I grew up attending private Catholic schools until I was 14 or 15 years old. During that time, I was the problem child. I spent more time in Mrs. Brand's (the school principal) than anyone else I knew. We would fight like cats and dogs about my behavior, and I was labeled by nearly every teacher, student, and parent, as a "bully." By the time I left that school, I hated everything about Catholicism. I hated the judgment, the hypocrisy, and the damnation I witnesses and experienced. Throughout my public high school experience, I never once had a similar issue. I never even saw the inside of the principal's office and I didn't change that much. While this was very nice, it only served to strengthen my conviction that Mrs. Brand and all those other Catho-lickers were "bad" and "wrong" about me. Needless to say, some samskaras were formed. To this day, I struggle with all things Christian. When I meet a proud Christian, my internal narrative picks up. When conversing about the Church, I have to hold the words of scorn that leap from my heart to my mouth. When I see pictures of Jesus, I don't feel love, but a childish pain of rejection. Recently, however, I've been traveling through Europe. Traveling long-term on a budget requires a lot of time spent in hostels where I'm surrounded by people. It's a great social experience, but when I want to sit down to meditate, there aren't many options. Two months ago when I was in Paris, I went to visit one of the churches mentioned in the book The DaVinci Code. While I was there, I realized, "This would be a great place to meditate," and so I did. Regardless of any other opinions my personal self might hold, it can't deny that those Christians knew how to build temples of worship. Since then, I've been making a point to walk into as many churches as possible whenever I walk by one. I find the quietest, out-of-the-way spot and do 10-20 minutes of meditation. The more I do this, the more I find myself enjoying the churches and the less I feel that childish pain they used to evoke.

"After the Ecstasy, the Laundry" by Jack Kornfield is a book that explores the challenges and realities of spiritual life after profound spiritual experiences. The core message of the book is that enlightenment and deep spiritual experiences are not the end of the spiritual journey but rather an important part of the ongoing process of personal growth and transformation. Here's what he says... 1. Integration of spiritual experiences: Kornfield stresses the importance of integrating profound spiritual experiences into daily life. He highlights the need for spiritual practitioners to find balance and grounding in their day-to-day lives to continue their growth. 2. The spiritual journey is not linear: The book emphasizes that spiritual growth is not a linear path, but rather a continuous journey filled with ups and downs, insights and challenges. Even after profound spiritual experiences, there will still be mundane tasks and emotional struggles to face. 3. The value of everyday life: Kornfield encourages readers to see the sacredness in ordinary life, recognizing that spirituality is not separate from daily activities, but can be found and practiced within them. 4. The importance of community: The book highlights the significance of finding and participating in a spiritual community to support and encourage one another on the spiritual path. 5. Self-compassion and acceptance: Kornfield encourages readers to cultivate self-compassion and acceptance, acknowledging that everyone experiences pain, suffering, and setbacks on their spiritual journey. 6. Continuous practice: The book emphasizes the need for maintaining a consistent spiritual practice, even after profound experiences, to continue personal growth and transformation. In summary, "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry" conveys the message that the spiritual journey is a continuous process, requiring the integration of profound experiences into daily life, ongoing practice, self-compassion, and the support of a spiritual community.

Mark Twain once said, "I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. Worrying is like paying a debt you don't owe." It's a humorous yet profound reminder of how our minds often get the better of us, creating anxiety and stress over events that never come to pass. The key to growth is learning how to use your energy to solve real problems, not imaginary ones. It is about productively using your creative, emotional, and mental energy instead of burning out from being unproductive and unfocused. Our goal is to help you learn to navigate life with a sense of ease and joy, embracing the present moment instead of fearing the future. We do this by empowering ourselves to release unhelpful anxiety and clear our minds to focus on accepting challenges with less fear and more creativity. Mindfulness is a powerful tool to help us find solutions by facing issues head-on and allowing problems to be transformed into opportunities. With proper framing, fear can be realigned as a catalyst for growth and self-awareness. It can be a source of energy when transmuted and accepted. How do you use mindfulness to recognize anxiety and fear and grow your creativity?

My days keep getting away from me; before I know it, it's late afternoon! Does anyone else ever feel this way??? Sometimes a good thing, sometimes not so much😉 I just read through Level 1 - great stuff, Tim. I'm going to set the alarm for every 2 hours to do some breathing and come back to center.