Gail Brenner – Pam Grout

Taz Grout 222 Foundation: spreading love and giving money away

December 2, 2022 32 Comments

“In these temporary human forms, we’re here to be used in service to the undivided, to the flow of life, to how love wants to move.”—Gail Brenner

By the time life’s biggest blessing landed in my womb, I had already accumulated a couple degrees, three decades of experience and some notable, if sporadic, accomplishments.

But it was Tasman McKay Grout that taught me all the things I really needed to know: how to slow down and marvel at tiny, everyday things, how to laugh and dance and sing as loud as I possibly can and how to make a fort out of sofa cushions.

But the two biggest lessons I learned from my brilliant, kind, creative daughter is how much love a heart can hold (Like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes that monumental day in October 1993) and how vital it is to embrace every day, every moment, every second.

Death has a way of slapping us in the face with the reminder that life is short and uncertain and that uttering or promoting any message but “I love you. I have always loved you” is a complete and utter waste of time. This is it, friends, right now. And the only question worth asking is “How can I use this right now moment to be more generous, wide open and fully alive?”

As you know, I consider myself the ground crew for Taz’s wise, now cosmic perspective. That’s why I started the Taz Grout 222 Foundation that every February 22 (2/22) offers a monetary gift to an innovative project or person with a big idea to change consciousness and therefore the world.

We’re committed to changing the story of the modern world from consumption and acquisition to the more meaningful pursuit of creativity and self-expression. We believe happiness comes from human solidarity, simple living, respect for nature and the empowerment of all.

We look for projects that support the following ideas:

1. All people long to be generous and create beautiful things.

2. The story of scarcity, lack and the need to fight for resources was made up and is no longer valid. We aim to prove that, once liberated from outdated paradigms, the world is generative and endlessly abundant.

3. We believe all humans are interconnected and that even tiny actions have great significance.

If you or anyone you know has an idea to help bring about a change in consciousness, please consider applying for the 2023 grant.

It’s easy to apply. Just send a description of your big idea to taz.grout.222.foundation@gmail.com.

The more creative the project, the more likely it is to be chosen. In the past, we’ve funded a free coffee shop in India run by survivors of acid attacks, a forest of 2222 trees, a library in Nepal, a regenerative agriculture project in Ontario (Taz’s Hot Dirt), a couple different dancing projects and Service Space, an international, all-volunteer troop of love bombers who I just happen to be going to India with next month.

I hope you, my friends here on the blog, will help spread the word about this year’s award.

I’ll end with this quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn: “At the deepest level, there is no giver, no gift, and no recipient…only the universe rearranging itself.”

Have the very best weekend of your life and, as always, #222 Forever!

Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World).

No expectations, no problems

July 26, 2022 33 Comments

“If the fire for happiness burns in you, there will be a moment of courage when you stop, step away from the force of conditioning and let yourself be still.”—Gail Brenner

Anyone who has ever read any of my books or follows this blog knows I have a deep and abiding love affair with quotations. I heard the following Hafiz quote the other night at a birthday party for a former researcher at the HeartMath Institute.

This was before the Jewish Mexican crooner wearing silver lame came out to serenade us on the rooftop overlooking Lake Chapala. Yes, we have fun here in Mexico.

For example, last night, I had the choice: naked yoga or the movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon. Let’s just say, Shia LaBeouf and Zak Gottsagen had just as much chemistry in the movie as they did on the Academy Award stage that year.

But I digress.

The quote I want to marry goes like this: “The subject for tonight is love. And for tomorrow night, as well. In fact, I know of no other topic for us to discuss until we die.”

This quote is all I’ve been thinking about. And it’s all I’ve been doing here in Mexico. Today, I went to a Course in Miracles meeting at noon and we ended up staying to talk about love for five freakin’ hours. I mean, how blessed can a gal be.

And here’s the thing. My day went nothing like I planned. On today’s “alleged” agenda was a hike up into the mountains with the hikers I met last Friday. Well, it poured down rain this morning and my thoughts, as thoughts are wont to do, tried to raise a few objections, attempted to start a field of resistance.

