Compass for the next clear signal. I felt it, a desire to move to another international city like L.A. or London to continue this exciting journey of studying dance, taking my business on the road, falling in love, etc. I wasn’t entirely clear on my destination until one day “Rocking My Walk” it came to me – NYC! The intense international city with great public transportation and every opportunity imaginable! I bought my ticket the next day and “magically” a housing offer in the heart of it all came available.
I spent 5 fabulous weeks in the Big Apple, exploring, dancing, writing, coaching, photographing (see my Flickr photos if you’re interested), etc. I imagined I would be there at least 3-6 months if not a full year. However, my main practice has been to listen to my heart, mind, intuition, etc., what I call my Inner Compass. Well, I woke up ready for a change from the 24/7 jackhammers and horns in my 5th week. Just then and from “out of left field” so to speak (another story for another time), I fell in love with someone who lives an hour outside NYC, and today I am using these formally white sneakers to weed a garden in the most pleasant New England springtime setting I can imagine.
My intended city swing dancing sneaks have become country kicks! The unexpected can be expected when you follow your moment to moment thread of desire and allow it to happen, it’s like “magic” and life works better than you ever imagined!
Have a great weekend! Listen and your Inner Compass will guide you, it may take a little while to be clear, to relax, and to hear your calling as an inspired experience. It will come everytime if you practice letting it and then taking action is easy and fun.
Or we can just quietly weed a garden, cook a meal, or walk the city streets, whatever gives us a feeling of peace and joy, and then the clarity can’t not come!
IN THE FIELD: If you tend to move fast all the time, try something purposefully slow like a silent meditation retreat (Google “silent meditation” and you will find many options around you), or do a “solo” on a Outward Bound or NOLS course, go for a walkabout outside or spend a simple afternoon with no plans – no mental or physical agenda.
IN MY LIFE: In NYC, I am staying in a beautiful loft guarded by two very unique cats…a word which probably describes all cats. Being a dog person, I look for reasons to appreciate the ways of the cat. I found a new one…
I’m feeling a bit slow today as opposed to my usual keep the NYC pace for a daily five mile walk-a-thon. So, I stay in when that feels good, and then make a short trip to Grand Central Station at a leisurely pace in a light rain and meet a friend for coffee, I return to the loft, relax on the couch, and spend the rest of the afternoon doing some writing, relaxing, day-dreaming, and just sitting with no agenda at all. Imagine! Our challenges in life seem to depend on the ideas we’ve collected along the way about “shoulds,” etc. I could go run a marathon tomorrow, but stay home and take it easy, that’s crazy! Relaxing the moving mind body, has always been the greater challenge for me, and NYC is not exactly on “island time.” I’ve come a long way in practicing relaxation and stillness, and it looks like I get to keep practicing it. So, I’m a turtle today and it feels good. The cats like it too. Like them, I’m just sitting on the heater in the windowsill doing nothing. When one comes over to say hello. I think, “You strange cats, you’re not a dog, what is it that you want?” I laugh and pet his ears until I get a purr and then think, “You like this OK, but you really just want food don’t you?” Then I remember how I spent my Valentines day a little over a month ago. My date was a 7 year old friend who wanted to read me a Garfield book cover to cover. He read. We laughed a lot. It was a special moment.
In my cat moment today, I felt my growing appreciation for cats, the real ones and Garfield, and for that young person who wanted to show me how funny it all is! On my deathbed, I imagine moments like these are the ones I will cherish the most. Sometimes it seems so simple. Life is good. Let’s relax.
IN PRACTICE: Spend a day or better yet, schedule some regular daily time, to slow down and do nothing but “be.” Sit and stare at the sky or close your eyes. Pet an animal. Read the funnies. Better yet, let a child read you the funnies. Sit in the window and see what comes to you.
I know that life can be a delicious adventure, so I've embarked on a quest to know it as such through experience. In the process, I'm learning to get out of my own way and laugh more. My intention is not to tell you "the" way, there are many ways and your inner-resources and personal experience can guide you. However, something here may inspire you to seek a direction or follow an idea that already resonates for you. I wish you the best conditions for your life adventure. Love, Coyote Karrick
coyotekarrick.com
You might as well decide to start enjoying your life right now, because it’s not ever going to get better than right now–until it gets better right now! - Abraham-Hicks 
Free your mind, the rest will follow...
- En Vogue
The ancestor of every action is a thought. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
- Dalai Lama
Truth resides in every human heart, and one has to search for it there, and to be guided by truth as one sees it. – Mahatma Gandhi
What can any individual do? They can see to it that they feel right. An atmosphere of sympathetic influence encircles every human being. - Harriet Beecher Stowe
In dreams, as in love, all is possible. - Janos Arany
I consider waking up and living a life designed by my Inner-Compass the biggest adventure of all. - Coyote
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