Two weeks after Omega

I left Omega 2 weeks ago on a train to NYC, which was a nice slow departure plus the view along the Hudson River is quite beautiful and still helped me feel connected to Omega.  My visit with Kim was way too short and then I was on the train again headed for Chicago.  Train travel is its own unique adventure.  Sometimes they announce dining hours and other pertinent information and sometimes they don't.  Go figure!

The most incredible thing happened when I arrived at Union Station.  I hadn't even left the train yet & someone was calling my name.  Turns out my Redcap from my outbound trip wrote down my name & arrival date & met me at the train with a cart for me & my luggage.  Talk about nice service.

It is so noisy here in Chicago and I am still a bit out of sorts.  However, the great hugs & kisses from my grandsons has made the transition much easier.  I am happy to spend as much time with Greg & family as I can while I plan my next travels.  Next is my big 50th high school reunion next weekend, so I'll plan to update my blog after that.

I feel the Omega effect in my life each day and try to stay present.  One of my favorite things is just to walk everywhere like I did at Omega.  Today I walked about 5 miles round trip to two grocery stores.  Lucky for me the weather is beautiful.  It is wonderful catching up with friends here, but I miss my Omega friends too.  Oh well, such is life!

Scenes from Omega

Reflections on my final week at Omega

The conversation heard many times, "how can 7 weeks go so fast, but how come I feel like I've known these people for years".

One of the many gifts received here is to slow down and listen to the many messages being sent our way.  It happens everywhere, I'm sure, but we are so busy filling our heads with the daily minutia that we can't hear the important messages.  There are so many examples of that happening at Omega that when it happens, we just smile and say, "that's Omega".

To give you an example - my friend, Maria, was going to visit Montreal for a few days and had never been there.  I met a guest, Annie, one night at work from Montreal and mentioned that Maria was going there & that I wished they could meet so she could tell Maria what to see & do there.  Several times during the week I tried to find Annie in the dining hall so they could meet, but couldn't find her.  Finally I just decided to let it go and that it would happen when it was supposed to.  A few days later it happened that they were both there so I could introduce them & Annie told Maria all the great things to do in Montreal.  Also, gave her email to get in touch while there.  When Maria returned to Omega she said the best part of her trip were the things Annie had told her about & that they even met for dinner one night.  Amazing!

I know you can all see by now that my Omega adventure turned out to be an incredible experience and has changed the way I may live the next couple of years.  Stay tuned . . .

Being still is not the same as "doing nothing"

and other things learned at Omega:

- How to love myself first, so I can love others unconditionally

- Patience - how to wait in line and remember that one person's time is not more important than anothers

- Judgment - this is the purest example of a non-judgmental community

- That one person CAN make a difference

Namaste

It's August and the time is flying by

The highlight of this week was that Kim came up for a 2-day visit to experience what my life at Omega is like.  She blended right into my life here starting with lunch in the dining hall.  Our first day ended with our uphill climb to my 3-hour yoga class, which she thoroughly enjoyed.  Followed by a stop at the Cafe for cookies & social time with friends.  By the time she left at noon on Wednesday, we had toured the campus, she slept in my tent and we canoed on the lake, did Reiki, etc.  The Omega effect took hold of her and she didn't want to leave.

We also attended a workshop sampler where we learned another powerful meditation, which I will share with you here:

May you be Content
May you be Safe
May you be Strong
May you live a life of Ease