Better and Better Series with Elizabeth Hepburn

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Listen to Elizabeth's Most Recent Podcast
2007-11-14 23:25:00
Trust Powered by Podbean.comOften, since the numbing shock of September 1, 2001, I’ve found myself dancing with the word “trust,” and within its resonance there has been great solace. To me there’s something much larger going on here than even the entire world being in the grips of imminent danger. And that has to do with the reaction/response that each and every one of us has to this potential threat to our very existence. We, truly, are the world. Our collective consciousness, or perhaps more accurately, our collective unconsciousness, has been creating the scenarios on our Earth for millennia. And now, with our backs literally to the wall, we face our greatest challenge and, potentially, our finest hour. It’s time for each of us to step up to the plate and play our part in raising the consciousness of the entire planet. “But what can we do?” we cry out. We’re only human, with all those incumbent frailties and shortcomings. And to that I say, “No!” It’...
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At The Same Time
2007-11-05 22:43:00
At The Same Time I woke up this morning musing on my life's relentlessly blessed theme - the heart and the magnificent energy available to us there. 'Whenever in doubt, come home to your heart' is the signature on all my emails. I feel there's nothing more important for the health and well-being of each of us and our world than this heart energy. And it's so accessible - the heart energy and the myriad aspects of love ever-present within us. Our physical heart is beating unceasingly, from approximately 22 days after conception until we shed this physical vehicle. When acknowledged it can be a constant reminder to us of our Oneness with all of Life. The energy is pulsing in trees and flowers and grasses and oceans and stars and animals and in each of us - in all things. Everything in the Universe is energy.Ann Hampton Callaway's fabulous song At The Same Time, which is featured on Barbra Streisand's CD Higher Ground, embraces this theme. Just a few of her lyrics are: ...

Take Responsiblity and LOA Shows Up!
2007-08-03 17:12:00
Take Responsibility and LOA Shows Up! Clearly the Law of Attraction has been in full swing throughout my entire life - throughout all of our lives. But my consciously becoming aware of it began one day in the '70s, when I had what was for me, at the time, a revolutionary thought. I was four years into a bout with cancer. I’d had six surgeries and was beginning a chemotherapy regimen that ended up lasting for three years. I was a working singer/actor, and was tap dancing as fast as I could to keep my illness quiet so I’d still get hired in theatre. Neither my doctors nor the few people I’d taken into my confidence could explain why this was happening. I took better care of myself than anyone they knew, so why was I in the hospital every 20 minutes? My medical team was terrific, and they were doing all they could to restore my health, but I began to feel that it wasn’t enough. I knew that something inside of me had to shift. And then out of the blue came this insight: I mu...

