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Food for the Body, Nourishment for the Soul

July 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Irene Conlan -

(Something light for a hot day in summer)

Almost everyday there is a new article or news item about food. Everyday we pick and choose what we want to eat whether it fits someone’s idea of “balanced” or not. We read about superfoods, whole foods, organic foods, genetically engineered food, packaged food – for the body. But what about food for the soul?

I used to think that the soul was fed only through the study of sacred scriptures – the Bible, the Vedas, the Tao Te Ching, for example. I still believe their teachings are valuable, but they are only one course in a three course meal for the soul.  Scripture is perhaps the “main course” because if we listen closely, we may hear the voice of the Divine and learn valuable lessons from the sacred teachings that have come down through the ages.

If scriptures are the main course then, to me, beauty is the appetizer. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, my idea of beauty may be entirely different from yours. That’s not just okay – that’s fantastic because there is so much beauty to behold. Beauty comes to us through each of the senses so we’re continuously presented with it in some form, if we are awake and aware enough to notice.

For me beauty to enjoy with my sense of sight is all around me – everywhere I look. I especially love the beauty  in nature – flowers, trees, clouds, clear sky. But I revel in the beauty of  a child’s face (especially the faces of my grandsons), any painting by Monet, lovely fabric, a seascape, and sunrises and sunsets. That’s just the beginning – my list is endless. Almost everywhere I look I see beauty.

My hearing is thrilled with sounds of the ocean in its constant ebb and flow (it’s hard to hear it on the desert but a CD will give you the same feeling), the birds singing outside my window, or a child’s laughter. Bach’s “Sleepers Awake!” (Cantata 140) – or almost anything by Bach – makes my soul soar, and hearing my sons’ calling “Hey, Mom!” brings it even more joy.

My taste? Oh, it has to be chocolate in any form, Maryland crab cakes, a great cup of coffee or a glass of vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. On a hot day, nothing tastes better than a glass of cold, pure, spring water or a tasty glass of lemonade. These feed my body and my soul simultaneously.

What tickles my sense of smell? The sweet smell of a baby’s skin, the scent of any flower, the air right after it rains, cinnamon, cookies baking and lavender. With any of these, if I close my eyes and inhale I can feel my soul expand.

And then there’s touch. I think of a wonderful massage that kneads my tight, tired muscles and helps every muscle relax, or the feel of silk on my skin, or the gentle touch of someone who loves me. When my sons were babies they would reach up and touch my face with their tiny hand bringing almost more soul expanding joy than I could take in.

So we have beauty as the appetizer coming in through the senses and the sacred writings as the main course. Now, what’s for dessert?

Love is the dessert. Think about what is said of love: Love makes the world go around; Love heals; Perfect love casts out fear: Love conquers all; God is love. Science has proved that feeling loved creates positive change in the body at a cellular level and stimulates the secretion of endorphins –  the “feel-good” hormones.  It stimulates the immune system to help your body heal itself. Poets have written about love from the beginning of poetry and love songs have been written and sung over the ages. Preachers have preached about it, advertisers exploit it to sell a product, and now scientists are studying it. We all want it, some long for it, some die for it. Love – the sweetest dessert.

The poet, Rumi, said “The soul is here for its own joy.” We are offered so much “soul food” – teachings, beauty, love. It’s up to you to reach out to take it. And your taking all you want doesn’t diminish the supply for anyone else. So now is the time to feast. I love the little poem by Hafiz that says just this:

Let’s Eat

Why
Just show you God’s menu?
Hell, we are all
starving -
Let’s eat.

(From The Gift: Poems by Hafiz The Great Sufi Master. Translations by Daniel Ladinsky)

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February 24, 2011 – Dreams

February 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dreams are gifts of the soul. We need to make every effort to cherish them, to live them. Otherwise they only surface in our sleep. A soulful life is an awakening and actualizing of our deepest dreams within.

