Name: Cyndi Streid
Where you live: Midwest, USA
What you do as a vocation or avocation?
Internal consultant to a Fortune 50 company pays the bills and I pursue writing as a published author. My passions are mentoring, collaboratively sharing with others to strike positive changes in my and their thought processes and actions and continuous learning about human nature.
Your two favorite books:
Naked Feet Living: Finding Your Real Self At Work and In Life, and not because I co-authored it. Our feedback is right on target with our intent in writing it. This book is relatable by the masses. In these busy times, “Naked Feet” is a quick, fun read with probing questions for all so that no matter where you are in life you will find something for yourself in this writing.
Books of choice then include The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield as it makes me think beyond this world and because I truly enjoy getting to know characters and love a good belly laugh, I read the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.
Your two favorite songs:
Music is such a draw for me. Love most genres and what I play is usually mood dependent. However, one of my all-time favorites is “Feeling Alright” by Huey Lewis, from the Duets CD. It is the song I always played first when going out for my initial boat ride of the season – just makes me smile uncontrollably as I drive over the waves (and well, bounce on the balls of my feet!).
Two songs that resonate deep within me and open my heart and head to the beauty around me are “Father’s Eyes” by Amy Grant and “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe. These songs stop me in my tracks. I feel the air fill my lungs as if nothing is an automatic response or a given. I slow myself down to the point of reflection in an instant and sense enlightenment around me.
Why you are interested in spirituality?
Spirituality, to me is connectedness. It is the connection to those we physically share this world with and to the angels all around us. Our life’s lessons are forged through these connections, thus spirituality occurs as the alpha, omega and everything in between for me. I love that regardless of a person’s beliefs and choice of worship, spirituality can experienced individually, in small groups or large gatherings. Spirituality is spacious in that it really is ‘one size fits all’ and I truly love exploring other ‘spaces’ of this phenomena cherished by others.
Your favorite quote:
I am very moved by a multitude of quotes. One I penned for myself that always calls me to step up my game is, “Forgive and Live”.
Your favorite web sites:
These vary with what is happening in life and right now Overstock.com is a leading favorite! This has everything to do with currently renovating and decorating my home.
A second hotspot is Facebook.com which allows me to keep up with friends and colleagues around the globe. How cool is that!
Your hero?
It’s really hard to look beyond Jesus Christ, due to his continued faith when he couldn’t predict the future and his ultimate trust in God, the Almighty. However, I think there are heroes among us and are all around us. I have a special affinity for people who take the time to examine their lives to understand their strengths and weaknesses and grow from this knowledge. Those who search to understand their purpose and core values and then align their lives accordingly. People who forgive themselves (a most difficult task) as well as others and live their life forward, looking at each day anew with wonder vs. bringing their past experiences, feelings, hurts and doubts into whatever they are now dealing with. These people, regardless of occupation, creed, color, orientation, social status, etc. are my heroes.
A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?
The lesson that continually brings butterflies to my stomach is to trust what cannot be seen and to truly enjoy the depth of unconditional love surrounding me.
A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"
I feel fortunate to be able to ‘connect’ in a lot of different places and ways. My “common” places include a quiet morning on my patio; watching a beautiful sunset; anywhere, anytime near or on the water, ocean or freshwater, doesn’t matter; a quiet night on a mountain top when all there is are the stars to look at and total silence; and any time after the first few hours of a long drive. These times and spaces quiet my mind and allow for an infusion of energy not experienced in my daily life.
As for special places in the world where I’ve felt connected, ruins of the world provide the same energy infusion – Ephesus, Olympus, the Parthenon and the Forum, as well as large religious gathering spots such as Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey, St, Peter’s Cathedral and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, to name a few.
I wasn’t surprised to be energized by the ruins of the world as I’ve always felt myself an old soul and drawn to old world ways of learning and living. However, to experience this in the churches of the world took me by surprise as I have yet to experience this in the churches I attend as a parishioner.
Check out Naked Feet Living’s website at: www.nakedfeetliving.com
No comments:
Post a Comment