I love this video from William Ury, the guy who wrote, “Getting to Yes” in which he describes the secret to peace.

He mentions how in any argument or conflict, there are two sides. The surrounding community is the third element in any disagreement. The community can remind the other two what exactly is at stake – it is easy to lose perspective when we are involved in conflict. “When angry you will make the best speech you will ever regret!” We must see the bigger picture and the third side can help to do that.

Where’s the third side in the Middle East conflict – he proposes a first step towards this. He proposes that Abraham is the third side – the common factor in this conflict. And Abraham stood for the unity of the family – the interconnectedness of it all and his basic value was Respect – kindness and hospitality to all.

Terrorism is taking a stranger and and treating them like an enemy and killing them; the opposite is taking a total stranger and treating them as a friend. What do you think of the solution he proposes at the end? Taking a walk with Abraham as the common identity.

Here is a link to this solution: http://www.abrahampath.org/about.php

Often I am asked what EXACTLY is it that I do? I mean I have a lot of “labels – life coach, energy healer, spiritual teacher, astrologer, workshop leader, Reiki Master, interfaith minister…etc. That’s great – but, what do I DO?!?!?

Well, what I “DO”, bottom-line, is this: I help people to find their life purpose and live it. When you are living the purpose that you were uniquely created to fulfill, you are happy, life flows easier and you are making the world a better place – it’s a WIN-WIN for everyone!

How I do it is through a unique combination of spiritual coaching and energy healing methods. I help you get connected with your spiritual source so that you can find the answers you need within you. Then, you have this tool forever and always and can always resort to it whenever you have decisions to make in life. Some of the tools for this connection can be prayer, meditation, dreamwork, journaling, etc.I don’t want to help you get your life purpose and then leave you hanging – not knowing where to go from there. When you are done working with me, you are clear on your purpose, you have taken steps towards living it within the context of your ideal dream life and you have the tools necessary to move forward on your own!

The energy healing provides a beautiful way of releasing old patterns and beliefs, so that you are better able to surge forward into the life of your dreams as opposed to getting and staying stuck as so many of us do!

And, if you are still stuck or unclear after all of that, I also can pull out the “big guns” and determine astrologically what your purpose is and any challenges and/or positive personality traits you may have in helping you achieve it. This can be a great source of information and support in moving you forward towards your dreams.

I love this book – it is one of my top 10 most important books. I read it every year at the beginning of the year as a reminder to Follow My Dream! This is a simple parable (don’t expect Shakespeare or any other literary giant) simply told. Its importance lies more in its enduring message as we follow the shepherd Santiago on his quest. Like many of us who pursue our dreams, his journey is riddled with many setbacks and there are times when he is ready to give up – but, he perseveres and learns the language of the world while pursuing his Personal Legend.

“… no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” ~Paolo Coehlo, The Alchemist

Wow! It’s the first day of the new year and already it’s flying by! I meant to post this yesterday – sort of as a summary/year- in-review kind of thing and the day just slipped away and now so has today!

Yesterday I spent almost the entire day doing my annual ritual of Releasing the old year and preparing and planning for the new. As many of you already know, each year I pick a “theme” for the year. Last year my theme started out as “Choose Joy”. In other words, I really wanted to focus on only doing things that truly brought me joy. What a found out really quickly, was that in order to follow joy and actually choose it, takes a lot of TRUST! A lot of trust in God, the Divine, the Universe, whatever you want to call it.

You have to truly believe that if you choose what serves you best (and, hopefully, inherently that brings you Joy), you will be supported and the Universe will come running to meet you and help you along. It is true that that happens, but learning that lesson can be a bit scary at times. So, it seems my theme really ended up being about TRUST – and one of the basic lessons that I teach my clients, students, followers and friends (and in 2010, myself):

Follow Your Heart

Trust in The Divine

It’s really as simple as that – notice I said SIMPLE – not EASY!!! Not easy at first, that is – but like anything else, it becomes much easier with practice. And now, I start my day with asking

“Where do I need to be or what do I need to now today?”

and TRUSTING that I will be supported (even if outside circumstances don’t suggest that). So, I encourage you to connect to that all-knowing Source, listen to that still, small voice, and then… follow it… and if that seems really scary…

then… TRUST!!!

You won’t be led astray – I promise.

This year I chose the theme of Being Enough…more on it tomorrow!

Today I was interviewed by Terri Craig of the Houston chapter of eWomen’s Network. She has a radio show in which she interviews successful women. We had a really nice chat about my background and how I got to be where I am today – doing what I love! We also talked a little about the work that I do and at the end I gave a few words of advice to those of you still out there in jobs you’re not happy with, wondering if that is all there is to life.

Here it is: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/realwomenrealresults/2010/12/09/the-terri-craig-show-real-women–real-results-1

I’d love to hear from you what you think of it!

Love and Blessings to all of you!

