Category: Uncategorized

A new world

While I’m not ready today to take on the topics of the border wall, the me too movement, the opioid crisis or state of our union, I did hear something interesting yesterday I wish to comment on. During a panel discussion on the current state of politics, one of the panelist commented that President Trump was not as interested in healing as much as he was stirring things up and that strikes a chord. We see politicians acting like school children, we see people protesting and fighting, people losing their jobs as a result of inappropriate behaviors and organizations we’ve always held in high esteem being discredited. We’ve had some people even blame the President for our extreme weather!! I’m sure some of you (and you know who you are) could add more to this list, but that is not my point. My point is, the world we live in has changed and changed dramatically and while I don’t have the answers, I also don’t blame anybody. I do however see the need to step up, and I see where my part and responsibility is.

I believe my responsibility is in the healing. All of the issues I have with myself, our world and some I didn’t think I had are being presented to me daily, to actively heal. It is my responsibility and I believe all of ours to do the healing work. All of those on the right and left, the deplorables and the intellects, the men and the women need to have a dialogue, not a shouting match with others but a dialogue with ourselves. We need to hit the reset button and really look honestly at our feelings, because it is our feelings, created by our thoughts that we need to be responsible for and heal. Perhaps in time we can honestly have a conversation about these things, I hope so. If we have hatred and fear in our heart and thoughts we will have hatred and fear in our world.

To create a new world is hard work.

“The world as we have created is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking” – Albert Einstein

“Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.” ― Marianne Williamson

Giddy-up!

“Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

Avoidance

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I haven’t been writing a lot lately. I’ve been thinking about it, but not doing it, what’s with that??

Today I’m sitting here saying WRITE! And its taken me all morning to do it. I’ve found as with most of our habits or practice that the more we procrastinate or avoid doing things, the harder they are to do. It’s almost like the practice of avoidance becomes the new habit. What are you avoiding?

“Blessings on your journey”

Www.mkanthony.com

Pain

During the past few days and most recently today, I’ve heard from friends regarding loss and struggle in their lives. These life altering situations create tremendous stress, and pain in our lives. With my prayers and the hope and belief in healing and love, I share these thoughts.

I recently read a great article on the idea of pain, be it physical or emotional it resonates in a very big way.  Here’s a taste!

Pain comes and it goes. It is just one component to the grand cycle of life. And when experienced as such, pain can serve as an important teacher. It is when we get stuck in our pain that it becomes detrimental to our well-being and development. If you notice that you feel closed-off, resentful, heavy-hearted, or that you try very hard to avoid being hurt again, there may be a part of you that is still stuck in pain.

We can get stuck in our pain for many reasons. As children, it was natural for us to cry, throw a tantrum, and let the experience move through us. By fully feeling our pain in this way, our emotions would wash us clean, leaving us open and available to new experiences. With age, though, we might have determined that expressing emotion was no longer appropriate, and so we developed a variety of coping strategies to deal with our discomfort. We may have learned to stuff our feelings down or to run away from them. Perhaps we began thinking that staying closed and unwilling to try new things would keep us safe from heartbreak, safe from rejection, and safe from failure. We may have even gotten so used to being in pain that the thought of being without it scares us. But, if we continue to hold onto it longer than necessary, we are expending a lot of energy that could instead be channeled into making our life experiences more positive.

If you notice that you are continually connecting with the same familiar patterns of pain, consider embracing your feelings and letting go of your hurt. Whether your pain is from childhood or from an experience last week, see if you can give it room to move. When it does, you will reconnect with a wonderful source of your own vital energy.

Remember, Pain comes and it goes. It is just one component to the grand cycle of life. And when experienced as such, pain can serve as an important teacher.

”Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

Animation

Today I have thoughts about animation. In my meditation this morning I remembered the experience of euthanizing our dog Lucy.  It then progressed to my parents deaths and all the deaths I am privelaged to be apart of every day in my work. There is an energy, a power that emanates from the physical presence of each one of us.  It is a power that animates everything in our world.  When we see a body that has died we experience an inanimate object.  In Lucy’s case, I first asked that she be sedated so she would lie down, then as I stood there petting her and comforting her with my hands lovingly supporting her head, I experienced the life force leave her body as the injection stopped her courageous and loving heart from beating.  Her physical presence changed in an instant from soft, to hard and I could feel her energetic body move from a lifted light position to a deflated heavy one.  That energy shift is dramatic and moving, it is the same for all of us, It is normal, and a part of life.

It poses many questions, And often few specific answers.

