Tag Archives: Encinitas

Establishing Boundaries

Posted on by
51

When I visited the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) temple and gardens in Cardiff by the Sea, CA,  I appreciated the fence—boundary—installed between the gardens and the cliff.

Due to erosion, it’s imperative to keep visitors from stepping too far forward, which many people want to do because of the stunning photo opportunity.

When it comes to human beings, there are many types of boundaries: personal, professional, relational, social, ethical, etc. 

Boundaries are internal and external lines that we draw. They delineate where our — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual — space ends, and where another’s may begin. Boundaries establish what’s okay and what’s not okay. They help us:

  • Stand up for ourselves
  • Keep us from doing things we shouldn’t
  • Protect and take care of ourselves

Boundaries are not separation, they’re not division. Boundaries are respect for ourselves and others.

As I tell my clients, establishing boundaries is one thing, but it’s not enough. To be effective, they must also be maintained. 

[bctt tweet=”Are your boundaries in good condition? Are they effective?” username=”@TuesWithLaurie”]

Are your boundaries in good condition—are they effective?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Cowabunga!

Posted on by
56

In July, I enjoyed a week at my sister’s beach-side home in Cardiff by the Sea during the first leg of my book tour at The Book Catapult in San Diego. 

Moonlight Beach is but one of the many jewels in the beach communities of Cardiff by the Sea and Encinitas, California. It’s located in a residential neighborhood at the bottom of a steep incline that gently slopes into the Pacific Ocean. 

This well-loved beach receives a lot of face-time from local volleyball players because of the three beach courts. And with a large playground, ample picnic tables, lifeguards, and a snack bar, it’s family-friendly and perfect for a picnic or a day in the sun. The icing on the cake? Plenty of clean restrooms and showers.

While there, I enjoyed breakfast at the ever-popular Pipes Cafe, shopped at Seaside Market, visited the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple, and checked out the Cardiff Kook Statue. Cowabunga!

When was the last time you hung ten or stuck your toes in ocean water?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Got Mud?

Posted on by
60

When I travel to the San Diego area I make a point of visiting the meditation gardens at the Self-Realization Temple in Encinitas. Located on a cliff overlooking the ocean, their aquatic gardens are home to colorful koi fish and lotus flowers.

A lotus flower grows from the bottom of a muddy pond rising upward, emerging at the surface where it blooms into a beautiful flower. At night the petals close and it sinks beneath the surface only to re-emerge in the morning with the sunrise.

In my perspective, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh’s observation, “No mud, no lotus,” is a lovely metaphor for the human experience.

Have you got mud? Turns out, it’s a good thing!

© lauriebuchanan.com

Slip Slidin’ Away

Posted on by
29

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


Coming to you (almost) live from…

…can you guess where?

We were on the Pacific coast in California where almost anywhere you go on the beach you’ll find well-maintained seawalls and/or barriers to help maintain the integrity of the cliffs that overlook the ocean where erosion has become a serious problem due to unrelenting surf and storms.

As many of you know, the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple that’s perched on the cliffs near Encinitas is one of our favorite places to visit when we’re in southern California. It was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, a guru born and educated inIndia. The exotic-looking domes are what remain of the retreat that was originally built in 1937, followed by the construction of a Golden Lotus Temple at the bluff’s edge. By 1942, water draining from nearby hillsides softened underlying clay. This resulted in shifting earth, which plunged the temple down the cliff. Today, cautious measures are taken to stabilize the bluff and to control water seepage.

Coastal bluff instability poses serious problems because it threatens homes, business, roads, and railroad lines built close to the edge. The good news is that when thinking in terms of diminishing the wide-spread problem, the California Coastal Commission is testing environmentally friendly stabilization techniques.

What is it that slowly-but-surely chips away at—erodes—you? What stabilization techniques do you have in place?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com

© 2011 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved

Moonlight Beach – Encinitas, CA

Posted on by
22

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Moonlight Beach is one of the many jewels in the beach-community crown of Encinitas, California. It’s located in a residential neighborhood at the bottom of a steep incline that gently slopes into the Pacific Ocean. The word “moonlight” in the name comes from the fact that in the early 1900s, residents used to come to the area for midnight picnics.

This well-loved beach receives a lot of face-time by local volleyball players because of the three beach courts. And with a large playground, ample picnic tables, lifeguards, and snack bar, it’s family-friendly and perfect for a picnic or a day in the sun. The icing on the cake? Plenty of clean restrooms and showers.

Thinking about hangin’ ten? Just click on this LINK for the current weather and surf forecast.

Cowabunga dude!

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Self-Realization Fellowship & Meditation Garden

Posted on by
36

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

During a recent visit with my dad in Encinitas, California (Dec 31 – Jan 1) I spent time at the Self-Realization Fellowship and Meditation Garden. This location—founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda—is always included when I visit.

It’s a wonderful place to recharge one’s personal battery; to just sit and drink in the beauty with all of the senses; to meditate, relax, and renew. It was a welcome part of my journey. I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour.

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com.

© 2011 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved