Keeping up Your Maude Spirits

6th January, 2009 - Posted by Maude -

If you recently read the post on How to Find the Meaning of Your Life you just might have found a little Maude-type Spirit within yourself. Just watching Ruth Gordon’s portrayal of Maude is so brilliant it can lift you right up to your meaning and your connection with yourself and your life.

Whether you found the whole meaning of your life or just got a little Spirit, it sure can feel good. Of course, meaning can’t be wrestled down like an alligator at an old fashioned side show. When meaning comes, it comes. When it doesn’t, we can feel confused or sad. That’s okay. Even when we do rustle up a little meaning or Maude Spirit it can be hard to hold onto. Thoughts come in that pull us away and back to darker places.

Whenever we think that life should not be the way it is, people should not be the way they are, that things that are happening should not be happening, or even that we should not be who or how we are it is not possible to feel free or be connected to our true meaning. We are arguing with reality. And reality always wins because what is - IS. We can’t feel free when we are locked in a hopeless battle. And we certainly can’t be living out the meaning of our life.

Fortunately, there are people and processes that can help us keep going back to reconnect with our Maude spirit. These resources are always available and really don’t cost a thing other than our willingness to use them. One big help can be The Work developed by Byron Katie. Katie’s website has everything on it that you need to question these stressful thoughts that argue with reality and stop your suffering. The work consists simply of four questions and a turnaround of the original stressful thought. Anyone can do it anytime, anywhere. You may find her book Loving What Is helpful in getting started. You can also just look at her website and find what you need including many wonderful videoclips showing Katie facilitating people doing The Work.

Another focus for keeping our Maude spirit can be finding a way into really accepting ourselves. Of course, there are many resources available for that work. One of our favorites comes from our friends at Dasvandh, a Sikh organization. They have some wonderful resources in their meditation section. Their meditation to overcome self animosity can have powerful effects. Full instructions are on their site.

Sometimes we think we have to do complicated, hard, or exotic practices to achieve a deeper self acceptance. It’s not true. Love and acceptance are available in this moment. A beautiful aspect of this meditation is that takes very little time and it’s not hard at all.

Set a timer for three minutes and practice this meditation every day. Even if we are very busy in the morning we can usually spare three minutes. Making a commitment to continue the meditation daily for a minimum of 40 days can have solid results. It’s that simple. If you forget to practice in the morning, just do it later in the day. Even if you can’t do it until right before you go to bed, do it.

It feels good to find Maude spirit. Being clear in the meaning of our life, who we are and what we are here to do is the greatest gift we can give ourselves, our loved ones and the world, including our earth. Being clear is priceless. And no one can give us our clarity but ourselves. The world is full of resources to help us find our clarity though. If you do your best to connect to yourself and your truth, you will likely be very surprised at all the help that will show up to support you.

Connecting to the earth through plants, through nourishing herbs, is also a great resource in supporting you to find the meaning of your life and your Maude spirit. Make friends with oatstraw and nettles. Get to know the trees in your neighborhood. The plants will help you and nourish your body and spirit. Before you know it, you will know yourself better and be living more in your Maude spirit everyday.

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