Yet this I know. Life is to be lived, animated. Giddy-up

”Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

A new song to sing

From my book ‘Living and Dying”

Over the years, the funeral profession has brought me to places I never imagined I would be. I am routinely asked to enter into situations where the family unit is under great stress, at a time when the pain and strain on the family is at an extreme. I am asked to help people travel down a road that even I have not yet traveled. Day after day, there are new situations, new personalities, new pains, struggles and new stories. I’ve been directed to answer the big questions about life and death. At times, I have struggled with how to bring these ideas into my everyday life for those that I serve. It’s been like a master class in life, but after over thirty-five years I realize that it has taken its toll. My body is sacrificially scarred from the emotional and physical trauma of people’s lives. Yet at this point in my life, I somehow feel a strength and resolve, a new resurgence of energy and renewal. Although my body can’t take the pace as it once did, it has found a new rhythm and a new song to sing—and it is good. It is about passion, direction, movement, and love of our connection. In this new place there have been many new lessons, new awakenings and sense of peace. The old adage, “energy follows thought,” rings very true for me. Whatever I put my attention on is brought forth, whether it is lack or abundance, pain or joy.

”Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

All shall be well

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well…for there is a Force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.  JULIAN OF NORWICH

Life, may not what we see, but what we’ve projected. It may not be what we’ve felt, but what we’ve decided. It may not be what we’ve experienced, but how we’ve remembered it. It may not be what we’ve forged, but what we’ve allowed. And it may not be who’s appeared, but who we’ve summoned.

So, this should serve us well, until we find what we already have.

“Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

Be willing

The other day at a staff meeting, I told my staff that the reason I get up everyday to do the work I do is to help people navigate a world turned upside down from grief, loss and change. I love the arena and the opportunity to assist other human beings that are challenged by transformational change. I love the idea and I know It’s possible to find our way through any adversity and find peace and joy. While I can point out the optional routes, point out the obstacles and detours, we all get to pick our way.

This past weekend I spent time with our dear friend Colleen O’Briens family and we had many a discussion about the challenges our world presents us. The Weatherman who recently lost his job with a racial slur, the cheerleaders who were suspended for placing a video singing a popular rap song on social media, artificial intelligence, public schools and college education, and politics, among many other topics.

Our discussion was lively, interesting, thought provoking, and satisfying except for one moment, a moment of disbelief and resistance. A moment that as an objective observer, created a complete communication shut down, a moment where conversation ceased and could no longer exist (at least on that topic). When we as a people reach a point of disbelief and resistance all conversation, understanding, and communication stops. I watched it happen, I see it happen everyday.

In my job, if families are not willing to navigate the journey of loss and grief that is associated with life and death and resist moving through it, all healing is stalled. If we want to live in a world of disbelief and resistance where there is no movement, all healing is stalled.

When we left our dear friends this weekend I commented that we hadn’t come up with a solution for our worlds problems. And, while I still struggle with this idea constantly there is only one solution I always come to. Be willing!

“Blessings on your journey”

Www.mkanthony.com

The Campaigner

Having just taken this test, I am a campaigner!

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for – and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool – for love – for your dreams – for the adventure of being alive.

“Blessings on your journey”

Www.mkanthony.com

Neutrality

Neutrality  –  the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; impartiality.

Often when I wake up I’ll have certain thoughts, ideas or feelings (doesn’t everybody?). This morning I woke up with the term neutrality front of mind.  I thought it odd to have this word being expressed to me but, I sense it has something to do with my being an observer.  When I’m actively being an observer I am not supporting any side in conflict.  I do not have a dog in the fight or an opinion of right or wrong.  In that place of impartiality I have no feelings or discomfort and I can see the conflict clearly.  Ultimately the distress or conflict is about being right or having people agree or do what we want them to do.  You find it everywhere and it’s somewhat out of control.

If we don’t support “the conflict” we don’t feed the beast (the ego) allowing the conflict to settle or dissipate, potentially ending the struggle.

Neutrality – the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict.  Isn’t that love?

“Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

Keep moving

Some days are easy and others not!

While I enjoy the exercise of being authentic and writing what is on my mind every day, it’s not always easy.   You could say its like life itself.  Some days I feel like life’s easy and on automatic pilot with success and accomplishment all around me. Some days I can’t get out go my own way and feeling like I’m falling into a black hole.  Today is one of those in between days.  I am feeling good but tired, bored but hopeful and calm but angry.

So for now I will just keep moving.  Moving along the path my life is taking today.  Hope you do too.

As Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”

“Blessings on your journey”

http://www.mkanthony.com

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