Friends in Deed
2007-06-22 21:55:00
Friends In DeedTuesday night I had the honor to attend a Big Group at Friends In Deed. This is an organization which provides a gloriously peace filled environment for the emotional support of those currently hosting critical illness, for their loved ones and caregivers, and for anyone in the throes of grief and bereavement. Located in lower Manhattan (Soho), the Friends In Deed home is spacious and wonderfully well organized to accommodate the many services and programs offered there. All are welcome; all is free of charge.Co-founders Cynthia O'Neal and Mike Nichols opened its doors in 1991 in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Since that time, Friends has expanded tremendously and helped transform many thousands of lives. The Big Group, which is considered to be the heart and soul of the work at Friends, was facilitated last evening by Cynthia. Her warm, compassionate, wise presence easefully guided the group in a most fulfilling manner. I'm sure everyone in the room was touched a...
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Radio Interview
2007-06-13 22:55:00
Elizabeth Hepburn will be interviewed by Linda Padgurskis of Chicago's WJJG 1530 AM Radio on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 from Noon - 1:00pm (CST). Call 708-493-1530 during the show to ask her a question and get on the air!
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Aloha!
2007-05-15 23:20:00
Aloha!The breath of God is in our presence! That's what aloha means. The breath of God is in our presence. Is that not wonderful? Aloha!Recently my friend, Garnette Arledge, gifted me with "Wise Secrets of Aloha", a book she'd just co-authored with Kahuna Harry Uhane Jim. It has been resonating in my heart and soul ever since. For one thing, about two pages into the book, I wanted to go to Hawaii! Yesterday! I never had that pull before. Garnette's very sensitive writing allowed me to feel the energy of these sacred islands - the fragrant breezes, the lush beauty of the flowers and plant life, the dazzling sunlight, the shimmering blue sea, and the warm, gracious, loving energy that permeates the air there. And her spiritual sensitivity made her the perfect author to bring Kahuna Harry's work to the world. These teachings were so touching to me and so in sync with my spirit that I knew I had to experience this man in person. Last weekend in Buffalo, NY I did just that.According ...
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Say Yes!
2007-05-07 20:41:00
Say YesIn the country a few weeks ago, my friends and I popped into a Kmart for a few things and to giggle together as we always do. And there were my pillows - perfect slate blue color - right size - not as elegant as I might have wished, but they'd definitely do for now. So back to NYC they came and, as has been the case with all the other cushions I've purchased and returned in the past six months, they didn't work. That meant one thing - this return involved a trip on the subway with three enormous puffy plastic bags of pillows. Not fun! I really didn't want to do this and put it off for weeks. But big puffy bags cluttering up closet space in a New York aparment is not fun either, so this morning I was determined to bite the bullet and take my cumbersome presence downtown.As per my oft quoted Goethe quote on commitment, I committed to the task at hand and the Universe showed up in gracious support. An uncrowded subway came immediately and both me and my overly stuffed...

A Cancer Healing Story: Full Responsiblity
2007-04-04 20:49:00
A Cancer Healing Stor y : Full ResponsibilityOne day, in the 1970s, I had what was—for me, at the time—a revolutionary thought. I was about four years into a bout with cancer. I’d had six surgeries and was beginning a chemotherapy regimen that, unbeknownst to me, would last for three years. I was a working singer/actor, and was tap dancing as fast as I could to keep my illness quiet so I’d still get hired in theatre. Neither my doctors nor the few people I’d taken into my confidence could explain why this was happening. I took better care of myself than anyone they knew, so why was I in the hospital every 20 minutes? My medical team was terrific, and they were doing all they could to restore my health, but I began to feel that it wasn’t enough. I knew that something inside of me had to shift. And then out of the blue came this insight: I must take full responsibility for my own well-being. Although I was unaware of it, this was one of the axioms of the then-emerging human ...

The Inspiring Elizabeth Edwards
2007-03-30 18:08:00
I was so touched by Elizabeth Edwards Sunday night on 60 Minutes. To me, this beautiful woman is the embodiment of courage and wisdom. In the midst of her current health challenge, she's glowing. I'm very grateful that she's so visible and feel she's being a terrific role model for many.Having traveled this path myself, I feel that we must do whatever needs to be done to care for our precious bodies when they're hosting critical disease, while, simultaneously, honoring our lives and all that we love and cherish. It seems that Elizabeth is doing just that. Obviously she'll receive the best of care at all times, but the most valuable course she's taking, in my opinion, is that she's embracing her life with passion and purpose. We are ultimately spirit beings running around in these physical bodies, and Elizabeth Edwards' spirit seems vibrantly alive and very well to me. This radiance and zest for life could very well propel her into being triumphant over any disease in her bo...
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The Inspiring Elizabeth Edwards
2007-03-27 23:32:00
The Inspiring Elizabeth Edwards I was so touched by Elizabeth Edwards Sunday night on 60 Minutes. To me, this beautiful woman is the embodiment of courage and wisdom. In the midst of her current health challenge, she's glowing. I'm very grateful that she's so visible and feel she's being a terrific role model for many.Having traveled this path myself, I feel that we must do whatever needs to be done to care for our precious bodies when they're hosting critical disease, while, simultaneously, honoring our lives and all that we love and cherish. It seems that Elizabeth is doing just that. Obviously she'll receive the best of care at all times, but the most valuable course she's taking, in my opinion, is that she's embracing her life with passion and purpose. We are ultimately spirit beings running around in these physical bodies, and Elizabeth Edwards' spirit seems vibrantly alive and very well to me. This radiance and zest for life could very well propel her into being triump...
More About: War , Ring

