Dear Friend,

Okay, I know I said this week's article was going to be on how to let go of intentions to create what you truly want. But, being the executive and creative director of this e-zine, I am going to take the liberty to talk about something else. Don't worry - I will get to the other topic next week (probably). ;)
First let me share a short personal story. This morning I woke up, looking forward to hearing the beautiful sound of birds chirping outside my window. And instead I hear a really loud, down-right obnoxious beeping sound. It is occurring at 30 second intervals, like a high-pitched metronome that you can't turn off. (BTW, I recently began taking violin lessons, hence the music analogy. I will be writing more about this incredible learning experience soon...)

Anyway, it was loud and immediately annoying. It was the smoke alarm. I had just had the smoke alarm replaced last week, and here I was being subjected to this torment again. Well, I discovered it was a different smoke alarm. With a low battery.

I called my landlady and she said she would call the handyman to come and fix it. He would call me to arrange a time. Okay, so far so good. I decided to practice yoga and dropped into a forward fold. "Beep, beep, beep, beep" - the noise continued. "That's okay", I thought, "I can just observe the sound, knowing that I am beyond all sounds and sensations." I continued with my practice, changing my asana position. "Beep, Beep, Beep, BEEP" - the noise was seeming to get louder, although I wasn't quite sure how that would happen.

"BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP," this was clearly testing my equanimity.

"Okay", I though. "I can figure this out". I halted my yoga practice and went out to get a ladder from the garage. I then got to practice the "ceiling hang" pose, balancing on the very top of a rickety-ladder while trying to unhook the smoke alarm, all the while being slowly tormented by the beeping, as if I were a participant in an Edgar Allen Poe mystery.

Finally I yanked it down from the ceiling. No luck in locating the battery. Not to be deterred, I took the beeping device, which although I knew it was innocent, I felt like glaring at and throwing across the room. I stuck in the cupboard in the garage, and shut the door. And shut every other door on the way to my office. "Finally", I took a deep breath. And went back to my seemingly boring asana after the excitement of ceiling-hang pose.

I then got a call from the handyman - he could come by at 2:30 pm at the earliest. Hmmmm - good thing I took matters into my own hands.

I then received a suggestion to write about How to be Happier. I thought, "What perfect timing". And thus the following article was created.

Peace, Love, and Beauty,

Sarah Maria

How to be Happier - Strategies from a Smoke Alarm

The experience above illuminates perfectly the important balance between present-moment awareness, and future results, between the spiritual and the material, if you will. Here is what I mean:

It is helpful to be able to listen to a smoke alarm without going insane. It really is a helpful arrow to have in your quiver for dealing with life when things aren't exactly what you would like them to be. If you have something irritating in your life, such as a smoke alarm, or something more serious, and can't do anything about it immediately, it is extremely liberating to be able to witness it without letting it drive you crazy. By witnessing, you can begin to find freedom from compulsive and habitual behaviors and reactions. By witnessing, you can avoid screaming at your partner, your child, your plants, your animals, or my personal favorite, the smoke alarm.

You will keep your blood pressure lower, your health will be better, you will feel better and look better. You will have more peace and equanimity. All good things.

Yet sometimes when we focus exclusively on accepting everything as it is, we can lose touch with our desire to create something different; we might not even realize that we can create something different.

What does all of this mean for happiness?

Here is the key: Accept the present, intend the future, accept the present, intend the future. Yes, happiness is a minute-by-minute process. Happiness is not something we achieve at some future date. AND, you can do things in your life that can create more happiness. You can discover a career that will be more fulfilling; you can improve your relationships; you can spend more time with friends and loved ones. You can think about what will help you feel happy, and then work toward creating those things in your life.

Then when things don't work quite as planned, accept the present. When they do work as planned, accept the present. Accept the present; intend the future.

Practice equanimity when the beeping smoke alarm won't stop. Then hide it in the garage and get it fixed. You can practice observing the whole thing, and maybe, just maybe, you can stay happy the whole time... (smile)

You can change the circumstances of your life, whether it be your mental or physical health, your relationships, your finances, or anything else. Yet life also has twists and turns. Being happy is about being able to live in both worlds simultaneously - that of the detached observer, and that of the powerful creator. This way you can create the life of your dreams, and love the process as well.

The Best Kept Secret to Permanent Weight Loss
by Dr. Meltzer

I want to let you know about another book that I have been reading. The book is called The Best Kept Secret to Permanent Weight Loss by Dr. Meltzer. Just so you know, I like to read health books on a regular basis. Why? Because dietary information and research is constantly being updated, and being a bit of a health junky (except for those times it seems simply perfect to indulge in chocolate or frozen yogurt or some other possibly not-so-healthy-sugar-saturated treat...), I like to know what the latest findings say. What we put into our minds also has a way of influencing our lives, of helping us to create. So I try to read something about healthy eating/lifestyle to keep me practicing, if you will.
This book came my way and I decided to pass it along. It has some great information about so-called "superfoods", namely Spirulina and Brewer's Yeast, which have some AMAZING health benefits. I have started using them in my own diet. If you try them, please don't blame me for the taste of Spirulina, let's just say I forewarned you... :)

However, I do just have one very important caveat to this recommendation. If you are struggling with disordered eating, or have a history of disordered eating, I do not recommend that you use the power cleanse listed in the first part of the book. I recommend that you skip ahead to the more gentle phases. In my experience, anyone with disordered eating, emotional eating, or a history thereof should be very cautious about any cleansing.

That said, the dietary suggestions are great. I am incorporating many of the changes in my own diet, and he has some very interesting nutritional information that will make it a valuable addition to your health library. Check out the link below and you will receive some great gifts and bonuses:

http://www.maketimeforwellness.com/promo/

Sarah Maria is a body-image expert and teacher who can help you discover the beauty that you already are so that you can create a body and a life that you truly love. Her first book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life, is being published by Adams Media and will be available for purchase in November '09. She combines ancient spiritual wisdom with modern science and shows you, step-by-step, how to pacify your mind, heal your heart, befriend your body, and transform your life.

She has studied with the leading experts in health, spirituality, personal development, and success, including Deepak Chopra, physician Dr. David Simon (co-founder of the Chopra Center for Well-being in Carlsbad, CA), Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, renowned Ayurvedic physician Vasant Lad, and many others. She is a lover of eastern philosophy and spiritual wisdom and passionately shares these teachings that have so transformed her own life.

Before founding Break Free Beauty, Sarah Maria received her law degree from Stanford University and her Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University in NYC. She has lived and traveled throughout Latin America, and has also visited many countries around the world. Her greatest passion is helping people discover the beauty and the greatness that resides inside so they can live from this place of grandeur, transforming themselves and the world.