Being in the Now

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Being in the Now.

What does that mean exactly?

How can we just BE in this moment when there’s so much to do!

Projects.

People to see.

Bills to pay.

Life to live.

Earlier today I saw this word online: Focus.

A popular online personality said that she is going to make it her main word for the year –FOCUS. As in focus and get things done.

Okay, I thought, Yes, I do seem to get a lot done when I focus. It is definitely how I’ve been conditioned to BE in this world in order to be a productive, contributing member of society.

And yet . . .

There’s soooo much beauty. Soooo much peace when I’m BEing in the now. Savoring each breath. Noticing what’s going on around me. Within me.

And then I thought of TRUST. What it means to trust.

Okay, if I’m telling myself I need to focus. Put myself on some kind of a schedule. THEN I’m telling myself that I HAVE TO be that way in order to be productive. In order to accomplish whatever. Be a good citizen. Contribute to society at large.

And if I don’t, well, I’ll be a failure. Tossed about at the whim of whatever pulls my attention this way or that.

*****

And that brought me to some day in time when an image of a boat being tossed about at sea was the topic du jour. The warning of what can happen when one lives a life unplanned. Unfocused.

*****

And yet . . . when I reflect on my life, I recognize how unconventionally I’ve been living. How I have been letting myself be pulled this way and that by whatever is grabbing my attention in the moment. And still . . . in the midst of it all, I have been productive. Have accomplished things that could be considered successful to the outside world.

All while letting go and allowing the current to take me where it will.

*****

Okay, Sj, what are you trying to say?

Well, I think I’m trying to say that it’s possible to do both. To BE in the now and also focus on whatever interests us in the moment.

Because I’m realizing that being focused is as much a part of my nature as is daydreaming.

When I read a good book, I get lost in it. That’s focusing.

When I’m writing whatever, I get lost in it. That’s also focusing.

And when I used to compete in sports, I’d get lost in the moment. Thinking of nothing else except what I was doing. Another form of focusing.

And ALL part of my nature. Who I am.

So . . . on this Saturday morning when I thought I’d be out the door by now, I’ve been pulled to sit and write. To think and reflect.

Was it wrong? Should I have been doing something else?

No.

Because I’ve come to trust this guidance so well.

To trust my soul’s promptings.

It’s gotten me to where I am now. And this now is really, really good. ;-)

xoxox Sj xoxox

P.S. I made an Sj from the Heart video a few weeks back called “Being in the Now.” I had it scheduled to post on YouTube sometime in March (another video was going to be posted today), but . . . in the way that life just keeps unfolding and continually showing me that I’m not in charge, I changed which video would post today to the one you see below (to match this blog post). And there you go. Life is always, always changing, and we’re always, always being guided. ;-)

P.P.S. The image above is of a shower curtain, lol, being tossed about at sea. It is available for purchase if you like it. No, I don’t make any profit off of that, lol. Just find it funny that the image I found that I like is for a shower curtain. Also saw that it comes as a mouse pad and rug. Again, lol.

Prints Now Available

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Jocelyne Champagne Shiner’s AMAZING ILLUSTRATIONS

from My Life as a Mule are now available for purchase by clicking HERE.

Choose either 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 for your high quality Art Paper prints.

They will definitely bring warmth to your home as you savor Jocelyne’s masterful drawings.

Mahalo for your continued LOVE and support.

Wishing you the BRIGHTEST of holiday seasons.

xoxox S j xoxox

Rumi on Steroids

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Okay, please know that I am NOT saying that *Rumi took steroids.

I have never met Rumi.

He died a long time ago.

I don’t even know if people took steroids then.

But . . . I just read a poem of his that is much longer than the short sayings that are often posted in social media. And I thought, “Wow! Rumi on steroids! Go Rumi go!”

And then I realized, “Wow! This relates to a conversation I just had yesterday with neighbors. And to a discussion at one of the Trust Train Bookclubs I attended.”

Rumi lived in 1207 to 1273, y’all. And yet what he wrote so long ago is still relevant today.

Thank you Rumi for being You.

Thank you for taking the time to write down what came to you.

And thank you to all of YOU who are taking the time to read this now.

Be with this.

Blessings to YOU as you live your day as the SHINING STAR that you are. <3

**The Shepherd’s Prayer

Moses saw a shepherd on the way, crying, “O Lord Who choosest as Thou wilt,

Where art Thou, that I may serve Thee and sew Thy shoon and comb Thy hair?

That I may wash Thy clothes and kill Thy lice and bring milk to Thee, O Worshipful One!

That I may kiss Thy little hand and rub Thy little feet and sweep Thy little room at bed-time.”

On hearing these foolish words, Moses said, “Man, to whom are you speaking?


What babble! What blasphemy and raving! Stuff some cotton into your mouth!

Truly the friendship of a fool is enmity: the High God is not in want of suchlike service.”

The Shepherd rent his garment, heaved a sigh, and took his way to the wilderness.

Then came to Moses a revelation: “Thou has parted My servant from Me.

Wert thou sent as a prophet to unite, or wert thou sent to sever?

I have bestowed on every one a particular mode of worship,

I have given every one a peculiar form of expression.

The idiom of Hindustan is excellent for Hindus; the idiom of Sind is excellent for people of Sind.

“I look not at tongue and speech, I look at the spirit and the inward feeling.

I look into the heart to see whether it be lowly, though the words uttered be not lowly.