Rev. Tricia

What could be riskier than diving out of an airplane or climbing a glacier-covered peak or accelerating a race car into a curve at the Indy 500?
For one person it might be quitting a secure, well-paying job to go back to school. For another, it could be deciding to leave a marriage after 18 years or reporting that the company they work for is endangering the environment or people’s lives.

For me it was quitting a well-paying job to work for myself at something I loved and had a passion for. It certainly wasn’t easy – but, there came a point when I knew I had to take that leap of faith to else continue down the path of drudgery I was feeling.

Though it may not appear so at first glance, psychological risks that summon us to put our personal values and beliefs on the line may ultimately feel more dangerous than those of physical derring-do. Yet these are the challenges that we are asked to face time and again if we are to continue to grow as individuals. Each time we take a risk that contributes to our personal growth or enhances our self-esteem or enriches our lives, we make the choice to stretch ourselves, knowing there are no guarantees and chancing possible failure.

I knew that even if I failed, I would have felt better for trying – I would have continually regretted not at least going after my dream. That alone made it all worth it!
Growth-producing risks generally fall into three categories:
Self-Improvement Risks These are the risks you take when you want to get ahead, learn something new or make a distant dream a reality. You take on the venture with hopes of enriching your life. Maybe you want to change careers, or take singing lessons, or learn to speak French. On one side of the risk is the person you are and, on the other, the person you want to become.
Commitment Risks All commitment risks have emotional stakes whether you pledge yourself to a person or a relationship or to a cause, a career, or a value. According to Joseph Ilardo, author of Risk-Taking for Personal Growth, if you avoid making emotional commitments, you all but guarantee that your emotional growth will be stunted.
Self-Disclosure Risks Communication risks fall into the category of self-disclosure. Anytime you tell someone how you really feel you’re taking the chance of self-disclosure. When you open up to others and reveal who you really are, how you feel and what you want and need, you make yourself vulnerable. It is impossible to be assertive without doing so.
All risks carry with them the possibility of failure. Often significant sacrifices must be made before any real benefits are realized. Routines may have to change; the familiar may have to be released. You may be rejected or humiliated. In the case of commitment to a value, personal safety may be in danger. Consider those who stand up for what they believe in or put their own health and well-being on the line in the name of a cause. Challenging yourself is often the key to personal growth and development.
Are you a risk-taker? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does every decision involve endless debates with yourself?
• Do you accept less than what you should because you’re afraid to speak up?
• Do you have difficulty making emotional commitments to others?
• Do you make up excuses that stop you from taking advantage of opportunities for self-improvement?
• Does fear of disapproval keep you from doing what you’d really like to do?

A “yes” answer to these questions indicates a reluctance to take risks, which may mean you tend to play it safe and reject change.
Consider this: to fulfill your potential, to discover your real self and live an authentic life, you must take risks. And while security may appear to be the absence of change, the only genuine security lies in taking risks.

Rest In Peace

by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
inspired by the poems of Thich Nhat Hanh

I am a World Trade Center tower, standing tall in the clear blue sky, feeling a violent blow in my side, and
I am a towering inferno of pain and suffering imploding upon myself and collapsing to the ground.
May I rest in peace.

I am a terrified passenger on a hijacked airplane not knowing where we are going or that I am riding on fuel tanks that will be instruments of death, and
I am a worker arriving at my office not knowing that in just a moment my future will be obliterated.
May I rest in peace.

I am a pigeon in the plaza between the two towers eating crumbs from someone’s breakfast when fire rains down on me from the skies, and
I am a bed of flowers admired daily by thousands of tourists now buried under five stories of rubble.
May I rest in peace.

I am a firefighter sent into dark corridors of smoke and debris on a mission of mercy only to have it collapse around me, and
I am a rescue worker risking my life to save lives who is very aware that I may not make it out alive.
May I rest in peace.

I am a survivor who has fled down the stairs and out of the building to safety who knows that nothing will ever be the same in my soul again, and
I am a doctor in a hospital treating patients burned from head to toe who knows that these horrible images will remain in my mind forever.
May I know peace.

I am a tourist in Times Square looking up at the giant TV screens thinking I’m seeing a disaster movie as I watch the Twin Towers crash to the ground, and
I am a New York woman sending e-mails to friends and family letting them know that I am safe.
May I know peace.

I am a piece of paper that was on someone’s desk this morning and now I’m debris scattered by the wind across lower Manhattan, and
I am a stone in the graveyard at Trinity Church covered with soot from the buildings that once stood proudly above me, death meeting death.
May I rest in peace.

I am a dog sniffing in the rubble for signs of life, doing my best to be of service, and
I am a blood donor waiting in line to make a simple but very needed contribution for the victims.
May I know peace.

I am a resident in an apartment in downtown New York who has been forced to evacuate my home, and
I am a resident in an apartment uptown who has walked 100 blocks home in a stream of other refugees.
May I know peace.

I am a family member who has just learned that someone I love has died, and
I am a pastor who must comfort someone who has suffered a heart-breaking loss.
May I know peace.

