 Joselito (me), Michael Luwoye (Alexander Hamilton) and Richard at the backstage of the Broadway musical hit "Hamilton" A couple weeks ago, my partner Richard and I visited the Big Apple - New York, New York. For the longest time, I've had on my bucket list to see the musical Hamilton. Now I can happily say, “Check!” We saw it, and it was absolutely amazing.
As it turned out, Life blessed us by adding a cherry on top to that experience, and we were invited to go backstage and meet the cast. Whaaaatttt???? Yes, for real. After the theater emptied out, a few of us who were huddling near the stage were ushered into the backstage where the magic happens. I brought out my iPhone to capture the moments. While I took pictures of the costumes, the candlesticks and other props, a young man appeared in front of us, wearing grey sweats and looking refreshed. Wait, is this…? Are you…? Yes, indeed. Standing before us was the actor, Michael Luwoye, who played Alexander Hamilton himself! Being a starstruck fanboy, I gushed and gawed over his brilliant performance. The depth of emotion, the fiery passion, the booming voice and his commanding presence – with all this, Michael gave us (the audience) every ounce of himself and more. When I witnessed him onstage, I could see the sweat flying from him as he poured his heart and soul into his intense portrayal of one of the country’s Founding Fathers. Now, here he stood in front of me and Richard, after a 2 hour 35 minute performance, refreshed and calm as if he had taken an eight hour nap. “I need to ask you this,” I remarked to Michael. “How is it that you look so refreshed and calm, after such a strenuous and exhilarating performance?” Michael laughed. After taking a moment to ponder, he replied, “It’s because I see the whole performance as a meditation.” I see the whole performance as a meditation. I gasped at his words. Are we really talking about meditation here on the backstage of Hamilton, I thought to myself. I’m in the presence of a kindred spirit. “I’m so in the moment while I’m in the performance,” he continued. “I give everything. I’m present. And then when it’s done, I let it go.” When I talk with folks about meditation, many imagine being in a quiet space with eyes closed, blocking out any thoughts or intrusive sounds that may upset any sense of peace. And yet, here was Michael, explaining how meditation to him and with his performance was anything but quiet. In other words, you could have a meditative experience whether you’re yelling, laughing, crying or leaping on stage. The point of meditation, for Michael, wasn’t a seeking to escape from life, but it was an invitation to fully immerse in Life, whether it's in the sweat, the tears, the joy or the heartache. When you fully immerse in Life, you connect with the wonder and depth of all that is. You open to a more expansive experience of beauty and grandeur, when you otherwise might have been too busy to take notice. In the midst of whatever may be happening in your life, you choose to breathe it all in. When you approach all of Life as a meditation, you move, not separate from Life, but One with Life itself, Life moving through and as you. After having this deep and profound conversation with Michael, I thanked him for sharing his heart and spirit with us. And, of course, I asked him to take a selfie. He happily obliged. (On a side note, if you’re wondering, we also took pictures with some of the other amazing cast members!) Taking in Michael’s wisdom, I invite you to see how you can apply this teaching in your own life. Your coaching assignment for this week, if you choose to take it on, is to see how you can approach active moments in your life as a meditation. Whether you’re washing the dishes, doing the laundry, writing an email, shopping at the supermarket, caressing a loved one or eating a meal, whatever activity you find yourself doing, ask yourself: “Am I fully engaging in this moment? How can I magnify my own connection with Life in the here and now?” Be in the moment. Witness what arises. And be willing to be surprised. My prayer for you this week is this: May Life bless you with a greater awareness of what already is, and what already is lovingly being given to you. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. I'd love to hear your thoughts about today’s post. Are you open to experiencing meditation in your everyday life? What activity can you use as a meditative experience? Please leave a comment below. And if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support for a particular area of life, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here.  Photo by Redd Angelo on Unsplash Last week I had the opportunity to lead my Visioning Your Best Life workshops in New York City. During one of the workshops, one participant asked a question about accomplishing goals that I hear from so many people: “How do you keep going when you’ve fallen off track?” Aaahhh…the age old question. In response, I shared a few different ideas for her to try, like:
