When I first embarked on my spiritual journey, I learned the language of "ego and spirit."

Ego always asks, "What's in it for me?" and uses the words "me, my, and mine."

Spirit uses a different language.

Spirit asks, "How can I serve?" and "How can I connect?"

When I started to meditate and connect with spirit, my awareness of spirit grew.

It was like building a muscle.

Eventually, it got to the point where my spirit overshadowed my ego.

My ego was still there. It just wasn't running the show anymore.

When I started to live from the level of spirit, I started to suffer less.

When I am connected with my spirit, or authentic self, my judgments and criticisms tend to drift away. I start to live in "Flow."

Tai Chi is all about getting into the flow. We learn to move like nature, connected with spirit, and with an open heart.

I can be with the suffering of others and respond with compassion instead of trying to fix, dismiss, or avoid.

I feel more connected with all beings and am learning to live in harmony.

It’s not always easy to live from spirit because my ego always seems to want to take the wheel.

I tend to fall back into ego at certain times, especially if I am not consistent with my tai chi practice.

It takes a daily practice of mindfulness meditation and mindful movement to keep my spirit strong and resilient.

This is the type of life I want to live...

I choose to cultivate a flexible body, a balanced mind, and a compassionate heart.

What do you do to connect with spirit?

"Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are." - Brené Brown