But instead, I took Lao Tzu’s advice about laughing at my thoughts, and guess what? I got to spend the entire day talking about love and possibilities.

Perhaps my favorite story was shared by a former student of Bijan Anjomi, a former Mr. Universe who teaches effortless prosperity. They were in Toronto one Saturday and somebody asked Bijan–“Is there anything you haven’t done that you’d still like to do?” He joked, “Well, I’ve never been arrested.”

That night, relaxing in his hotel room, Bijan had two knocks on the door. The first was a friend who just happened to stop by with one of his favorite foods. The next was the Toronto police.

Sure enough, he was handcuffed and taken down to the station. He told the officers he was flying out the next day and they assured him that was not going to happen because it was a Saturday night and no judge would be able to hear his case until Monday. He didn’t panic. He didn’t fret. He sat in his “cell” meditating, knowing he’d be on that flight the next day. I probably don’t need to tell you. He WAS on the flight the next day. A lawyer friend who knew a judge got the misunderstanding cleared up.

I love this story SO MUCH for two reasons: a) It demonstrates how quickly our words manifest and b) it shows how if you continue to laugh at all thoughts and embrace whatever experience shows up in each moment, life becomes effortless, peaceful and, yes, fun.

So, my friends, the subject for today is love. And for tomorrow. And for every day until we die. #222 Forever!

Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World).

Put down the duckie

December 30, 2021 17 Comments

“Until you know yourself to be essentially whole, and not the wounded and broken one who needs to be fixed, the true solution to your personal suffering will remain out of reach.”–Gail Brenner

So I was watching a documentary about Sesame Street. In one of the songs, Ernie was futilely attempting to learn to play the saxophone. All he could produce was a sorry-sounding squeak. Hoots, the Owl, finally diagnoses Ernie’s problem and launches into a clever song that I’ve decided to use as my New Year’s resolution: Put down the duckie.

Ernie is unable to play his heart out, to fully join the exuberant band because he refuses to let go of the rubber duckie he has been clutching to his heart.

The “rubber duckie” most of us non-Muppets refuse to surrender are the highly-conditioned thoughts and patterns that make up the ground of our awareness.

On the top of the list is the suffocating belief that we need to be fixed, that we’re not quite as good at “playing the saxophone” as the next guy. We also believe we must jump through a series of hoops to get there—wherever there is.

But the need to grasp onto that duckie is nothing but the ego’s opinion. And in 2022, the only voice I’m listening to is the one reverberating in my heart, the one that doesn’t come and go.

So bye-bye duckie!

I also want to announce that the Taz Grout 222 Foundation has finally chosen a candidate for the 2/22/22 award that happens to fall on a Tuesday (2’s day). As usual, there were SO MANY inspiring ideas. Reading through them all made me pump my fist in the air and hoot, “Shazam!”

People are out there doing amazing things. The Global Art Project for Peace, for example, pairs artists from around the world. Each creates a work of art (a song, a dance, a painting) that expresses their vision of global peace and goodwill and then every two years in late April the messages are exchanged, with peace circulating across the globe. Artists from more than 97 countries have participated.

Another beautiful candidate helmed by 25-year-old Romanian artist Florentina even has a “spokes-zebra” whose motto is “My stripes may be different, but my heart beats the same.” I also really liked their “We are all Stardust” t-shirts.

Like always, the winner will be announced on February 22.

In the meantime, East West Bookshop has asked me to do a Pop-up Possibility Posse. It’s on Zoom and, as the notice says, there’s no agenda, no set format…just a fun, high-vibe gathering where you can ask me anything.

My portion of the proceeds will, of course, go to the Taz Grout 222 Foundation.

I’d love to see you there.

So Joyful New Year, my loving, brilliant, inspiring friends. Let’s make this the year we put down the duckie for good. #222 Forever

Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World) that has just been turned into an app. Badass ACIM (badass-acim.com)