My exploration of INTENTION (being present with what IS) and EXPECTATION (being pulled out of the present into what ISN’T) continues – and that exploration has taken a very interesting turn.

My upcoming trek of the Camino de Santiago begins in 2 1/2 months. Every day, I’m preparing myself for the experience by immersing myself in everything connected to it: watching videos, reading books, having conversations with others who have already walked it… Many times a day, I feel like I’m ALREADY walking it! AND, as this process of preparation deepens, what’s emerging for me is the SIMPLICITY of the Camino trek: walking 500 miles / 800 kilometres, eating, bathing, sleeping, meeting people from all over world, and being with WHATEVER unfolds as I do so. Lather, rinse, repeat for 5 or 6 weeks.

I’m blessed to have many wise friends. In a recent conversation, one of them said to me, “You’re not going to wait until the Camino to start being present, are you?” Point made, and acknowledged with great gratitude! The time to be present, and enjoy SIMPLICITY in my life, is NOW.

Wisdom enters my experience in many ways. At the bottom of one of his recent newsletters, Tad Hargrave, an insightful and open-hearted marketing coach in Edmonton, included this excerpt from “The Book Of Life”. (Please take a few minutes to read it. It’s worth it. I’ll wait… :-))

For most of my life, I have greatly identified with the need to be exceptional – thinking that I have to be EXTRAordinary to be seen, loved and appreciated. What if that’s not true? What if that’s NOT required? What if a life well lived is an ORDINARY life? The article mentioned above includes these words: “… the characters who – without agony – can bear an ordinary life, the so-called contented ‘mediocrities’, may in fact be the emotional superstars, the aristocrats of the spirit, the captains of the heart.” The article ends with these words: “As we may discover once we are beyond others’ expectations, life’s true luxuries might comprise nothing more or less than simplicity, quiet, friendship based on vulnerability, creativity without an audience, love without too much hope or despair, hot baths and dried fruits, walnuts and dark chocolate.”

YES, YAY and AMEN.

With Gratitude, I NOW say YES to SIMPLICITY and an ORDINARY LIFE.

Along with meditation and journaling, here are tools that I use daily to help foster Simplicity and an Ordinary Life:
1) Tapping / using EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) as I
2) Reclaim the power of I AM by affirming “I AM one with Source. I AM abundant and I AM generous. Right here and right now, I AM free to be ALL of me – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you. I love you. And so it IS.” 

How about YOU, dear Friend? What’s most resonating in YOU this month? WHEREVER you are on your journey, I’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail me; we’re all in this together, and we have much to learn from each other. (BIG THANKS to all of the kind souls who respond to my newsletters; reading your comments is always a highlight of my month.)

***Have you always wanted to walk the Camino? If so, I’d love to have you be a part of my experience of it, in whatever way most resonates with you: https://www.gofundme.com/be-a-part-of-nathen039s-journey-on-the-camino
If you’d be kind enough to help me spread the word about this in your faith communities and/or in your social circles, I’d greatly appreciate it. BIG thanks!***

APPRECIATION

Every Monday on my Facebook business page, I post messages of gratitude.
Please have a look, join the conversation, and SHARE the posts with your friends. 

UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS

– PERFORMANCES

(For the most up-to-date information, please click on any date in my online calendar)

– VIDEOS

May I be of service to you and your organization or community with my words and music? My KEYNOTE CONCERT presentation can be seen here, and my PERFORMANCE VIDEOS, including my LATEST ONE (“Learn, Share, Grow and Belong”) can be seen here.

– MUSIC

My very dear friend and song co-writer Becca Palm has created “Community Songs”, a songbook/CD package of 23 songs which includes 4 chants that she and I co-wrote (“Ho-oponopono”, “Listen”, “Small Steps” and “Turning Within”). To get your copy, please click here. (You can also listen to and/or download the songs here.)

As a very dear and wise friend in Montreal once said to me, “All I can offer you is my experience”.

My sincere desire, in every one of my newsletters, is to encourage us all to live our Big Lives one Small Step at a time.

Much love to you, dear Friend. May you say YES to SIMPLICITY and an ORDINARY LIFE with Gratitude, and may you go with LOVE.

– Nathen