Category Archives: success

Undefended

If you want to see war, you will see a war everywhere. If you’re looking for dead ends, every turn will continually produce no outlet for possibility. If you want pessimism, there’s plenty to be pessimistic about. And if you want cynicism, there’s plenty of opportunities to be cynical. You don’t have to look far for this to be true.

However, the same can also be said for another way.

A better way.

If you want to see love, you will always find an opportunity to see great love lingering in the mundane. If you long for peace, moments for peacemaking will consistently present themselves via serendipity.

Whatever it is we seek, eventually we find it.

If you’re seeking a war, there’s probably one happening in your chest.

If you’re seeking love, then your heart has probably been transformed into a jukebox that is pumping beautiful ballads.

Question…what do you want to see?

In the end, we will only see the world in whatever the posture of our heart is, from moment to moment. And how we see, in the world, is how we will be in the world.

As we drop our weapons, which can often be loaded with opinionated bullets, we find ourselves undefended and open handed. It’s at this time that we find our hands are now prepared to catch and receive the truth that is being presented to us everywhere and all of the time.

And then, and only then, can we beautifully regift that truth back into the world and for the good of those we’ve been entrusted to lead and befriend.

The moment, this one happening right now, holds such holy potential to both heal old wounds or create new ones. Show me someone that is undefended and I’ll show you someone that is ready to heal the people, the moments, and the stories their life crosses paths with.

Tagged , , , ,

The Best of 2016 Let The Music Play Podcast

Dearest music maker,

I am so grateful for you joining me on the journey of making music with our lives. 2016 was a wonderful and beautiful year for Let The Music Play Podcast.

I remember the first time I ever interviewed someone twelve months ago. I didn’t know how to work the recording device and had no idea how much of an art form interviewing someone is. Nevertheless, I kept hitting record and asking my heroes, mystics, authors, artists, sages, and philosophers about the music they make with their life, relationships, and careers.

In this episode you will find a few of the highlights from the past year’s interviews. Enjoy!

And a BIG thank you goes out to Ryan O’Neal of Sleeping At Last for providing the music playing behind all of this wisdom shared!

Godspeed,

Ashton

cropped-ltmp_look1-1.jpg

 

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Words hiding in words…

Passion hides in compassion…as does compass.

Light hides in enlighten.

Be hides in begin, being, and better.

Maybe hide isn’t the right word here…especially once we’ve been given eyes to see them. Maybe rest is the appropriate feel and vibe for this conversation.

Heschel told us “words create worlds”.

It looks like they also unveil worlds within the worlds they create.

 

Tagged , , , ,

Happy New Moment.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Month.

Happy New Day.

Happy New Hour.

Happy New Minute.

Happy New Moment.

May you be a redemptive presence with the blinking cursors Life has gifted you with.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Great questions for reflection…

What do I know now that I didn’t know in the past?

Where and with whom do I experience gratitude?

What was always there that I now see everywhere?

How have I been surprised recently?

What was something I once thought to be true and now I know was a lie?

Where are the places  I find myself saying or thinking “Yes!”?

Where do I need to say “No more!”?

What do I want?

Who do I want to be?

Your answers should make for a lovely 2017.

Tagged , , ,