Body, Mind, Spirit - by Nancy Ballinger
2011 and 2010 Columns
March 2011 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 15
From growing up in Indiana and being a "Hoosier," there has been a love of basketball in my blood from infancy. That's probably why, when I experienced a MS relapse in early December, I wryly reflected to myself, "I've been benched! The game is going to change now for a while."
February, 2011 How Do I Love Thee?
I've just returned from time with my dear soul friend, Bob. We met 10 years ago and have been friends ever since. For the past two years, we have settled into meeting at a local bakery every Friday morning. It doesn't matter to either of us what we talk about, as we sit at our same table near the cold drink refrigerator. It's all an excuse to be together, to have a touchstone in our week, and to share our lives.
January, 2011 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 14
This being human is a guesthouse.
Every morning a new arrival!
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
December, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 13
Please don't tell her, but I'm creating a blanket for my nine-
November, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 12
Last month, for my 60th birthday, I did my first Tandem skydive. Yes, it's true. I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane two miles above good old terra firma to freefall 120 mph for a minute, then float for several more minutes before safely reaching the ground. I have wanted to jump out of an airplane (with a parachute) for as long as I can remember. So when I turned sixty in January that is what I requested for my birthday present. Several friends think I'm crazy. They are probably right, but I want to tell you . . . I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!
October, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 2
Rumi, the 13th century poet and mystic, wrote eloquently of the human condition and the unique and universal journey of spiritual awakening that is possible for all of us. He gives clear instruction about the process of rising above the ordinary to conquer our fears and overcome obstacles that keep us from living our dreams. He supports us in opening to a way of knowing that brings joy and liberation.
September, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 11
The popular and often quoted prayer of St. Francis is probably the clearest statement
of the "what, why, and how" of truly serving others. It reminds us that acting for
the welfare of those around us provides an opportunity to move beyond the self-
August, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 10
As I sat sobbing, I believed my heart had surely been broken into a million shattered, sharp pieces that might never be able to heal. I felt a family member I loved deeply had betrayed me. The enormity of my pain was as much the fear that I couldn't forgive the transgression as it was about the wrong done to me.
July, 2010 Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
The peacock's cry was the only sound to travel through the redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains as I sat with fifty meditators in silence. As a group we agreed the first evening to no talking, reading, writing, ipod, television, radio, computer, or cell phones during our time on retreat.
June, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 9
A farmer purchased a fine horse. All of his neighbors in the village complimented him on this horse and exclaimed how lucky he was. His reply was, "It's too soon to tell." One day his horse disappeared. This time the villagers thought the farmer was very unlucky. They expressed their concern to him and he again replied, "It's too soon to tell." As it turned out, it was! A few days later his horse returned, bringing a wild mare with him. The villagers exclaimed, "How happy you must be!" Again, "Too soon to tell" was the farmer's only reply. The farmer's son set about the task of taming the wild mare and was injured by the horse. After that time he walked with a limp. The villagers remarked upon the farmer's misfortune, to have his only son injured in such a way. "Too soon to tell," he told them. When the war broke out in a neighboring village, the farmer's son, due to his limp, was unable to go. How fortunate, exclaimed the villagers . . .
May, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 8
At the heart of the month of May is Mother’s Day -
April, 2010 Finding the Sacred In Everyday Life 7
Asteya is the Sanskrit word expressing the universal spiritual principle of non-
March, 2010 And Now We Choose
There is a story of an old Cherokee grandmother telling her grandchildren about a
fight that is going on inside her, a fight between two wolves. She tells them one
wolf is filled with anger, greed, arrogance, self-
All of the grandchildren sat quietly listening, carefully thinking about what grandmother said. Then one grandson spoke and asked the grandmother, "Which wolf wins Grandmother?"
February, 2010 How Do I Love Thee?
I've just returned from time with my dear soul friend, Bob. We met 10 years ago and
have been friends ever since. For the past two years, we have settled into meeting
at a local bakery every Friday morning. It doesn't matter to either of us what we
talk about, as we sit at our same table near the cold drink refrigerator. It's all
an excuse to be together, to have a touchstone in our week, and to share our lives.
I order my Chai latte and bran muffin. Bob gets café Americana and cheese croissant.
He doesn't worry about the calories and cholesterol like he did just a few years
ago. One of the benefits of being 91 is that priorities change, and each breakfast
with a friend becomes more precious. This is what we celebrate each week -
January, 2010 Finding the Sacred in Everyday Life 6
I just got off the phone with a dear friend. She is going through a very difficult
time right now with her health. She has enough self-