A Way Out
2007-03-22 23:08:00
A Way OutThe first verse of Jacques Brel's song "If We Only Have Love" ends with this lyric:"If we only have love for the hymn that we shout,for the song that we sing,then we'll have a way out."*A way out! A way out of what? How about a way out of life-leaching fear – the mass hypnosis that has gripped our minds and hearts and bodies and souls for millennia; the 'born in sin' factor; the resignation to the inevitability of illness and violence and suffering and pain; the on-going ache weaving through the human condition that in the 21st Century has culminated in the proliferation of technologically sophisticated communication systems that bombard us relentlessly with fear of everything from the flu season to terrorist attacks. The spin holds us all within its sway, until we feel a way out. And it's here – always. A way out.To quote Marianne Williamson's inspiring words: "We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us. I...

Meditations at Equinox Fitness
2007-03-03 21:31:00
From time to time I have the honor of leading meditation groups at Equinox Fitness Centers in Manhattan. Here in the midst of this bustling city that never sleeps, at state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to the beauty, strength, power, and total well-being of the physical form, groups gather in quiet, darkened rooms to relax deeply into what they've come to realize is the most significant aspect of their well-being - Spirit. They make themselves as comfortable as possible with mats and blankets so they can lie peacefully for an hour. They close their eyes and let go of the day, the week, the year - whatever. They allow themselves to be guided to a place of profound serenity within and they open with great acceptance to the innate healing energy that pulses through all of our bodies 24/7. It is so beautiful! I'm very grateful.http://www.equinoxfitness.com/
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Be - Do - Have
2007-02-13 23:20:00
Be - Do - Have These three little words took on a life of their own during the Human Potential Movement of the 70's. Completely oblivious of the Movement, I was in the throes of my illness/healing challenge - six surgeries in 4 years followed by 3 years of chemotherapy. Then, just as I was coming into the "try everything and anything that might get me well" period, I heard about est. I signed up and found myself sitting in the company of two hundred and forty-nine other bewildered individuals in a huge midtown hotel ballroom for two excruciatingly long weekends.Because I was on chemotherapy, I was assigned to the back row, which was reserved for the "special cases" who could actually leave the room to go to the bathroom if necessary. I never left the room; I barely moved. I was spellbound, fascinated, frightened, excited, confused, and speechless. Never once did I get up to share any one of the myriad experiences I was having, despite the fact that I was a professional singer/actres...

