Podcasts about otherwhat

What is so preciousAbout the mirror of Mind?You cannot break it!* * *Finally we come to the third and last of the series, the middle-length liturgical poem from Ch'an Buddhism, Hokyo Zammai — Precious Mirror Samadhi by Tozan Ryokai, the founder of Soto Zen in China. Twice as long as Sandokai but only two-thirds of Hsinhsinming, we will have to compact our comments to squeeze it into a reasonably brief segment. So, jumping right in:The Dharma of thusness is intimately transmitted by buddhas and ancestorsNow you have it; preserve it wellWe can find sameness in the differing first lines, “The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences,” and especially “The mind of the great sage of India is intimately transmitted from the West to the East.” Preserving it well may have been more of an issue in the 800s than in the 600s and 700s. It is still an issue today. But are you sure that you really have it?A silver bowl filled with snow; a heron hidden in the moonTaken as similar they are not the sameNot distinguished their places are knownAgain, I come down on the side of interpreting these compelling images as derived from direct experience, rather than abstract references to symbolism. The change in awareness and apprehension of nondual reality that come about through zazen may not be an object of perception, as Master Dogen reminds us, but it changes perception itself. That is, we recover our original mind, before we distorted it with delusional interpretation of experience. The difference, however, is so subtle as to be nearly indistinguishable, like the whiteness of the snow and the silver bowl, or the heron and the moon. Their separate places are known precisely when they are seen as inseparable.The meaning does not reside in the words, but a pivotal moment brings it forthA “pivotal moment” is experienced, not conceptually grasped through words, however eloquent.Move and you are trapped; miss and you fall into doubt and vacillationMoving toward it is a move away from it. Or, like the rainbow, causes it to recede ever further away. If you miss this simple point, you find yourself in doubt and vacillation. But the condition is not terminal.Turning away and touching are both wrong for it is like a massive fireIt is burning, burning, burning, as Buddha taught. Like the sinner-man on the day of judgment, there is no escape. Everywhere you turn, there it is. But you cannot touch it, without getting burnt. It can, and will, touch you, however. The familiar nimbus, the flaming “halo” of Buddhist iconography, illustrates this. The increasing frequency and intensity of forest fires are manifesting it globally.Just to portray it in literary form is to stain it with defilementActually it cannot be stained, and it cannot be reduced to defilement. But you can make this mistake. Nonetheless, you must say something, if you are to encourage others to practice Zen.In darkest night it is perfectly clear; in the light of dawn it is hiddenRecalling Master Kisen's darkness in light and light in darkness, it is more apparent when we are not overwhelmed with light and sound. This is why practice places are tuned to moderate levels of stimulus.It is a standard for all things; its use removes sufferingThere is nothing against which it can be measured. All the measurables we can come up with are arbitrary, against its immeasurable, all-penetrating clarity. Its use enables us to discern the difference between natural and intentional suffering, the former being built-in, the latter being unnecessary. In which case, even natural suffering is found to be no longer unbearable.Although it is not constructed it is not beyond wordsWords can point to it, but point to everything that is not it. It is the source of language, though as Master Sosan assures us, it is ultimately beyond language. Our consciousness is independent of language. Originally, consciousness is not constructed. It takes time and some work to do that. It will take some time and work to undo it.Like facing a precious mirror, form and reflection behold each otherWhat is so precious about this mirror? Ordinary mirrors were surely precious in Master Tozan's time, being handmade, but there is something extraordinarily precious about this Zen mirror. “Form and reflection” beholding “each other” is as close to a description of the nonduality of human consciousness as may be found. Each, taken together, is clearly not “other,” but not-two, to borrow from Master Sosan. You are not it, but in truth it is youLest there still be confusion about self and other, form and reflection — and which is the subset of which — he kindly slaps you in the face with it. Otherwise, it is the wave, thinking that it is the ocean.Like a newborn child, it is fully endowed with five aspectsA reminder that even a newborn child is as close to this truth as the most aged sage. The endowment? Aggregation of form, feeling, thought, impulse and consciousness. No sentient being excepted.No going no coming no arising no abidingThe “unborn mind,” sometimes called the “uncreate.” Because it is unconstructed, it has no definable beginning or ending point. It does not begin with birth, does not end with death. While it appears to arise, abide, change and decay, it is only permanence that can apprehend impermanence. It is change.“Baba wawa” is anything said or not?In the end it says nothing for the words are not yet rightLike the newborn child, it is incoherent when it comes to expressing its truth. Long before language is acquired, the full expression of reality obtains. It does not rely on our knowing it, or on what we do or say. Matsuoka Roshi used to say, “You can talk all day and never make them understand.”In the hexagram “double fire” when main and subsidiary lines are transposedpiled up they become three, the permutations make fivelike the taste of the five-flavored herb, like the five-pronged vajraNo comment. I would have to study the I Ching to offer a credible interpretation. The five-flavored herb I take to mean all five basic flavors in one magical herb. Zen is tasteless, but nutritious, like water. The vajra is the thunderbolt, so one suspects this indicates some powerful mojo. The power of true self.Wondrously embraced within the complete, drumming and singing begin togetherDrumming and singing, again, probably have some traditional interpretation. I leave that to others. I take the drumming to be the initial pulse, the heartbeat, the vibrancy and thrum of inchoate life itself. The singing then would indicate the conscious celebration of life, which finds its beginning in drumming, but manifests later, in the full awareness of consciousness. They are of the same source, but different.Penetrate the source and travel the pathwaysembrace the territory and treasure the roadsThis source is to be penetrated in the inmost consciousness, the seat of existence itself. The pathways are those blazed by our forefathers, both in the everyday sense of society's history, and the particular directions established by our Zen ancestors. As Matsuoka Roshi would say, “The Zen person has no problem following the sidewalks.” The maps handed down to us are not the territory, as the saying goes, but we can treasure the roads, both internal and external, that lead to our original, true home.You would do well to respect this; do not neglect itNatural and wondrous, it is not a matter of delusion or enlightenmentWithin causes and conditions, time and season, it is serene and illuminatingCynics and skeptics abound, both today and in ancient times. It is difficult to accept that our birthright is so immediately accessible through so simple a method as just sitting still enough, long enough. But if we neglect this approach, in favor of the more intriguing and entertaining on offer, we may regret it. It is natural and wondrous, not artificial and ultimately disappointing. But the wonder of it is that it has nothing to do with delusion and enlightenment, other than sorting out our own delusion regarding enlightenment. No matter what the causes and conditions of this particular existence, no matter what season of the year, or of this life, we can return to this source, which is always there, serenely illuminating the reality of nonduality.So minute it enters where there is no gap; so vast it transcends dimensionA hairsbreadth deviation, and you are out of tuneAgain the measurables, the metrics, as we say today. Teensy-tiny beyond imagining, penetrating everywhere, inseparable from the all-encompassing, and in these days they did not have electron microscopes, or the Hubble telescope. But — and this is a big but — if you deviate even a hairsbreadth, which is pretty small, you get static. Like the old-timey analog radio dial. You have to be tuned in exactly. Zazen is your tuning fork.Now there are sudden and gradual in which teachings and approaches ariseWith teachings and approaches distinguished each has its standardWhether teachings and approaches are mastered or not, reality constantly flowsHuineng had done his thing by now, so the so-called sudden and gradual schools were a thing. Various teachings and approaches had arisen throughout history, so these were just the poster-boys at present. Once we stray from the natural and wondrous, we have the corporate standards in their place. But no matter how thoroughly we master them, and please their masters, it doesn't change a thing. What they are pointing to is, and was, flowing in front of your face, all along. And behind your face, as well.Outside still and inside trembling like tethered colts or cowering ratsthe ancients grieved for them and offered them the DharmaLed by their inverted views they take black for whiteWhen inverted thinking stops the affirming mind naturally accordsYou can spend the rest of your life as if you are actually sitting in zazen, or shikantaza, on the cushion, when you are not. Tethered to the practice out of fear, or other unworthy and/or mistaken motives, true masters see your suffering and try to help you overcome your ignorance. The monkey mind can believe that black is white, and vice-versa. As Matsuoka Roshi also said, “Some people can talk themselves out of existence.” But there is a natural way out of this dilemma. Let the monkey lie down, and take a nap. Voila!If you want to follow in the ancient tracks, please observe the sages of the pastOne on the verge of realizing the buddha way contemplated a tree for ten kalpasLike a battle-scarred tiger; like a horse with shanks gone