Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Start Living

“Here’s how you damage the Aries soul, according to astrologer Steven Forrest:  You bore it, you deprive it of adventure and you starve it of chances to grow evermore courageous.  Here’s what you can do to make sure this doesn’t come to pass:  Invite yourself into unpredictable situations.  Give yourself assignments that will force you out of your comfort zone.  Fall in love with questions that will turn your mind inside-out.” 

I found this quote in Bob Brezsny’s Free-Will Astrology column and I totally loved it.  I can totally relate to this message.  The mundane can bore me.  My brain tells me on one hand to seek comfort and perfection but my soul knows that to have the most fun I need to step way out of these boundaries.  So then, why is it so hard to be spontaneous?  I need to listen to my intuition more…trust the universe…follow my path…express myself…tap into my innate curiosity about life…drop the fear…and yes…have fun.

Don’t wait until everything is perfect for you to move ahead, take chances, create, get intimate, expand your horizons and really live your life.

Stop thinking you need better craft supplies before you start creating…start with what you’ve got.

Stop worrying about whether your house is completely clean before you can entertain guests.  Experience the intimacy of interesting conversations amongst the clutter…try it…it may be fun.

Stop worrying that you aren’t the best fencer in your class…just keep practicing those advances, retreats and lunges…laugh when you make a mistake and compliment yourself when you score a hit.  Enjoy the leaning process and remind yourself…”Aller Anfang ist Schwer” (Every Beginning is Difficult – Goethe)

Don’t worry if you aren’t as good as a native speaker of a Foreign Language that you are studying.  Try and use the language whenever you can.  Who cares if you make a mistake.  Just give it your best shot, laugh, learn and have fun. 

Life is short…you can’t keep putting off these creative experiences.  Step out, loosen the coils, expand yourself, take risks, get out of your normal routine…and see what happens.

What do you put off because the circumstances are not “exactly perfect” in your eyes?  What are you dying to do?  What piques your curiosity?

Make a list and then take one item at a time and just do it.  I don’t even think that you  need to analyze why you might have a fear or why you’ve been putting it off.  Just do it and see what happens.  Let go of the idea of perfectionism…it can be a deterrent to forward progress.  And if you are an Aries…the horoscope states this as well…”You may be tempted to get involved with things that are too easy for you.”   Get out of your comfort zone.  You will find more comfort in what  you may currently perceive as “discomfort.”   Focus on adventure and courageousness.  That should be your mantra.  Enjoy the ride.    

Check out Rob Brezsny’s web-site… freewillastrology.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies with the Dalai Lama

When the Dalai Lama spoke at the University of Buffalo in September of 2007,  he reminded his audience that everyone has the right to be happy.  Just like that.  I wonder what makes the Dalai Lama happy.  I remember the photographer Galen Rowell said that when the Dalai Lama saw some images of the animals he had left behind in his native Tibet…that he leaped with glee.  I know that he would be happy if the world were at peace, if all religions coexisted peacefully and if there were no more world hunger.  On a smaller and more personal scale, I’ll bet that he might even like to sit and have a cup of tea and eat one of my chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.  He seems down to earth.  It seems as if something this simple and this good would warm his heart.  I’ll bet my dog  with his wagging tail and winsome personality would make him smile.  We’d share a peaceful moment together…maybe we wouldn’t even need to talk.  Maybe the steaming tea, the warm chocolate chips, smiles from the heart and the breathing of the dog would be enough.  Real peace.  No pretensions.  Just living, and breathing, and eating, and smiling and sharing the company of another.  Sharing the God space.  Sharing what the planet has to offer.  Breathe.  Eat.  Drink.  Be.  Peaceful.  Simple.  Happy.  Serene.

Here’s my recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies: 

Mix together with an electric mixer then set aside:  (Organic ingredients if possible)

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup salted butter (softened)

1/2 cup olive oil

In a second bowl mix these dry ingredients with a spoon:

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup of rice flour

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

When mixed well, add to the wet mixture and mix once again with the hand mixer until all the the dry ingredients are mixed in. 

Mix in 10-12  ounces of semi-sweet chocolate morsels.

Refrigerate for one hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spoon the cookies onto stainless steel cookie sheets, approximately 16 cookies per sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Put 2 sheets in the oven at once.  After 6 minutes switch the positions of the sheets on the racks for more even cooking.  After 9 minutes take the sheets out of the oven, push in the sides of the dough to create crevices and a more appealing appearance.  Slide the cookies back into the oven until the 12 minute period is over.  Remove the cookies from the cookie sheets.  Cool the cookies on metal cooling racks!  Makes 64 delicious cookies!  Mmm!

Pour yourself a cup of tea.  Sit with a few warm cookies and imagine that the Dalai Lama is there with you.  Experience the peace.