A recent reminder rekindled my interest and desire to run. I was enjoying the ‘gentle’ landing of the treadmill beneath my feet this morning and gazing in reflection across the street when I saw them. A woman likely in her early to mid-fifties was helping what I imagined was her mother get out of [...]
Perhaps one of the most undervalued privileges of the human experience is self-knowledge. Beyond describing what it is that we do for a living, our preference of music genre, or our favourite ice-cream flavour, how well do we really know our self? Much of our adolescence is spent contemplating who we would like to be [...]
April has begun with a gentle quietness. There are signs indicating a ‘break’ in the weather and the coming ‘thaw’ of Spring. Yet even with the promise of warmer temperatures and the anticipation of nature’s gentle ‘rebirth’, there are also gentle reminders (like the small snow pellets falling last week and the intermittent cold days!) of the need for [...]
The soul’s journey is one of a peaceful existence. We listen to and allow the many ways in which the soul speaks quietly, purposefully to us and we are gently moved in the ways of spirit. What does your heart say that honours your spirit best? This is how you best guide your next actions [...]
From a young age, we learn to associate food with: comfort, a reward (or “treat”), a way of ‘sharing quality time’ with others (e.g. breaking bread together), and pure pleasure. Practically, food is for nourishment and survival. Yet, we live in a nation that offers an overabundance and variety of food - of which we often overindulge in. [...]
How do we HOLD life? What does it mean to uphold a value or a core belief? How do you hold true to your word or honour the path of your chosen life purpose when there is always SO MUCH influencing our every action? ‘HOLDING Life’ is a means of sharing in it’s abundance; of [...]
DIVYA PRAJNA RETREATS with Dorothy Ratusny presents… Honouring SELF on the Path of Enlightenment: A FALL RETREAT “Discover the WISDOM of your heart and the way to live enlightened now.” At SUGAR RIDGE RETREAT CENTRE in Midland, Ontario Friday, Oct 26th, 7:30pm* until Sunday, Oct28th, 2:30pm *First Didactic Session begins Friday [...]
This month’s inner reflection is on abundance. Curiously interesting to the notion of abundance is the idea of gratitude. Manifesting abundance includes daily practices of expressing thanks and feeling gratitude for all that is good in life, and for all that you already have. The beauty of abundance is everywhere. Begin to see the abundance that exists all around you; some obvious examples include water, food, sunlight, and oxygen. [...]
Spiritual growth is what happens as we begin to examine our ‘self’ by going within…often in quiet contemplation or meditation … and realizing that we are much more than the physical being that we see. Just as winter may hold a space in our lives for the ‘hibernation’ of inner observance and examination; the season of spring offers an impetus [...]
The idea of deliberate f o c u s for this new month suggests not simply an ability to bring attention to something, rather a deliberate calling to have clarity – to be clear about what it is that you want – and to keep this focus clear and precise as you manifest it. What gives us [...]
Each month I encourage a different ‘inner’ focus for contemplation and study. During October, I encourage you to examine your current state of ‘self-acceptance’. The degree to which you are self-accepting is driven by your inner work. Self-acceptance is something you can wholly experience in your adult life – with conscious attention and effort to your inner thoughts and beliefs, and by [...]
For most of us, August is a reprieve. It’s a time to relax, escape, holiday…and enjoy the remaining time of summer. It is the month before the world begins to beat faster with many other new beginnings. This August, consider the meaning of STUDY in your life. What are you willing to learn, understand, study? What new experiences [...]
In a perfect world there is the integrity of kind words and actions. There is hope and the mindful blessings that occur when one is easily kind and compassionate. And there is truth. Much can be done to live kindly and with loving action. But without truth you become easily lost. Without truth your lies, [...]
In Yoga Sutra, freedom is referred to as: APAVARGA. April brings many new changes to our lives. One is the obvious new season and with that new growth, new (positive!) challenges, and new experiences. Can you also freely express your thoughts and feelings with love? Whatever your life situation, when you realize that you have the [...]
A spiritual journey is one which begins with a genuine desire for knowing SELF. It commands inner reflection, contemplation and meditation (quiet/silent focus of the mind) that comes out of intentional conscious awareness: and the premise that you need to awaken to your life – to be an active directive player of your life …guiding, shaping, realizing [...]