Enough of phrases and conceits and metaphors! I want burning, burning: become familiar with that burning!

Light up a fire of love in thy soul, burn all thought and expression away!

O Moses, they that know the conventions are of one sort, they whose souls burn are of another.”

The religion of love is apart from all religions. The lovers of God have no religion but God alone.

May we ALL Light up a FIRE of LOVE in OUR SOUL and burn, burn, burn. <3

* In case you’ve never heard of Rumi, CLICK HERE to go to his Wikipedia page.

** I read this poem in a cool book I found at the Friends of the Lihue Library’s June book sale called The Mystic in Love: a treasury of world mystical poetry edited by Shelley Gross. © 1966.

Pedrata & Carved Bird

We Meet Who We’re Meant to Meet

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Yes, we meet who we’re meant to meet exactly WHEN we’re meant to.

The Good.

The Bad.

And the Ugly.

And as we become more and more aware that We Are All One, we can meet each and every experience with Love.

Really, Sj????

Yes, really.

But so many people are acting so hatefully these days.

Love them anyway.

Even as you love yourself.

Why? Surely they don’t deserve it.

EVERYONE deserves to be loved. Everyone.

Especially those who are behaving so unkindly.

What the…???

Think about it.

If someone is behaving so unkindly, do you think they love themselves?

Treat themselves with kindness?

Most probably not.

And acting out as they are, they are actually demonstrating OUR shared fears. Of the unknown. Of change.

Even if they don’t realize it.

So when you meet that seemingly random person on the street, on the internet, or even in the press, please know that BOTH of your Souls have organized that “chance” meeting. For the smile you share, the LOVE you embody, may be the ONLY act of kindness that person experiences on that day.

xoxox Sj out xoxox

(But PLEASE Please please remove yourself from ANY situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. You can love that person–or thing OR experience–from a safe distance. ;-)

Pedrata with Smiley Face Tree

Pedrata with Smiley Face Tree

Reading 'My Life as a Mule' on an airplane.

Summer Reading Fun

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Whether you’ve got a long flight to somewhere,

or are hanging at the beach with your toes in the sand,

or . . . just want to beat the summer blahs,

Molly the Mule’s journey as experienced in ‘My Life as a Mule’ is the perfect companion.

But don’t take my word for it, read the lastest review on Amazon.

Happy reading . . . and here’s to an awesome 4th of July!

xoxoxo Sj xoxoxo

Radio Interview on KKCR with Tracey Schavone

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Kaua‘i Vibrations’ Host Tracey Schavone Interviews Local Authors on an Upcoming Book Signing & Reading Event on Friday, May 3rd from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Kaua‘i Society of Artists Gallery at the Kukui Grove Mall.

Authors Sj Hylton LeHoven (My Life as a Mule) and Laurel McGraw (The Tale of the Savannah Coin) pair up for an interview with KKCR host Tracey Schavone.

Also included in the May 3rd event are FOUR MORE local female authors (click on their name for access to their book/s):

Carol A. Peacock-Williams

Dawn Kawahara

Pamela Varma and

Sally Jo Manea

Come out for an evening for FUN!

Children are welcome!

Sj & Pedrata black & white

Celebrating My Life-long Companion

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Madame Intuition.

She’s been with me every step of the way.

Sometimes silent and hiding in the shadows.

Sometimes whispering at my ear.

And sometimes—JUMPING UP and DOWN right in front of my NOSE!

Whether I’m paying attention or not, she’s there.

Intuition. Our ever-present friend and guide.

xoxox Sj xoxox

Pedrata Gotham Comedy Club

It’s time to laugh!

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Sit back and relax. It’s time to laugh!

With Sj at the Gotham Comedy Club, February 2019.

Well, it WAS time to laugh along with this video. When I posted it. And for 6-months I left it up. But NOW I feel it’s time to REMOVE it from YouTube. (So you’re just seeing an image of the video that was.)

Why?

Because if I’m going to continue doing this, I want you to COME TO A SHOW! rather than watch on-line. Yes, I’d like for you to be surprised by what takes place. To not already have an idea of what’s to come.

So, MAHALO to those who checked it out while it was still up.

And MAHALO to those who missed it and who will find me in person someday (and perhaps you’re BOTH, someone who watched it and someone who’ll find me out in the world … ;-)

I will be taking a road trip soon and plan to continue to KNOCK MY SOCKS OFF WITH FEAR by going to open-mics all across the country.

Who knows what will happen?

I sure don’t!

But this I DO know. I’ll keep showing up.

Time and time again.

I’ll just keep showing up.

xoxox Sj xoxox

Twiggy hands in the air

The Scariest Things…

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The Scariest Things are usually the most rewarding.

I learned this years ago as a young girl.

Travel on my own to a foreign country?

SCARY!

But very, very rewarding!

Take a class in stand up in NYC?

SCARY!

But happily, also rewarding.

Last month while sitting on my porch sipping hot tea, the URGE hit me again.

“Go to NYC, Sj. Take that class again!”

“Really????”

“Yes, really.”

“Okay,” I replied.

And now, I’ve got my HANDS in the air and am trusting that I’ll land on my feet.

What’s that scary thing that knocks YOUR socks off?

Today is the day to give it a try.

I think you’ll be glad you did. ;-)

Here’s the video from my debut five years ago. May it bring enjoyment to your day.

(Deleted it as well as the other that I had posted. Here’s a pix of what WAS there…perhaps we’ll get to see each other in person some day. ;-)