Radio Broadcast Schedule
2007-01-30 20:08:00
Radio Broadcast Schedule KRMB Radio/Super Talk 1340 (concluded)Host: David McMillanListen to the podcast from my radio interview on "Strategies for Living"http://www.strategiesforliving.com /mp3_window.php3?detail=124
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Beating Heart Meditation
2007-01-25 18:20:00
Say Thank You To Your Beat ing Hear t For years I've been inviting people to Come Home to their Heart s. From my own healing experience, I know that the wealth of the ages is there - the love, peace, joy, gratitude, passion, courage - all the aspects of life that make it delicious abide in an infinite well-spring within us.Though my current "knowing" is rooted in richly metaphysical concepts, which, by the way, are now the bedrock of scientific thought, there is a simple path to accessing the marvels of the heart. Acknowledge it! Say hello to it! Say thank you to your beating heart!The physical heart is housed in the chest cavity, which is metaphysically referred to as the heart center. But, metaphysics aside, I simply invite people to become aware of their beating hearts. Read the rest of the article and then try this. Feel it as you read it. Pretend you're doing it.Sit or lie down in a very comfortable position - and gently close your eyes, sighing out your breath as if you were si...
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The Heart Is Where Home Is
2007-01-11 21:33:00
The Hear t Is Where Home IsIn all of my work, I encourage, invite, and cajole people to come home to their hearts -- to the love in their hearts. Ultimately, I feel it's the most valuable journey one will ever take.It's no accident to me that in the romance languages the word for heart is cor, core, coeur, and that Webster's definitions of the English word "core" include: 1) the inmost part of something and2) the most important part.In the framework of my orientation, this leads me to conclude that the very core of us is our heart, the inmost -- the most important part. So as a paradigm shift from the adage "Home is where the heart is," I hereby offer, "The heart is where home is." It seems to me that until our life is aligned with our heart, we're a house divided against itself.Strictly from a physical point of view, the incessant beating of our heart plays an inestimable role in the overall well-being of the body. And clearly, it's where we feel the experience of love -- roman...
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Be Here Now
2007-01-04 21:23:00
Be Here NowAs a veteran of six surgeries in four years during a challenging tussle with cancer many years ago, I know from whence I speak when I recently proffered the concept of Surgery as a Rite of Passage. The ritualistic aspects of surgery- being plucked out of our familiar environment, being coerced into ingesting, or being injected with, mind and body-altering substances and not being in control of our current circumstances - are obvious similarities of both 'rites' and the surgery process. And it occurred to me that holding what is otherwise a very difficult and often painful experience in this light could be an extremely useful perspective. Rites of Passage take us through an uncomfortable period with the built-in outcome being transformation and the expansion of our consciousness into a better, wiser, stronger place. It seems to me a very worthwhile viewpoint from which to prepare for surgery.Now I suddenly have a deeper understanding of why this is such a meaningful insi...
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Joy to the World
2006-12-12 19:41:00
Joy to the World On WQXR this morning I was listening to an orchestral version of Oh Holy Night -- Cantique de Noel as it's formally known. This sacred song has been a staple in my repertoire for years and I've sung it in all seasons, feeling that it's appropriate to acknowledge that every night (and day for that matter) is a "night divine" (the last lyric of the song). This rendition began with cellos playing the melody and I had a feeling that the musical director was going for a very solemn, sacred interpretation. It lightened up a bit as the piece unfolded, but, to my ear, its overall impression was quite lugubrious. And it got me to thinking about how the sacred is so often portrayed as solemn, which often feels very dark to me. And I think it should be the opposite. I think the sacred is sublime and suffused with light, and that it's here in our cultures to ignite our hearts and souls and evoke pure joy.Joy, joy, joy -- there was a time in my life when I remember telling pe...
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Before, After, Forevermore
2006-11-29 20:30:00
