I am. I have been for some time. Probably for some lifetimes. It's not a fruitless search but it can get a little frustrating sometimes. I need all the help I can get! For years I've gravitated towards self-help and spiritual guidance books, e-books, blogs and courses. I've vaguely committed to daily yoga or meditation, and I even re-joined the gym this year and somehow I manage to get to three classes a week! I know! I surprise myself!
On Tuesday night I went along to the launch of a local author's debut memoir at Annie's Books on Peregian. If you're a Sunshine Coast local (or just visiting us one lovely sunny day), pop in to say hello to Annie and browse at your leisure the mass of beautiful books in a brightly lit, intimate space. She's right next door to the cutest tea and furniture emporium around so be warned- you'll want to stay all day.
Mary-Lou Stephen's Sex, Drugs and Meditation is hardcore. The lady doesn't mess about. She used to though, and this book is her incredible story of getting through many, many messy stages of life. It's achingly raw, completely heartbreaking and not surprisingly if you know Mary-Lou, really funny. She also proudly notes that it has a happy ending so if you're dreading it, bake some Anzac biscuits (you'll soon realise why!), make a pot of tea and just dive right in. You'll be rewarded in the end, I promise.
Mary-Lou is an inspiration, regularly meditating, writing, speaking, singing, and living a life she loves of quiet, calm, confident, continuous creativity.
So on Tuesday night, on the pavement outside Annie's, while I was listening and smiling and chatting and catching up with the ABC folks and old friends, I became aware of that little voice inside my head (or is it my heart?) that makes itself known every so often - you know, like the same old friend or cousin tends to do every year or so, calling you out of the blue to see how your life off Facebook is going - the little voice was smiling with me and saying to me, "That meditation day you saw on a postcard somewhere? It's on next week. You didn't book it yet. Why didn't you book it yet? You have to book it! Book it! Do it! Go on! You know you want to..." The smiling, cheeky bugger would not shut up. It persisted until I actually checked out the website. It persisted while I closed the window, opened a myriad others and went about my crazy, busy life responding to emails, checking Twitter and Instagram, procrastinating on Pinterest and getting back to interview questions, theatre reviews and researching the exotic destinations that make up my bucket list (you knew I was travel blogging, didn't you?). And it hasn't let up since Tuesday. It's been at me and at me, and today - Thursday - guess what I did? I made sure that Sam was okay to have Poppy at the theatre during West Side Story auditions and I booked that one day meditation course. And you know what?
IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE DONE THAT!
It feels good to have committed to taking the next small step in my journey of enlightenment. Because I've never managed to get very far along the path without stopping dead in my tracks and wondering, "Is this really necessary right now?" and "Can I really afford to do this right now?" Actually, I'm re-reading Eckhart Tolle right now (I read it when I was sixteen and didn't get it) and I realise that I can't afford to not keep taking these small steps forward. The time is NOW!
What's your next step towards enlightenment?
On Tuesday night I went along to the launch of a local author's debut memoir at Annie's Books on Peregian. If you're a Sunshine Coast local (or just visiting us one lovely sunny day), pop in to say hello to Annie and browse at your leisure the mass of beautiful books in a brightly lit, intimate space. She's right next door to the cutest tea and furniture emporium around so be warned- you'll want to stay all day.
Mary-Lou Stephen's Sex, Drugs and Meditation is hardcore. The lady doesn't mess about. She used to though, and this book is her incredible story of getting through many, many messy stages of life. It's achingly raw, completely heartbreaking and not surprisingly if you know Mary-Lou, really funny. She also proudly notes that it has a happy ending so if you're dreading it, bake some Anzac biscuits (you'll soon realise why!), make a pot of tea and just dive right in. You'll be rewarded in the end, I promise.
Mary-Lou is an inspiration, regularly meditating, writing, speaking, singing, and living a life she loves of quiet, calm, confident, continuous creativity.
So on Tuesday night, on the pavement outside Annie's, while I was listening and smiling and chatting and catching up with the ABC folks and old friends, I became aware of that little voice inside my head (or is it my heart?) that makes itself known every so often - you know, like the same old friend or cousin tends to do every year or so, calling you out of the blue to see how your life off Facebook is going - the little voice was smiling with me and saying to me, "That meditation day you saw on a postcard somewhere? It's on next week. You didn't book it yet. Why didn't you book it yet? You have to book it! Book it! Do it! Go on! You know you want to..." The smiling, cheeky bugger would not shut up. It persisted until I actually checked out the website. It persisted while I closed the window, opened a myriad others and went about my crazy, busy life responding to emails, checking Twitter and Instagram, procrastinating on Pinterest and getting back to interview questions, theatre reviews and researching the exotic destinations that make up my bucket list (you knew I was travel blogging, didn't you?). And it hasn't let up since Tuesday. It's been at me and at me, and today - Thursday - guess what I did? I made sure that Sam was okay to have Poppy at the theatre during West Side Story auditions and I booked that one day meditation course. And you know what?
IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE DONE THAT!
It feels good to have committed to taking the next small step in my journey of enlightenment. Because I've never managed to get very far along the path without stopping dead in my tracks and wondering, "Is this really necessary right now?" and "Can I really afford to do this right now?" Actually, I'm re-reading Eckhart Tolle right now (I read it when I was sixteen and didn't get it) and I realise that I can't afford to not keep taking these small steps forward. The time is NOW!
What's your next step towards enlightenment?
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