~Allison Maslan

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Staying In Tune with Your Soul While Running Your Business

February 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Allison Maslan ~

Have you ever impulsively jumped on a great new idea to make money only to find that your enthusiasm dwindled after the first week or two? Have you started a hobby that a friend got you fired up about, dropping a big investment to get started, but soon after you completely lost interest?

In order for an activity or goal to sustain itself long enough to be successful through life’s ups and downs, there must be meaning or a passion behind it. This love of your work, relationship, hobby or practice is the glue that will keep you cherishing your wins and picking yourself up after your losses as you progress on your path toward success. When an activity or goal has meaning to you, you are more likely to give your heart and soul to this cause, making sure that you stay focused, labor over every detail, and absorb yourself in every moment. When you spend time on efforts that really matter to you, it’s much more probable that you’ll make the commitment that’s necessary to build a lasting entity.

Millions of people desire to leave the confines of the corporate world to start their own business. Even though they fantasize about the idea of freedom, they become paralyzed with fear at the thought of leaving a safe, secure job. I talk to people all day that tell me they are feeling empty as if something is missing in their daily lives. They spend three quarters of their lives at a job void of soul and passion. Their creativity and drive are buried so deep within them they feel numb and shut down. The status quo, title and a paycheck are not enough anymore. They have upped the ante. They now want to be inspired and fulfilled with purpose in their home and work life.

Then there are those who have taken the haphazard plunge into a business that they are not passionate about, and find themselves feeling like they have fallen into the drudge of yet another boring job. What was once their mission becomes their biggest nightmare.

After a few years of being disillusioned they opt to throw in the towel. This does not need to happen!

When the purpose of your business matters to you on a deeper level, your efforts will endure. And when you reach your meaningful goals, success will feel like a shining glory. When you have built something you can be proud of, something you are completely passionate about, the satisfaction is not only in the outcome, it’s in the day-to-day process. If you’re only working toward the destination and not reveling in the journey, you miss out on the abundance of life. When you are only focused on the goal , you may find yourself thinking, “Is that all there is?” while feeling empty, sad and bored, and once again, unfulfilled.

What’s the difference between those entrepreneurs who are optimistic and moving forward and those who are just getting by? I believe that much of it has to do with how you view the glass – half full or half empty. George Sheehan (author, track star, cardiologist), once said, “Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.”  People with a positive outlook and a life plan don’t get off the track when things change – they just change tracks.

As a life and business strategist, I spend a great deal of time helping clients tap into their passions, and then guiding them to create a business that reflects their inner purpose and dreams. Particularly in this economy, if you are a business owner that is having some slower weeks or months, it is crucial that you stay connected to your mission and why you started the business in the first place. If the business is only about making money, there is not much heart or soul to draw from to get you through.

Here are a few tips to feeding the soul in yourself and your business.

*Surround yourself with inspiring and motivating people. You may find that your usual crew begins to lean toward the negative side of life when times get tougher. Seek out those people who are supportive of your goals. Join groups or seek counseling to keep you motivated and accountable.

*Be Easy on yourself. Change and transformation can bring up all sorts of good, bad and ugly stuff. When you feel yourself struggling, take a break. When you have small successes, give yourself kudos for all your hard work and continue to move on toward your bigger visions and dreams.

*Start now. You don’t want to look back in ten years and realize that you’re still at the same place in your life then as now. Even if you love your life now, growth is a necessary part of your evolvement on this planet. Every single day of your life is precious. Embrace it, and those you love, to the fullest.

Once you finally connect with something that has meaning to you, and your internal passion regarding this is accessed and utilized, your once deadened perception and reality will be pumped with new and energized life blood. I call this your Secret Spark, a perfect mix of meaning and passion that enlivens your life purpose and gives you the drive and stick-to-it-ness to make things happen. When you discover the soul in your business, your work will become stimulating and fun, and you’ll be immersed in your satisfying activity and lose track of time.

