The 3rd Step…Taking Refuge Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him  This step is a call to surrender and trust. It means leaving behind the part of the ego that would have us continue to live a life of disconnection based upon our own self-will. It asks us to go within, deep within, and be willing to wake up to truth, understanding that we have a part in the dance of all things. It asks us to be willing to give up the delusion of control, to awaken to our true nature and the path of light and beauty in the world.  If we can let go of delusion, we merge with the divine within us.   When we claim our true power by leaving behind willfulness and entering

Step 2  Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity   Step 2  embraces faith and hope.  Life can be more difficult and empty without someone or something to trust and believe in.  “Coming to believe” means setting aside our illusion of control so that other things can become possible.   We don’t have to have all the answers or information needed yet. When we begin to trust, we feel lighter…more at ease.  Our willingness to see life as purposeful…as more than just a coincidence…can be the key to lasting recovery and an appreciation of the way life seems to work.     In yoga practice we have the opportunity to open our eyes and hearts.  We Go inside and surrender. We learn to focus on our inner drishti, our “in-sight”, along with humility by which we acknowledge

Coconut Peppermint Chocolates Recipe Makes about 40-48 1 1/2 c. Coconut oil 1 1/4 c. Agave Nectar, honey or maple syrup 1 c. Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. Vanilla 3-5 drops Peppermint oil Warm coconut oil until melted, blend all ingredients in a blender, pour into a heart shaped candy mold, or paper cups and refrigerate. (Option: Sprinkle unsweetened coconut flakes in each cup before refigerating.) Keep refrigerated until served.

Imagine a life where you can just sit with yourself in acceptance!  “ Little did I know, all those days, all those nights,were life itself!” Anonymous grandmother   This journey of life is precious and full of surprises! I am humbled by the strength and courage of those around me as I continue on the path of recovery.  I love the ceremony of starting a new year.  It gives us a chance to reflect on what we’re grateful for, and invites us to cultivate new levels of awareness in how we respond to daily challenges, interact with the people in our lives, and what thoughts, desires and actions we choose. It is an opportunity, as is each and every day, to set an intention for what we would like to manifest in our lives…of surrendering  in acceptance of what we can’t control

That the birds of worry and care fly about your head This you cannot change But that they build nests in your hair This you can prevent. — Chinese Proverb How much do each of us worry each day? Worry can light on our shoulders or sink its teeth into our flesh. I’ve heard it said that 90% of what we worry about never happens. Worry can become a habit, a full-time job and our companion by taking over most of our waking and dreaming hours. It breaks down our immune system and weakens our natural ability to fight illness. It keeps us from living with gratitude for the present moment. Accepting things we cannot change frees us. With an open mind and willing heart we have the power to change our habit of worry into one of trust. We know

 Lately, I have been feeling a sense of being pulled in many directions to the point of depletion…and right around the corner are the holidays.  Typically a time of overcommitting, overdoing, over spending and not enough sleeping!  I’m incredibly grateful for the life I have, but I’ve come to the realization that I need to make the intention of taking time to slow down. So, I made myself sit down and meditate with Deepak and Oprah today!  I must say, I do feel better!   When we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off, we lose our connection with ourselves.  We get out of whack, out of balance and the mind spins like crazy trying to keep it all going. Then it becomes a case of disconnection. Too much to do, too many thoughts.  When we lose connection with

The 7th chakra is our spiritual connecter and our spiritual “bank account.” The crown chakra contains the energy of kind thoughts and action through internal awareness and devotion to our divine spirit. It is the center for trust, devotion, inspiration, happiness, and positivity. It’s also the center for deeper connection with ourselves and deeper connection with a force of life that is greater than ourselves. Most of us have at some time in our lives suffered with a spiritual crisis. In addiction there is a loss of connection to our spirit, our heart and a higher power. We fear abandonment and losing touch with our identity. We are no longer sure of who we are and of what we want in life. We feel as if something is trying to wake up inside of us but we don’t know what that

  The 3rd eye center is the chakra of wisdom.  It is the spiritual center in which we learn to act on internal direction, discerning between thoughts motivated by strength and those motivated by fear and illusion.  To move from unconscious behavior to conscious behavior we must be an impersonal observer by seeing the truth instead of trying to control how we want things to look and turn out dictated by past beliefs.  The 6th chakra activates the lessons that lead us to wisdom, beautifully expressed in the Serenity Prayer,  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”  Sometimes that’s easier said than done. We can be our own worst enemy. We must give up the need to control outcome and accept

The more I study the 4th chakra, the energy of our heart, the more I find how it affects every aspect of our truest nature and how we show up in our lives.   So, I want to spend another week of inquiry on the most powerful energy of all…love.  How can we use this power to create peace and serenity in our lives?  Forgiveness. Forgiveness is the path to the empowered heart.  More than releasing the blame associated with emotional and physical trauma, forgiveness means releasing the power and control they have over our spirit.This is the moment in our recovery where we move from fear to love. We no longer stay sober based on fear of the past. We stay sober out of love for life. We forgive so that we are no longer attached to the pain of