Three big Ms !!!

Here we are, after solstice and the holidays, and just into the new year... I love this time as an opportunity to reflect and settle -- looking back, looking forward, and still, being right here, now; relishing the long, cozy evenings, taking time for tea and quiet. I hope this time has been rewarding and pleasurable for you too.

Apropos new beginnings: I was cycling along recently and it occurred to me while the title of my book, Becoming: Journeying Toward Authenticity, describes what the book has meant for me, it doesn't really do a good job of communicating what I hope the volume can do for its readers. As I rolled along, the phrase Maximize Memorable Moments occurred to me! Three big Ms!

So what do I mean by this? Each essay addresses a 'memorable moment' in my life: some of them were ones that hurt (e.g. The Road to Hell, page 156), or that startled or jolted me in some way (Treasure Trove, page 78), or that opened doors (Look Where You Want to Go, page 112), either in that very moment or in the days and years to come, or that rained down on my life like fireworks (Being Alone, page 31)!

That's two Ems. Memorable Moments. Big ones. Ones that made a lasting impression.

But we all have an abundance of moments that hurt, surprise, jolt us, and they aren't always ones we even want to remember, let alone 'maximize.' So what about that third M?

By Maximize, I mean take the full value from, digest, metabolize, yes, even celebrate! In writing Becoming, the process of recalling these memorable moments, plus the rethinking that was needed to articulate them, meant that each one took on deeper meaning, became richer and gained dimensions compared to being just moments in my life, even memorable ones.

And that is what I wish for us as we move toward into the new year, a new decade: that you may recognize moments in your life as memorable: reading with a grandchild, being hurt or ignored by someone you value, noticing the glint of a sunbeam on a tree or the mountains...

Let us take the time, bring the presence and awareness to rec0gnize these moments, and bring consciousness to them so they may enrich us, and recognize the learning, the teaching they offer.

May they make us more alive, full of life! A major bonus, of course, is that by doing this, we contribute to the evolution of consciousness, ours and that of the cosmos!

Happy New Year, and blessings to you and yours!

Where We Want To Go -- We are already there!

"The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is 'look under foot.' You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think." John Burroughs

"If we are not totally blind, that which we are seeking is already here. This is it." Alan Watts

One essay in BECOMING is entitled 'Look Where You Want to Go.' It addresses our tendency to focus on what we don't want. We don't accept what is and stay present with the challenging situation or experience -- No. We rarely do that! Rather we get stuck in our thinking mind and we obsess about the difficulty: we ruminate, brood, wallow, criticize ourselves...

This is not the only way! We can drop into our Being, become aware of what is, breathe consciously, notice what is, create space, and bring a whole different person to the challenge.

Check out the section on 'Breathing Space,' in the book, Mindful Way Through Depression, which, by the way, is not just about depression, but about 'freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness.' Jon Kabat-Zinn and others teach a practical and transformational path that leads in this direction.

BECOMING addresses these themes as well, in a personal yet universal manner. BECOMING is now available on line, at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble , and in the UK Check it out and tell your friends!

"The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is 'look underfoot.' You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think." John Burroughs

How many of us took a moment today to 'look underfoot' for the divine? Was it a smile, a flower, a deep breath? BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity is an invitation to the possibilities and opportunities for transformation, how to use our life stories to grow, to become, to live our lives more fully.

Breaking news:

• BECOMING is now available at Banyen Books in Vancouver, a leading new age bookstore. Go in and check it out!

• BECOMING will soon be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and in the UK. Stay tuned!

"If we are not totally blind, that which we are seeking is already here. This is it." Alan Watts

Introducing Becoming

The book I have been working on for the past couple of years (it's my first), is fresh back from the printer! It's called Becoming: Journeying toward Authenticity and creating it has been a rich and rewarding project. It is published by a new, independent, Vancouver publisher: The Write Room Press.

I invite you to have a look at the book and read some reviews by going to http://www.thewriteroom.net/newtitles.html voila! It can be ordered there as well. Or you can contact me directly jill.schroder AT gmail.com (substitute @ for " AT "). A portion of the proceeds will go to Families For Children a fine non-profit, non-sectarian organization helping the poorest of women and children.

The book itself is a set of personal essays, which, as one reviewer has said, "... glean nuggets from many teachings and makes them personally accessible. This is benefit enough to recommend it. More than this, though, it invites us into our own experiences. And after all, it is here – in the intimacy of our own experience – that these stories come true and unfold. These stories are doorways, opening us to our own journeys. This is a book to read over and over."

Each essay begins with two provocative quotations which set the tone, and concludes with references to related reading to deepen the exploration of the theme. As well, each essay offers a set of questions which invite the reader to reflect on her/his own life in the areas addressed in that essay.

The essays themselves, and the questions that follow, are intended to be a stepping stone for the reader's own personal reflection and self-discovery. Becoming is an invitation for each of us to delve into our own lives and stories, to reflect and share, broaden and deepen. Essentially the essays are about exploring key moments in our lives, the possibilities for personal transformation, and for being here -- now -- in an authentic way.

The section headings are

Why me? Why now? What about you?
Growing Up
Metaphors and Worldviews
People and Places
Purpose and Meaning
Shadows and Ambiguities
Control and Surrender

Perhaps this piques your interest :-)

In future posts, you'll find material on some of the book's themes, as well as links to related topics. This will get us started:

Authenticity is a rich topic. What does it actually mean, Authenticity? One definition suggests that authenticity is "a particular way of dealing with the external world, being faithful to internal rather than external ideas." This is in sync with the tone of the book but barely begins to scratch the surface. What does authenticity mean to you?

One of the essays in Becoming is called "Work and/or Play." Check out this TED talk by Stuart Brown on "Why Play Is Vital," which relates directly to the essay. Get ready to smile!

Welcome to the Becoming blog. I hope we enjoy a fruitful connection. Please post a comment and give me your feedback and ideas.