Before, After , Fore ver moreThe three products inaugurating Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better & Better Series, are filling a unique and valuable niche. The first two volumes of this DVD/CD series, which feature inspiring music, gorgeous scenery and guided meditations, are designed to promote the optimal results from surgical procedures and the subsequent recuperation period. Volume 3, In the Lap of Luxury, was created for anyone desiring to sustain good health throughout life. ~ ~ ~Volume 1) Pre-Surgery Healing Support Programs - DVDs & CDs (audio version) Two Better & Better Guidebooks* For Patient and CaregiverVolume 2) Post-Surgery Healing Support Programs - DVDs & CDs Two Better & Better Guidebooks For Patient and CaregiverVolume 3) In the Lap of Luxury - DVD and CD Program to sustain radiant health, In The Lap Of Luxury Better & Better Guidebook For Anyone and Ever yone*The Better & Better Series Guidebooks contain information designed to support and enhance the experience ...
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Surgery as a Rite of Passage
2006-11-27 22:44:00
Surgery as a Rite of Pass age Every moment in life is precious. Every single one. Even the difficult ones. Even the one when your doctor says: "We have to operate". Never good news yet an important moment in our lives. I've been there - several times. A bout with cancer necessitated my having six surgeries in four years and then three years of chemotherapy. Admittedly, this was a rough road. However, this journey through the labyrinth of critical illness and multiple surgeries truly transformed my life. It turns out that it was a great blessing to me. It was precious time. Therefore, I'm proffering a re- framing of this dreaded fate - surgery.It's not a walk in the park, that's for sure. It's going to involve discomfort and probably pain, to say nothing of an abrupt interruption in life as usual. We're going to be weakened and not up to snuff. The anticipation of surgery is so daunting, that we almost always succumb to major resistance. There's fear - anger - sadness - "Why me...
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Beautiful Bears
2006-11-17 18:58:00
Beautiful Bear s I was riffling through a Wildlife Preservation Magazine. This particular issue had award-winning photographs of various creatures in their natural habitat. They were all spectacular, but there was one that was irresistible to me. I was totally captivated by the picture ofa polar bear and her pup in a snowy mountain landscape framed with feathery evergreen boughs. I found myself returning so often to gaze at it, that I decided to order a print. I called the magazine and they gave me the email address of the photographer and within a few days, I had my print. I was thrilled.With a very long lens, Thomas Cooper has captured a mother polar bear sound asleep with her tiny pup, who looks like a small ball of super white fur. Its black eyes are wide open, and it's nestled between the mother's huge head and an enormous front paw. There seem to be no ears on the pup, and the nose and mouth are hidden in the mighty embrace. There's just this tiny white fur ball with big blac...
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Get better & better - Healthwise Magazine
2006-10-30 17:50:00
"Elizabeth Hepburn believes her bout with cancer was a blessing. She learned to take responsibility for her own health, and is now a Wellness Facilitator assisiting others. Her Bett er & Better series on DVD provides solace and healing for both patients and caregivers during a very painful period of life. Visit www.elizabethhepburn.com "
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I Have A Dream
2006-10-26 17:36:00
I Have A Dream I have a dream . And I had a dream. Let me tell you about the "had" first. In late January, I dreamt I was flying/hovering/gliding inside the Grand Canyon in a sort of futuristic helicopter, like a glass bubble. I could see in every direction -- even below me. I was completely engulfed in the grandeur. It was totally mind-boggling and exhilarating, and I awakened feeling both excited and frustrated. Frustrated that despite having been geographically close on several occasions, I'd never had the time to get there, and excited about finally going. I knew it would be soon. On March 1st, I flew to Phoenix and joined my dear friend, Joanie, who was already in the southwest visiting our mutual friends, Jennifer and Andy and Jen's mother, Florence. Their most kind and generous hospitality embraced us on either side of our sojourn to the Canyon. Thank you, beautiful people.The drive through the red rock country, especially Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, was as spectacular as I...