greyTo want to follow in the ancient tracks, of course, implies that one already has some idea of where they purport to lead. We can no longer actually observe most of the ancient sages, of course, as they were not recorded for posterity in any medium other than their imputed, spoken words, and then much more than secondhand once written down. However, we trust the record to the degree that it can yield guidance concerning blind alleys and dead-ends to avoid. One of these is looking for the quick fix. This sage, reputed to be Shakyamuni, perhaps in a former lifetime, contemplated a tree for a long, long time. Endless lifetimes, in fact. The tree itself would have to be ancient, of course, much older than a horse with shanks gone grey. Maybe a redwood. But contemplation was apparently not all serene and blissful. Else, whence come the tiger's battle scars? Been there, done that — seen it all, somehow survived.Because some are vulgar, jeweled tables and ornate robesBecause others are wide-eyed, cats and white oxenBack to the quality of student we might expect, these days. Some are impressed by outer pomp and circumstance. But a robe can also hide a lot of sins. “Wrapping ourselves in Buddha's teachings,” as we chant when donning the robe, is already true, in your birthday suit. But in either case, you do not necessarily truly know it, becoming “wide-eyed.” “Cats and white oxen” are two answers to the popular question, “What kind of animal would you want to be?” As opposed to monkeys and wayward oxen, they represent the realization of true Dharma, which may be wild and natural, but also tamable.With his archer's skill Yi hit the mark at a hundred pacesBut when arrows meet head-on how could it be a matter of skill?Whether arrows meeting head-on was a common trope of the times, or an unattributed sampling of Sekito Kisen's original coinage of a century before, we will leave to the scholars. Yi apparently was an archer famous for his skill, but arrow points coming together — e.g. form and emptiness — is none of our doing. We must go beyond doing, to the point of non-doing, for nonduality to become clear.The wooden man starts to sing; the stone woman gets up dancingIf it — the insight that Zen points to — does become apparent, we are told, even insentient, inanimate objects begin preaching and illustrating the living Dharma. Matsuoka Roshi said, “That stone in the garden is alive!” The world comes to life with this insight, including our own life, the “roar of a lion in a hollow tree.” Like waking from a dream that seems real, as in the old standard. We have to hollow out the tree, however.It is not reached by feelings or consciousness; how could it involve deliberation?It bears repeating, again, that this awakening is birthed in shikantaza, “objectless meditation” — which seems an oxymoron. How can there be meditation, if there is no object? How can there be a subject, if there is no object for the subject to reflect? In form and reflection beholding each other, there is no room for anything else, such as an observer. No observer, no feelings. No feelings, no consciousness, as such. Deliberation outlived its utility long before, jettisoned with all the other excess baggage.Ministers serve their lords; children obey their parentsNot obeying is not filial; failure to serve is no helpA nod to Confucianism, but now in the context of personal liberation, liberation from all the above. It does not help to willfully avoid the sidewalks, trampling on the lawns and flower beds. One cannot be a minister, or even a son or daughter, in name only. Both parent and child must function as such, or give up the claim to filial piety, with all that that would entail in a Confucian society. If ministers do not serve their lords, they better have a really good reason. Simply failing to serve helps no one. We all serve one lord or another.With practice hidden, function secretly like a fool, like an idiotJust to continue in this way is called the host within the hostIf we make a big deal of our practice, showing up fully robed at inappropriate times and places, for instance, or making a show of our understanding of Zen in conversations about other issues, we are not understanding the natural and wondrous nature of Zen. Everyone is already practicing Zen, whether they know it or not, for Zen isn't anything in itself. It is simply the living out of life in the most conscious way possible. Functioning secretly, with regard to Zen, we are more likely to have a positive influence on others.A fool, or an idiot, here, simply means someone who does not care what impression is made upon others, and largely lives outside the mainstream of cultural norms and memes regarding fame and fortune, reputation, and so on. In doing so, one manifests the innermost, most intimate understanding — the host within the host — which naturally informs all interactions with the guest, any guest, whether the inner chattering monkey, or transactions with others in the normal course of events.Skillful or expedient means stem most naturally, and wholesomely, from the inner sanctum of the true self, where it is clear that there is “neither self nor other-than-self,” in this not-two road to nonduality. You cannot tell a book by its cover. So, no need to go changing our dust jacket to impress others.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

