Here I am, my usual station throughout the day, at my desk in front of the computer. I have so many projects that I’m juggling all at once, and it shows. There are papers piled on the floor, on every available surface, and mostly, right where I can see them on my desk. I have AD/HD – that’s the current short-cut term for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In my particular occupation, AD/HD can be an asset. I am able to handle lots of things at a time, and I have a lot of energy for the things that I am interested in. I guess the downside to this is that I am so often so involved in what I am doing that I don’t take time to organize. Now, the rest of my house is super organized! My closet, the kitchen, the bookshelfs – I mean, it’s pretty impressive! But that’s because I hardly spend any time there, so I can’t really mess up what I so carefully put together. But here at my desk it’s another story. I think it would be dangerous for me to have some sort of normal filing system – basically because if I can’t “see” something, then I forget about it, it’s like it doesn’t exist! So I end up with these piles – and sticky notes everywhere with scribbled notes in the corners of phone numbers and no name, and just when I toss it will be when I need it. With a few spare minutes on my hands I go through a rather large pile on the left side of my desk. Toss some old mail, an expired coupon, set aside an ad to order theatre tickets online… and what do I find? A book I ordered from amazon ages ago – it’s called “ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life.” Ah, the irony! ]]>

While the thought of meditating intimidates many
people with its implications of sitting in a Zen-like state for hours, quick, life–enhancing meditations
are accessible to everyone. Twenty such meditations are laid out in the new personal growth book,
“A Creative Toolkit of Meditations” (Balboa Press; November ’13).

The meditations are designed to reduce stress and increase calm,
so that “even those with a busy ‘monkey-mind’ will benefit from the selfreflection
and meditations,” said author William W. Blake.

“A quiet, calm mind sets the stage for a happy, fulfilled life, and
meditation provides the bridge between the two,” explains Blake, a
meditation teacher and descendent of poet William Blake’s brother, John.
“Meditation practice shows us that we can choose which thoughts
to entertain and which to observe and release.”

Reader friendly, with interesting anecdotes illustrating its concepts, A Creative Toolkit of
Meditations offers thought provoking insights on issues such as unhealthy patterns developed in
childhood and obsessive negative thoughts and behaviors. Each chapter includes straightforward
meditations to help readers recognize unhelpful patterns and behaviors, and gain access to their
innate wisdom. Readers can mix and match to build their own practices, choosing to focus on the
chapters (and their meditations) to which they are drawn.

As Mr. Blake points out in the book, life consists of two journeys: growing up and waking up
(enlightenment). They are distinct, but interrelated. Chapters One through Three define and illustrate
“growing up.” Growing up provides background and meditations to become more functional, happy,
giving and community-involved.

Chapter Four details “waking up.” Here, the book states that spiritual seekers (everyone to
some extent) must struggle through their dark night before arriving at awakening or enlightenment. “After we blow through our uncomfortable dark night, intuitive knowing transforms us into
more secure, friendly people. More encouraging, when we wake up we now experience an immense
freedom and clarity. ‘Wow’ becomes our descriptor for life,” Blake writes. This section includes three
easy meditations to facilitate waking up.

Chapters Five, Six, Seven and Eight integrate growing up and waking up to positively
influence every area of one’s life.

Blake concludes that while a sound meditation practice requires courage and perseverance,
according to considerable research the payoff is a longer and happier life.

Summer is that time of year when our focus turns to leisurely activities and relaxation. Yet as temperatures rise, and it stays lighter later, we might have trouble getting that sweet sleep that we need to function optimally throughout the day.  As the Spokesperson for the Better Sleep Council, I’ve got some tips to help you sleep soundly this summer.

–       Sleep Sanctuary.  Keep the bedroom a place for sleep and sex only.  This is not a place for any kind of technology, cell phones included!  You want to be sure to keep the room cool, dark, and quiet.  In the summer, this means using natural, breathable fabrics, like cotton, for your sheets and pajamas. Sleepwear should be comfortable and loose.  If your room doesn’t stay dark enough, use a sleep mask.  And if your window is open to let in cool night air, and the outside noises are disrupting your sleep, use soft foam earplugs.

–       Get plenty of exercise during the day, but make sure to give yourself enough time between exercise and sleep to let your body relax. About 3 hours between exercise and sleep is the minimum.

–       Enjoy the summer parties with friends, but also be mindful of how

night-time activities impact your sleep.  Alcohol late at night can affect your sleep cycle.  So, avoid alcohol 3 hours prior to bedtime.

–       Stay hydrated!  We sweat more in the summer heat, so we need more water to compensate for that.  Dehydration can cause headaches and body aches that can make getting to sleep difficult.

–       Keep cool in bed by sticking your feet out!  When your feet get hot then the whole body feels it and it’s harder to sleep.  You can also cool your feet and neck with a damp cloth just before bedtime.

–       Keep a sleep schedule.  Even though you have time off work for vacation, try to get to bed and wake up at the same time each day.  Keeping a consistent schedule helps your body to adjust and fall asleep more easily.

We’re on a campaign to Spread the Snooze!  Show that you’re serious about Summer Slumber by taking the Sleep Pledge.  And invite your friends to do the same. 

“I pledge to make sleep my priority this summer.”

Let us know what you are doing to make sure you get the sleep you need this season – we’d love to hear from you!