I am a loyal American who feels violated and vows to stand behind any military action it takes to wipe terrorists off the face of the earth, and
I am a loyal American who feels violated and worries that people who look and sound like me are all going to be blamed for this tragedy.
May I know peace.

I am a frightened city dweller who wonders whether I’ll ever feel safe in a skyscraper again, and
I am a pilot who wonders whether there will ever be a way to make the skies truly safe.
May I know peace.

I am the owner of a small store with five employees that has been put out of business by this tragedy, and
I am an executive in a multinational corporation who is concerned about the cost of doing business in a terrorized world.
May I know peace.

I am a visitor to New York City who purchases postcards of the World Trade Center Twin Towers that are no more, and
I am a television reporter trying to put into words the terrible things I have seen.
May I know peace.

I am a boy in New Jersey waiting for a father who will never come home, and
I am a boy in a faraway country rejoicing in the streets of my village because someone has hurt the hated Americans.
May I know peace.

I am a general talking into the microphones about how we must stop the terrorist cowards who have perpetrated this heinous crime, and
I am an intelligence officer trying to discern how such a thing could have happened on American soil, and
I am a city official trying to find ways to alleviate the suffering of my people.
May I know peace.

I am a terrorist whose hatred for America knows no limit and I am willing to die to prove it, and
I am a terrorist sympathizer standing with all the enemies of American capitalism and imperialism, and
I am a master strategist for a terrorist group who planned this abomination.
My heart is not yet capable of openness, tolerance, and loving.
May I know peace.

I am a citizen of the world glued to my television set, fighting back my rage and despair at these horrible events, and
I am a person of faith struggling to forgive the unforgivable, praying for the consolation of those who have lost loved ones, calling upon the merciful beneficence of God/Yahweh/Allah/Spirit/Higher Power.
May I know peace.

I am a child of God who believes that we are all children of God and we are all part of each other.
May we all know peace.

Last night I attended the Interfaith Women’s Ramadan Iftar hosted by Brigid’s Place and Christ Church Cathedral. This was a wonderful dinner in which a variety of women came together to share a meal and discuss both commonalities and differences.

It began with a short program in the church. Opening remarks were made by Muffie Moroney, the representative from Christ Church Cathedral. This was followed by a short history of the iftar presented by  Maida Asofsky.  She shared how the tradition began as a Seder with Jewish women heading each table and in the past few years the iftar was added. Kafah Bachari Manna added her perspective with a beautiful speech regarding the misconceptions about the subservience (or not!) of Muslim women and a tribute to her mother, grandmothers and aunts who came before her. And finally Dr. Elora Shehabuddin of Rice University gave a talk on misconceptions about Islam and Muslim women in particular. This was followed by the sound of a cannon and the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer.

We then went into the hall to break the fast with dates and chai, this was followed by the evening or Maghreb prayer. Then we went to assigned tables where there were at least two Muslim women. The idea was that these women would head the table and lead the table in discussions around their unique life experiences. Our table actually discussed everything from the weather, to the best places to live, to our individual careers and interests – just like any other group of women geting together for the first time! The favorite topic, however, was the incredible food. This was a feast full of food representing typical Ramadan foods from all over the world. Lentil soup, rose-infused juice/tea, nuts, rice, chicken, kebab, dolma, salad, eggplant, two types of bread, sweets, etc. We were ready to pop by the end of it!

At the end of it this was a beautiful evening that I would highly recommend in which “women of all faiths will unite to celebrate and honor Muslim women’s contributions to the arts, sciences, religious and academic scholarship, politics and everyday life.” Ramadan Mubarak!!

This is a poem that has been going around for a while. I thought it might be good to post here as a reminder…

What Does it Mean to Be a Minister?

by James Dillet Freeman

It means to make yourself small so that others may feel large.

It means to make yourself a servant so that others may feel their mastery.

It means to give so that those who lack may receive.     

It means to love so that those who feel unloved may have someone who never rejects them, someone with whom they can always identify.

It means to hold out your help to those who ask and deserve help — and also to those who do not ask or deserve it. It means always to be there when you are needed, yet never to press yourself on another when you are not wanted.

It means to stay at peace so that those who are contentious will have someone to whom they can turn to stabilize themselves.

It means to keep a cheerful outlook so that those who are easily cast down may have someone to life them up.

It means to keep faith and to keep on keeping faith even when you yourself find little reason for believing, so that those who have no faith can find the courage to live.

It means not merely to live a life of prayer, but to turn your prayers into life — more life for you, more life for those to whom you minister.

It means to be God-centered and human-hearted, to involve yourself in humanity, and to keep your vision on divinity — and so draw forth in all around you the human form divine.

It means to share in the great moments of life – in birth and sickness and marriage and death — and at all times, whether of crisis or of celebration, to bring comfort and a blessings and, above all, a sense of a presence that sometimes we cannot see and of a Meaning that often we overlook.

This is what it means to be a minister of God and a minister to humanity.

I hope I can strive to be a minister!!

Peace and Blessings!
Patricia