If you’ve ever struggled with comparison to others or even your former self, today’s episode speaks truth right into your heart.Ok this is the deal: I don’t want to admit I deal with comparison. And honestly, I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t deal with it as much from a person to person, body to body perspective. But I still fall into the trap of comparing my body to the one I used to have, or mothering, or my horrible skills as a food photographer, and lately as a communicator in an online space.I can’t wait for you to hear from my guest today, Heather Creekmore. You may know Heather from her first book, Compared to Who, which focused on body image. She’s written another book fabulous on comparison from all kinds of perspectives and why trying to be better may not be where God wants us. See the full show notes hereWe discuss:The stamp of approval we look for in what we doIdealization of comparing ourselves to the self we want to beHow “better” and other superlatives are comparative adjectives - and to what are we comparing?How to keep our heart and treasure in check to stay focused on God The idol of imperfection The importance of listening to God’s prompting and encouraging and supporting each otherWhat to do when we find ourselves comparing ourselves to others on social mediaWhat to do with our own measuring system The judgements we set for ourselves are different than the judgements God sets for usConnect with Heather:ComparedToWho.meCompared to Who PodcastInstagram: @comparedtowhoFacebook: @comparedtowhoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/comparedtowhoPurchase Heather's Books:PURCHASE COMPARED TO WHO? HEREPURCHASE THE BURDEN OF BETTER HEREConnect with Amy: GracedHealth.comJoin the Graced Health community on Facebook! Instagram: @GracedHealth Facebook: @Graced Health Amy.connell@gracedhealth.comWant a little more Jesus in your health? Sign up to receive a free 14-day health and body image devotional at gracedhealth.com/devotional Receive my e-mail only monthly journal (only ONE email per month) full of foods, workouts, music, and private pictures and notes. It’s my favorite way of connecting with you! Sign up to receive next month’s journal at www.gracedhealth.com/monthly-updates

How do you heal a broken marriage? We tackle that topic with two experts, Greg and Julie Alexander.They’ve helped over 5,000 seriously struggling couples in the past 20 years. Their success rate? 98%. By listening, you’ll hear:How Greg & Julie healed their marriage after both cheated on each otherWhat they offer struggling couplesSpecific advice, such as: What’s the first step to rescue a broken marriage? How can a couple heal from infidelity? What should you say to help a friend who is struggling in their marriage?Buy the book: Marriage 911: How God Saved Our Marriage (and Can Save Yours, Too!) [affiliate link]Shownotes: RestoredMinistry.com/30

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE…What it means to us to be ridiculously humanThe before and after of Jenna’s biggest life lessonAn outcome of Ashley’s work with a client that she didn’t expectHow we are most often misunderstoodWhat we don’t know about each otherWhat our billboards — or neon signs — would sayLINKS19 Podcast Interview Questions to Use + 5 Steps to Come Up With YoursThe Ridiculously Human PodcastManifest with AshAmerican Slacker PodcastDesus and Merochadtheva@gmail.comShare the Eff Perfect love with a fellow perfectionist, procrastinator, or people pleaser!And because we’re in this together, be sure to take the Eff Perfect Pledge.And follow us on Instagram @effperfect!Shop the lookbook

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with real estate agent from The Battle Group, Matt Leighton. Born and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Matt started his real estate career there. Matt focuses on attracting people with the same personality as him, and firmly believes that as an agent, you must focus on the clients' interests over yours.Let's dive right into Matt's story of rocking the mindset, “If it does not happen now, it's just not yet.”Things you will learn in this episode:[00:01 – 11:22] Opening SegmentI talked briefly about valuable information that you can take advantage of in this episodeI introduce guest, Matt Leighton, to the showMatt talks about his background and how his journey beganBorn and raised in Arlington, VirginiaStudied marketing at James Madison UniversityTook a sales job before getting into real estateMatt shares his passionsWashington Capitals HockeyArlington County It's not about gaining followers, but building a communityBeing true to yourself and showing the truth to your audience[11:23 – 18:31] Authenticity Resonates with PeopleIf you've just started in real estate or whatever hustle you're in, here's Matt's advice for you isGet a mentorTreat clients as a human being, not a transactionMatt’s goals to reverse the real estate agents' stigmaCaring for the clients. Putting their interests ahead of yours Matt talks about his mindset when dealing with clients[18:32 – 35:56] Focus on the Audience You Want to AttractMatt shares why he got