Have you ever watched a musician perform? Im not talking about just listening, but really watching their body movements and facial expressions? Once I saw a Santana concert on TV. Ive always loved their music, but on that evening, as the camera cut to each band members solo, I was watching rather than listening. I started to notice how their personas transformed while they were singing, drumming or playing the guitar. Their faces contorted to the beat of the music, heads cocked from one side to the other, eyes closedlooking within. What I saw for the first time was how much passion Carlos Santana and his band members had for their music. It was as if they became the music. They were no longer performers on stage; they were music and soul, joined as one.

When my husband, Joe, decided to give up his eighteen-year career in high tech, he considered photography (a life long interest) as a new venture, but his logical mind didnt feel at ease with it. So I asked him some questions. How do you feel when you walk into a camera store and see all that equipment and beautiful photography displayed? Do you feel like a kid in a candy store? Do you love the smell of it? Do you want to stay forever? Do you even get a little excited? His answerYes! Yes! Yes to all of it! OK, maybe he didn't admit to getting excited, but photography was his passion, and to be true to himself, he needed to pursue it.

You can always tell if a person is passionate about something just by listening and watching her talk about it. Her face lights up and her eyes twinkle, as if theres a current of electricity swirling inside her. Think of TV personality Nigella Lawson as she licks cake batter off her fingers. You could almost taste the chocolate as you watch her gobbling it up and smacking her lips. Or, author Frances Mayes talking about her adventures in Italy. It makes you want to buy a villa in Tuscany and pick olives the rest of your life. Their passion for what they love makes them sensual, inviting and interesting Goddesses. When you see them, you think, I want some of what she hasthat energy... that joy. You can have it.

Passion is the feeling that comes from deep within your heart like a bubbling caldron of hot liquid. You can try to put a lid on it, but the steam escapes every now and then, reminding you of what is just beneath the surface, feeding your soul. Most of us have a passion for something in life. Maybe its spending time with your children, skiing or watching old movies. Its what gives you joy. Its what brings a smile to your face. Its what allows you the freedom of creativity without the burden of logic. Being passionate is a true sign of embracing the spirit of the goddess within. Find your passion and make it a part of who you are. When you unleash your passion in life, even the most mundane or stressful moments of your day become easier to handle.

5 Ways to Let Passion Flow:

Notice what makes your heart flutter, and do more of it.

Send loving thoughts to every task, person or situation.

At least once a week, do something you love for an hour.

Join a group with similar interests as yours.

Share your passion with others. (If its knitting, give away knitted gifts. If its cooking, bring a dish to a friends party.)

Excerpted from the book: The Goddess of Happiness, A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss