In a conversation with Ilene this week, she joked about how she felt like she was the boy who cried wolf.  I asked what she meant by that.  She replied, "I told people I didn’t think I would make it past my birthday (in June) and then I said I wouldn’t make it past August and here it’s September and I’m still here."  I replied, "And I’m so glad that you are still here."  We never know how much time we have. Treasure each day.

BTW–We’re getting really close to releasing the first podcast program featuring my interviews with Ilene. Look for an announcement soon.

Here’s another in our series of questions and answers with Ilene:

In your last posting, you mentioned going inward and pulling back from the external world.  Is this something you’ve already started and if so, what’s been your biggest surprise in that process? 

I have started trying to enforce (strong word here) a quiet meditative time each day.  This is a time where I go in and slow down and gently disengage for a while.  I am using meditative tapes and CDs.  One particularly great one is called Graceful Passages, given to me by a friend.  It has 12 different meditations to sound tracks from spiritual leaders of all faiths.  My favorite is a Vietnamese meditation, where the person sings so sweetly. I wonder at how the tragedy of the horrible war raged in that country can produce such a beautiful thing. 

The surprise is how peaceful I feel while doing this and the sense that all is right and as it should be.  I get more in touch with my state as truly the natural course of things.  It helps build my faith and trust that leaving this life is as natural as being born into this life.

Is going inward something we all should do from time to time? 

Well, that’s not something I can really answer for others. 

I find for me, going in is a way to touch a core place.  To not go in and find this core means that I may be on automatic pilot or even neglecting who I am and what really calls me, drives me.  Or maybe it means I am being distracted and might be missing something that is essential.  Even if that something is just stillness.  I am sure there are many ways to find this essential part of who we are. I think finding that still, quiet place inside, away from activity and business, is somehow essential.