A Time for Reflection

The news spread quickly, almost immediately given our near constant connectivity to all things media.  Osama Bin Laden, easily the most hated man in the world, was dead.  After a brief pause for confirmation, and reassurance, the celebration began.  Hoots and hollers, chants of “U-S-A” and toasts of cheers filled the usually mundane Sunday night.  Radio hosts almost giddy proclaimed that we will always remember where we were when we heard the announcement. 

In what seemed like no time at all, there were graphic photographs posted on websites, videos shared on social media pages, news updates back-to-back.  The internet was bursting with a kind of excitement that fans exude when their team wins a championship.  But these images, bloody, gory, like something out of a slasher film, and which are still being dispersed, are nothing to cheer about.

I understand what Bin Laden’s death signifies: an end to terrorism, and closure to one of the most horrific and tragic events our country has ever experienced.  I understand what Bin Laden represents: a threat to be feared, an evil force beyond our reach.  It’s been ten years of mourning, ten years of questioning, ten years of suffering.  So I do understand why there would be a sigh of relief, and prayers of gratitude that this threat has finally, after all this time, been set aside.  But it is difficult, and disturbing for me to think of celebrating the death of any human being.  Martin Luther King said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Has justice been served?  That certainly can be said to be true.  But when something like this happens, it is not a time to gloat, or to stir up feelings of revenge and animosity.  It is a time for sobriety.  It is a time when clear heads prevail, when we can reflect and learn and turn out attention to the peace that we so deeply crave.  Martin Luther King recognized this, and articulated it well.  Gandhi understood this.  Mother Teresa did as well.  We have both the option and the ability to handle ourselves in a spiritually mature manner.  These people have set the example for us, and laid the groundwork for a new paradigm.  It’s not just how we act that has an impact on the world.  It’s also how we react, and how we respond to the situations that arise all around us that can make all the difference in how we learn and grow.  We always have choices.  And we need to realize the effect that these choices have on our own lives, and the lives of all those around us.  The truth is that, as we have seen with the way the internet works and how quickly news travels, we are all connected.  Our actions can either hurt or help.  

Whatever our practice happens to be, however we acknowledge the change that has taken place, let us take some time to focus on peace, to take some of the love that is in our hearts and share it out in the world.  Love is the most powerful force there is, and we can never have too much of it.

Hi!

I’m doing a Satellite Media Tour for the Better Sleep Council.  I’ll be talking about Better Sleep Month, and how to get a good night’s sleep despite stress!

If you’re in any of these cities you can tune in LIVE:

KIMT, Rochester-Mason City 7:05-7:15 am ET

KHGI, Lincoln & Hastings – KRNY 7:15-7:25 am ET

KJTV, Lubbock 8:15-8:25 am ET

WHAM -CW, Rochester 8:40-8:50 am ET

KCWJ (radio), Kansas City 9:05-9:10 am ET

KCWE, Kansas City 9:15-9:20 am ET

Tell Rochelle (National Talk Radio, CBS) 10:05-10:10 am ET

KBFX, Bakersfield 10:40-10:50 am ET

Cable Radio Network, National 10:50-11:00 am ET

And we’re pre-taping shows in these cities so check your station listing for times and dates:

WICU, Erie

WCJB, Gainesville

WKMG, Orlando

KRIV, Houston

WDIS Radio, Boston

WYAM, Huntsville-Decatur

WYYZ Radio, Atlanta

WBFF, Baltimore

WWL, New Orleans

WWMT, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo

WDAZ, Fargo-Valley City

You can find more sleep tips online at: BetterSleep.org

The news broke on Friday afternoon, the same day as the opening ceremony of the Olympics was to air in the United States.  Boy wonder Senator John Edwards lied.  He actually did have an affair while his wife Elizabeth battled cancer.  Now he had to come clean.  Rumors were rampant since this first happened back in 2006, but he adamantly denied them, and Elizabeth stood by his side.  After this admission, the pundits are saying that his political career is over.  No longer can he hope for the Vice-President seat, or the Attorney General position.  John Edwards has had the pedestal knocked out from under him.  Oh, wait… didn’t he do this to himself?

No one knows what goes on inside a marriage except for the two people involved.  Evidently Elizabeth already knew about the affair, and chose to stay in the marriage.  But the American people feel as if John Edwards has cheated on them.  He lied.  He covered up.  He painted a picture of a devoted husband and the reality turned out to be very different.

And yet, McCain committed the very same crime years ago in his first marriage.  He cheated on his wife, some say multiple times, before cheating with the much younger and wealthier Cindy, who is now his current wife.  And he’s running for President!  Does America have a short memory?

What happened with John and Elizabeth is between John and Elizabeth.  But people who are in the public eye are subject to the scrutiny of the public.  And knowing this, they must hold themselves to the standards that they extol.  While I certainly don’t approve of John Edwards’ behavior, I hate to think that we would lose a perfectly qualified Attorney General because of it.  Maybe what he has learned from this experience has made him even more right for the position.  Each of us has our demons, our shadow, our dark side.  But not everyone’s dark side is on display.  Whoever does get in will have their own share of demons, that’s just the way it is.

So hopefully this “news” story will teach us a little bit about our own relationships.  How our actions affect not just ourselves, and our spouse, but how they reflect on the whole, and have far reaching ramifications.