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Reclaim your soul from the rat race

October 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Allison Maslan, President of Blast Off! Life and Business Coaching -

The philosophy behind modern technology is that it’s supposed to streamline and simplify our lives. But do you ever find that the more cool gadgets you have to make life easier (cell phones, PDAs, even digital books!), the more complicated your life becomes?

For instance, one time I returned from vacation to find over 2,000 e-mails! This is not simplifying life. It’s amplifying more things to do.

It’s easy to get caught up in the mania of the rat race in which life leads you instead of you leading it. The energy of our lives moves forward at an alarming rate.

Just look in the rearview mirror while you’re driving on the freeway. Everyone is heading forward in high gear to complete something. Many of the drivers are more focused on anything but being present in the journey. This is the “living outside of the body syndrome,” a state of complete disconnection with the present moment.

The fact is, your life will be stressful if that is how you perceive the world. Plus, the unexpected happens every day. Meanwhile, the more you attempt to live life to the fullest, the more you will expose yourself to diversified tones of energy and experiences. Well, thank goodness for those surprises! ’Cause let’s be honest. If life were controlled and predictable you would be bored. This is the pace of our times.

So how can we manage the “racy” ride in a calmer and more fulfilling way? Is it even possible to live a full life while taking the stressful times in stride? Can you prevent burnout? Can you get everything done without losing your soul and spirit in the process? Yes, you can.

There are many ways to slow down the pace without sacrificing your intent. Remember, productivity could be a waste of your precious time if your intention is to just get things done and off your list.

I’ve had many people tell me, mostly women, that they cannot sit and relax until everything is done. But basically, everything is never done. So they spend their lives trying to accomplish the impossible, hoping that someday they can stop and enjoy their lives. This makes no sense, does it?

What to do about all the non-valued to dos? Well, here’s a place to start. Let your people (friends, clients, etc.) know that you answer e-mails and calls certain days or times of the week. That way, you won’t feel the pressure to respond right away. When you do sit down to reply, you can handle it all at once rather than piecemeal throughout the day.

Your personal energy bank

Another preliminary step to reclaiming your true self is to find out where the energy leaks are in your life so you can begin to repair them. Then you can focus your energy in a direction that is feeding you – not draining you.

Everything is made of energy. This is the Law of Quantum Physics. If you look at a table or a couch under an electron microscope, you’ll see that they are actually made up of atoms in constant motion, just like your body.

All of these things are always changing and never standing still. Therefore, you have the ability to create and change your reality in every moment.

Your thoughts and actions also operate from this precious field of energy, and thoughts are powerful. Just think, when you think to take a step, you take a step. When you think to raise your arm, your arm is elevated. Since thoughts are energy, it would make sense to choose positive thoughts and actions that will benefit you by replenishing and expanding your supply of energy, not draining it.

Visualize your body attached to a cord that is plugged into a generator. Just pretend that you are receiving your morning dose of 100 kilowatts of positive energy, which is supposed to last you all day. You start the day with a full tank of energy. Let’s see where you are at the end of the day after depleting your energy bank with negative energy drainers. Take a moment to consider how much negative energy you expend.

Here’s an example of an overburdened tank:

Full Tank: 100 kW, minus negative energy drainers. Watch how the tank becomes empty.

  • Dread concerning the meeting with your boss or assistant: 10 kW.
  • Fear about not being able to do a good job: 15 kW.
  • Self-reproach about not cleaning the house: 5 kW.
  • Guilt about the argument you had when you dropped your daughter off at school: 10 kW.
  • Saying yes when you meant no and harboring resentment all day: 25 kW.
  • Obsessing over your date and wondering if you’ll ever get together again: 10 kW.
  • Regret about having that extra serving of mashed potatoes: 10 kW.

Total energy left: 15 kW.

You’ve already given away 85 kilowatts and that leaves you with only 15 left to make it through the day. No wonder you’re so stressed and tired by 4 in the afternoon! You are emptying your tank through negative emotions and beliefs that are creating your reality. Just think what would happen if you replaced this negative focus with positive thoughts and actions.