into YouTube and the purpose of his channelTo attract people and show what he can offerHow has your channel evolved, and how has the kind of content you are producing changed over the last five years?Video marketing gives a face and a voice to the brandProviding value-added content with no expectations in returnMatt gives us a view of the process of creating his content and the equipment neededGoing for progress instead of perfectionWe talk about a video on Matt's channel[35:57 – 42:31] The FOCUS FIVE SegmentWhat book have you gifted most often?The dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko WillinkIf you can get an hour of somebody's time and ask questions, who would that be and why?Abraham Lincoln. Just imagine how divisive it was when the nation was pit against each otherWhat is one thing that you believe that most people would disagree with you on?I think eating by yourself is a colossal waste of time and I'd rather spend my time workingGive us a glimpse of your morning routine; how do you start your day?Getting up, drinking 32oz of water, and stretchingWhat is the best place we can connect with you online?See links below Tweetable Quotes:"I'm not in it for, like, right now. I'm in it for when the time actually does happen. So, if it doesn't happen now, it's just not yet." – Matt Leighton"People don't resonate with perfection; they don't relate to it. I think they relate more to a genuine video." – Matt Leighton"Don't compare your day 1 to someone else's year 5." – Matt LeightonResources mentioned in the episode:The Battle GroupThe Dichotomy of LeadershipYou can connect with Matt on Instagram. If you are interested in getting into real estate or buy and sell in the Arlington, Virginia areas but don't know where to start, check out his YouTube channel, or visit his website https://themattleighton.com/. LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to explode their business growth by sharing this episode or click here to listen to our previous episodes.Are you working HARD but not really moving the needle on anything? You should check out my POWER LIST and find out how you can get more done to move your business, project, or relationship closer to where you want it to be. Let’s go!To know more about me and all the real estate opportunities you can find, check out my website at Hansstruzyna.com. Get the chance to talk with me for FREE. Set up a call using this link https://calendly.com/h-struzyna/15min See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you been finding it difficult to stay consistent with a certain project or business? Have you experienced a setback you're having trouble coming back from? Have you been feeling discouraged and unmotivated? This is the episode for you! Lilly and I chat about what it truly takes to get an idea off the ground and what it means to have grit. We will discuss:Who Lilly is, where she's from and her storyLilly's favorite social media platform and whyAdvice for people who want to be an online creatorWhat it's like working with your significant otherWhat starting a business TRULY looks like at the beginningLilly's accident last year and how she coped with itLearn more about Lilly:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lillysabri IG: https://www.instagram.com/lillysabri/Website: https://www.leanwithlilly.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilly.sabri/ Follow the ItTakesGritPodcast on Instagram!If this podcast has helped you in ANYWAY, please share with at least one person and leave a REVIEW, it makes a huge difference to the podcast and I want to hear from you :-)****LIMITED TIME ONLY!***Get the pre-sale of the It Takes Grit book with a ton of BONUS features - https://rebecca-louise.com/pages/bookJoin us on the It Takes Grit Workout and Book tour - https://rebecca-louise.com/pages/tour

In this episode, AJ and Kevin sit down with Mike McKay, Assistant City Engineer for Lubbock, Texas, for a wide-ranging discussion on the past, present, and future of the engineering profession, and its role in the way we’ve built our cities.Some of the ground we cover in this episode:The relationship between engineers and planners—how it could improve, and what each side should understand about the otherWhat it means for our cities to be sustainable, and whether we’re on the right track in any meaningful waysWhether street standards and specification should have flexibilityWhat the ideal Capital Improvement Plan looks likeLong-term maintenance costs, and whether engineers tend to consider them when evaluating new developmentThe overemphasis on auto-based mobility, and where that leaves planners and engineers who want to make life easier without a carHow to increase support for additional infrastructure funding when cities are struggling to find the moneyWays to modify design approaches to be more considerate of long-term maintenance costs and to minimize up-front construction costsHow the different staff members in a city’s development process can better collaborateAdvice for cities in the early stages of growthLessons learned from Mike’s long engineering career--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, & Gary Numan.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-44 