However, one of the other participants asked if she could offer another option, and said: “Maybe you can ask yourself if this is a goal that you really want to achieve.” I absolutely loved this response. It’s common to come up with a list of goals that you automatically assume anybody would want, like getting more exercise, making more money or taking more time off for fun and recreation. But what’s less common is for you to take a step back and ask, “Do I really want to achieve this goal? Why is this important to me?” Sometimes the dream or goal you think you want actually belongs to someone else. You’ve probably seen this dynamic with parents who want their kids to be doctors or lawyers. Some kids end up following these career paths, only to question themselves many years later why they didn’t follow their true heart’s path. If you have any goals or dreams you want to accomplish, it's okay to ask yourself, “Is this really my dream? Do I really want to accomplish this goal?” If the answer is yes, then ask yourself, “Why is this important to me?” After you answer why this goal is important, then continue asking why. Look at that statement and ask why is that answer important, and continue asking yourself at least 4 or 5 times. Why is a powerful question that starts to peel the layers of your heart’s longings. The point is to uncover your many layers of Why until you reach what one of my teachers calls “the Why that makes you cry.” Here’s an example:
In the example above, you can witness a deepening happening. Each why leads to a deeper layer of meaning, until you reach the final Why. “I have something inside me that wants to break through and I’m tired of hiding my true self.” This is an example of "the Why that makes you cry." For your coaching assignment this week, contemplate these questions:
When you set a goal, what keeps you on track and what helps to get you back on track are the reminders for why this is important to you in the first place. When you uncover the Why that makes you cry, your Why act like a magnet that pulls you forward towards your dream. Your Why serves both as the foundation and the fuel for your heart’s longings. What dream do you have for your life? And what is the Why that makes you cry? As you contemplate these questions, here are my prayerful words for you: May your Why reveal itself with ease and grace, and inspire you to live your best and most authentic self. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. I'd love to hear your thoughts about today’s post. What goal or dream is in your heart? And why is it important to you? Please leave a comment below. And if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support for a particular area of life, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here.  Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash Spring is in the air. Flowers are starting to bloom and the chill of winter is easing away. Maybe you might be feeling a pep in your step.
To help usher in this new season, a good Spring-cleaning might be in order. Spring cleaning is different from regular cleaning, in that you’re invited to clean beyond the surface and dive into the nooks and crannies that might not normally receive your loving care and attention. Sometimes people do a deep cleaning of the entire house! For your coaching assignment this week, I invite you to pick an area where you could engage in some deep Spring cleaning. Here are some possibilities for you to tackle:
Choose one thing to do from this list, or pick another area that’s calling to you. And once you’re done with that, see if you feel inspired to do another area. After you engage in this kind of activity, you’ll likely bask in an air of lightness and ease. You feel lighter because you’re letting go of things that, unbeknownst to you, might be weighing you down…like, unfinished business, items that carry past emotional memories, or feelings of disorganization. You don’t need to clean the whole house to feel a shift. Whether it’s a drawer, or a refrigerator, or even your wallet, every little bit helps. Here’s the spiritual truth behind today’s teaching: When you let go of what no longer nourishes you and you provide care and attention to what surrounds you, you create an environment that affirms life, vitality and possibility. As you energize your surroundings, you energize your life. Here’s to a week of joyous cleaning and clearing! Abundant Blessings and Namaste. I'd love to hear your thoughts about today’s post. Do you have an area in mind where you'd like to do some Spring cleaning? And if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support for a particular area of life, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here. |
About JoselitoJoselito is a spiritual life coach helping people create a purposeful, spiritual path to career and financial freedom. Popular Blog Articles Beware (Be Aware of) these 5 Unhelpful Money Stories How my body told me to quit my job How I was offered an all-expenses paid cruise after making my Vision Board Today I choose to live my GREATNESS You are not your stories. You are the story-teller. Your job is not your Source. Archives
May 2020
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