Now try it yourself on your next full day. Start with 100 kilowatts again in the morning. But this time, whenever you feel a negative thought coming on, switch it immediately to a positive one, even if it is fake or forced. Eventually, positive thoughts will come more naturally and you’ll end the day with lots of reserve in your tank. See how you feel!

By taking a look at what triggers your stress responses, you can become more aware and actively prepared to take care of yourself in these instances. At those times, you can use your inner sense of stress rising to create strength, empowerment and resilience, and eventually learn how to avoid the trigger altogether.

By making these simple changes, you could add years to your life span, and you’ll feel so much better during this fantastic voyage you have been blessed with.

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Who Are You?

May 21, 2010 By 3 Comments

krasnowBy Irene Conlan -

The other day I stopped by the library to pick up a few books I had reserved and I decided to browse a bit. I love libraries and searching through the stacks to see what they have. I love the “library smell” of old books and the quietness as well as the feeling of being surrounded by old friends.  I paused at the psychology section and one book seemed to shout at me from the shelf, “Hey, pick me! Pick me!”

I did.  I took it off the shelf and couldn’t put it down.

Surrendering to Yourself: You Are Your Own Soul Mate by Iris Krasnow was a fascinating read for me. It’s about knowing who you are apart from your relationships and your employment. It was prompted by her wondering – and fearing – what her life would be like when her children left the nest. Who would she be then?

This is a dilemma faced by many parents whose lives are invested in and entangled with the lives of their children when it’s time for the children to leave home and begin their own journey through life. It is also a dilemma faced by professionals who, when they retire, have no identity apart from what they’ve been doing for the past fifty years.  “What do I do now?” they wonder and don’t have a clue where to turn.

Krasnow talks about discovering and nurturing the soul. She says:

It is impossible to hear the soul if you don’t stop, even for a day or two, and disconnect from the world.  I mean really disconnect. From email and faxes and beepers and connect with what is crying out inside of you. I am clear of my own cry right now, and it is to discover a self beyond the labels mom, wife, writer. Whatever titles you hold, parent, attorney, teacher, nurse – make sure you too are trying to know the self beyond, parent, attorney, teacher, nurse – make sure you too are trying to know the self beyond your job description.

Your children are not you.  Your spouse is not you. Your job is not you. And until you consciously go there, dig there, move the other stuff out of the way for a while and hang out with yourself, the you of truth remains a buried jewel.

Many of us face an identity crisis sometime in our waltz through life. The music changes its beat and we don’t know how to dance to it.  Crises of “who am I?” and “What am I supposed to do now?” sometimes follow a major life change such as divorce, child birth, children leaving home, graduation, change of job or profession, the death of a loved one. Or it can emerge when you realize with a shock that your life is on hold, that you’re living on automatic pilot, cruising through the days without noticing much of what is going on around you. It happens,too, when one day you look in the mirror and realize that you have grown old and, searching through your mind and emotions, find that your goals have been met, most of your dreams have been realized and now what? (Find new goals and new dreams, of course. What fun!).

I was looking for more material on self esteem – something new, perhaps some  “how tos” for this blog. I didn’t find it in this book.

What I did find was a warm, down-to-earth, life story by a brilliant writer who had the courage to bare her soul for all of us to see and know. She tells her own story and includes fascinating and personal narratives by many others. While she doesn’t give you bullet points on how to become acquainted with your own soul, she leads by example and leaves you with a longing to find a quiet place and get started on this great adventure.

It seems to me that If you get to know yourself at a soul level, the problem of poor self esteem will be resolved and you can begin to live your life flat out. We’ll be talking more about this in the days to come.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is sincerely interested in personal growth and the exciting exploration of their own soul.

Krasnow, Iris. Surrendering to Yourself: You Are Your Own soul Mate. Miramax Books. N.Y. 2003. It’s in libraries, bookstores and Amazon.com.

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