Let Peace Begin
2006-10-17 20:58:00
Let Peace Begin "An open heart, an open mind, just being kind -- and peace begins" are the opening lyrics to And Peace Begins, a song by Paul Trueblood, a fabulous musician who every Sunday morning for years played piano at the Unity service at Avery Fisher Hall in NYC. I love this song because its message tells us that peace begins right here, right now in our own hearts and minds and in everything we do. World Peace begins at home. Several years ago, on two separate occasions within the space of about ten days, people shared with me that they thought that world peace would be boring. I was initially stunned and then jostled to an awakening that this was indeed a very prevalent thought: that somehow many of us needed the titillation of frightening scenarios and upheaval and chaos, albeit usually second hand, to make us feel alive. I felt that this concept created an insidiously powerful energy field that unwittingly fueled the upset and cycle of violence all over this planet. I rem...

Imagine
2006-10-12 19:33:00
ImagineThe plane crash in Manhattan yesterday certainly did not recapture the horror of five years ago, but at first impact, it was a stunning reminder. The sentiments in the following article continue to be useful, and I feel that ground zero and all that occurred there and all the lives that were shattered at that time still deserve our compassionate concern. This is what I wrote at that time:I had earmarked Tuesday morning, September 11th, to complete this column. For weeks I'd been jotting down thoughts and this was to be the time to collate them. At the top of the page I had scrolled the word "Imagine," and my first musings had been some of the key words in John Lennon's song:Imagine all the people living for today Imagine all the people living life in peace Imagine all the people sharing all the worldThere were other notes all aimed at using our brilliant imaginations to create more beauty and fulfillment in our personal lives and ever expanding love and peace in our world.A...
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Thank You Deepak and Hilda
2006-10-09 22:38:00
Thank You Deep ak and HildaDr. Deepak Chopra is one of my heroes. With his medical education and practice based firmly in the West and his deeply spiritual insights rooted in Eastern philosophies, his mark on alternative/complementary medicine has been stunning. Through his "Quantum Healing" work, bolstered by the breakthrough science of Quantum Mechanics, he has brought to the masses the same information I received from spiritual teachings thousands of years old. Information that saved my life.I was sitting on a commercial set waiting for the next shot when another actor sat down and started talking to me about metaphysics. I was completely enthralled. At the end of the day he encouraged me to attend Hilda Charlton's meditation class which was held every Thursday evening at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. That very week, I walked into this exquisite edifice and felt, even before I sat down among the hundreds of people there, that I was going to find joy here. I felt a sigh of...
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Trust
2006-09-30 21:29:00
TrustOften, since the numbing shock of September 1, 2001, I've found myself dancing with the word "trust," and within its resonance there has been great solace. To me there's something much larger going on here than even the entire world being in the grips of imminent danger. And that has to do with the reaction/response that each and every one of us has to this potential threat to our very existence.We, truly, are the world. Our collective consciousness, or perhaps more accurately, our collective unconsciousness, has been creating the scenarios on our Earth for millennia. And now, with our backs literally to the wall, we face our greatest challenge and, potentially, our finest hour. It's time for each of us to step up to the plate and play our part in raising the consciousness of the entire planet."But what can we do?" we cry out. We're only human, with all those incumbent frailties and shortcomings. And to that I say, "No!" It's time to get off that one, and admit, acknowledg...
More About: Trust , Rust

Tough
2006-09-28 22:16:00
Tough"You've got to be tough, kid." These were the last words that Hilda, my spiritual teacher, ever said to me. (Hilda Charlton called everyone "kid"' whether you were three or a hundred and three.) Two years later on the set of a TV show, I discovered that one of the cameramen had worked on the Mother Teresa documentary that so many of us have seen on PBS. When I queried him about his impressions of this iconic spiritual being, his first words were, "She's tough." Then there was Oprah interviewing Will Smith, who was sharing his experiences preparing for, and shooting the film Ali. He was radiant in both mind and body -- at the very peak of his form, he felt. He spoke of the arduousness of his process -- not only the relentless physical training necessary to portray this legendary athlete but equally, if not more challenging, getting inside the psyche of the awesome, much-bigger-than-life, Mohammed Ali. He recounted times when he was so totally exhausted he felt that he could n...
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I Am Therefore I Love
2006-09-26 20:27:00
I Am There fore I Love "I am therefore I love" came to me while walking in the park one day. So many "hits" come to me in the park -- Central Park, that is. I love this park, smack in the middle of Manhattan, and feel that its preciousness -- (how its exquisite natural beauty incessantly serves the city) -- is incalculable. So there I was briskly walking along, breathing in the trees and grasses, listening to the many bird songs, and I hear the words: "I think therefore I am; I am therefore I love." What was that? "I think therefore I am; I am therefore I love." Oooh, I like that, thank you. And I've been living with this phrase ever since, particularly the "I am therefore I love" part. It's clear to me that we've all got "I think" down pretty well. We know that we are conscious beings, perceptive to the world which we inhabit and able to choose and, in many cases, manipulate certain aspects of our lives. It's also very clear to me that it's time to raise the bar."I think" is not...
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The Heart Is Where Home Is
2006-09-25 18:25:00
The Hear t Is Where Home Is In all of my work, I encourage, invite, and cajole people to come home to their hearts -- to the love in their hearts. Ultimately, I feel it's the most valuable journey one will ever take.It's no accident to me that in the romance languages the word for heart is cor, core, coeur, and that Webster's definitions of the English word "core" include:1) the inmost part of something and2) the most important part.In the framework of my orientation, this leads me to conclude that the very core of us is our heart, the inmost -- the most important part. So as a paradigm shift from the adage "Home is where the heart is," I hereby offer, "The heart is where home is." It seems to me that until our life is aligned with our heart, we're a house divided against itself.Strictly from a physical point of view, the incessant beating of our heart plays an inestimable role in the overall well-being of the body. And clearly, it's where we feel the experience of love -- roman...
More About: Heart , Here