In this episode, James Cleary, Matt Campbell and Marcus Craft hit the garage to talk about all things motoring, including:Your feedback and the winner of the coveted CarsGuide flat brim capMatt ponders whether good things come in small car packagesCrafty gives us an idea of what it was like pitting the Suzuki Jimny and new Jeep Wrangler against each otherWhat we've been driving this week, including: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan, Isuzu MU-X, Holden Trailblazer and Porsche 911And, as always, MuskWatch - This week: Elon plugs his mugs, SpaceX has a not so perfect return to Earth, emails get leaked and the guys talk Tesla share pricesYou can get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter (#CGPodcast) and Instagram, or let us know if you'd rather a Jimny or a Wrangler by emailing comments@carsguide.com.au

You may be wondering what sales strategy and money mindset have to do with one another. A lot of the times when we make money, we feel like it’s not safe to do so because of what we learned about money when we were younger. My guest today, Erin Lindstrom, is here to explain what sales strategy has to do with money mindset.Erin is a sales strategist and money mindset coach for high-vibe female entrepreneurs. She helps her clients achieve their business goals with a blend of down-to-earth spiritual tools and practical techniques. We are going to learn how to eliminate our money blocks and take our businesses to new heights today. We talk about:How copy and sales are related to each otherWhat common money and mindset blocks there are in businessWhat sales strategy and money mindset have to do with each otherPractical tips you can implement to overcome your blocksMetaphysical ways you can work with your mindsetOne thing you can do this week to improve your money mindset and start earning moreHead to thelaunchguild.com/podcast for more info See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alexa headed to DC in January for the third annual Women's March, braving frigid temps to stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow marchers from all walks of life. We talked about the difference between Nancy's experience at the first march, and Alexa's experience, as well as the controversies around the march. Get all the show notes with links at http://losethecape.com/podcast/167 In this episode, we talked about: Why Alexa went to the Women's MarchNancy's experience at the first Women's March versus how she feels nowThe issues around the Women's March leadershipTamika Mallory's support of Louis FarrakhanPro-Palestinian versus Anti-Semitic, and understanding Linda SarsourNo topic is cut and dry--the lines are constantly crossing each otherWhat's up with the pink hats?!Can we support the women's march without getting embroiled in the controversy?The importance of understanding the issues before getting involved in them or talking about them.Recognizing white privilegeThe article Nancy mentioned about Tamika MalloryGet the FREE Me and White Supremacy workbook by Layla Saad HERE.

Sidney Spencer Marlborough “Epigenetics of mental health disorders including eating disorders and addictions”. She answers just that on PHIT for a Queen podcast: Cindy said the only way to describe retirement on a sport was almost like the loss of a lifelong friendSydney stated that she had to give herself Grace to deal with the wave emotions in the length of time it took for her to accept retirementThe woman I am today was because of the values I learned in sportSports help create a natural leadership abilityHusband was a great support system when Sydney felt like she had no purpose he simply said just put one foot in front of the otherWhat comes out of challenging situations can be very rewardingDuring transition, it's important for athletes to know what resources are available and encourage use of those What is Sidney up to now: Complete Strength Gym -Lee’s Summit, Missouri: http://www.complete-strength.com/   Sidney Spencer basketball consultant: https://www.facebook.com/SidneySpencerBasketballConsultant/ So you know she is legit: Sidney Spencer is an American professional basketball who most recently played for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.Born in Hoover, Alabama, Spencer attended the University of Tennessee, and in April 2007 led the team to the national championship. That same month, she was selected in the 2nd round of the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks    Spencer received the 2003 Alabama Miss Basketball award. A product of Hoover, Alabama. Sidney joined the Lady Vols after an award-laden prep career. She was nicknamed the "Big Show" by her teammates and friends and was selected as a 2003 Adidas All-American. She was also honored as 2003 "Miss Basketball" by the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA). Sidney was chosen as the ASWA 6A Player of the Year in 2003 for the second-consecutive season. Also selected as the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year her senior year.  2003 Alabama 'Miss Basketball'- '02 and '03 Alabama 6A All-State and Player of the Year- 4 Seasons at the University of Tennessee under Pat Summitt- 4 Time All-SEC Academic Team- '07 National Champion- 5 Years in WNBA- 7 Years in Europe