Sounds So Simple

Yield and overcome,

empty and be full.

Have little and gain.

Have much and be confused.

Not putting on a display, not justifying,

Not boasting, not bragging.

Be really whole and all things

will come to you.

Lao Tzu

          
The above quote was on my friend's blog:  Nan Yoga-Along the Path.  She has a way of choosing quotes that directly connect with my heart.  These words just resonate within me, (especially the "... empty and be full. Have little and gain" ) although we generally would be thinking the opposite.

At times our lives are so full, we tend to lose our focus or our intentions become diluted.  There is another saying "Less is more," (I don't remember who authored it) which seems contradictory to what our culture believes. 

So if we strive to get rid of excess and what no longer serves us, and open to simple spiritual truth, we will receive what we need.  Life surely would not be as complicated.  It would be more calm, peaceful, honorable and respectful.  Sounds so simple!

 

Shifting Perceptions

Messengers:

We have very few, if any, limitations in how we may appear.  We may be animate or inanimate, beautiful or repulsive, impressive or mundane.  We may be astronomically large or microscopic.  We could manifest as a rainbow, a scrap of trash, a sequence in a dream, a rainstorm, a digital impulse on the Internet, a blown fuse, or gust of wind.  The image we project could last a nanosecond or a billion years.

Todd Michael
THE EVOLUTION ANGEL



Recently, I have been exploring a book written by Todd Michael who served as a medical director of an emergency room and Level III trauma center.  THE EVOLUTION ANGEL is Todd Michael's documentation on a wide range of experiences he had while witnessing well over 500 deaths.  He reports communicating with spirits or angels or messengers.

The author tells us to always treat others with respect as they may be messengers who are a projection of God.  "We could manifest as a car driving too slowly in front of you, making you 'late' for an appointment.  We could be an animal crossing your path, a retarded person staring at you in a checkout line, a leaf falling into a pond that grabs your attention at just the right moment, a ragged homeless person asking you for money, or a small child smiling at you on the bus."

"For this reason, it is wise to treat everyone as if they were a messenger, a direct extension of God.  Be careful. Any stranger, any living creature you encounter may actually be a messenger.  Don't make a fool of yourself by being rude or aloof to a messenger of the divine."

To discuss whether or not Todd Michael's experiences are fact or fiction, is not my intention.  We are all entitled to our beliefs and I find his information to be most interesting.

What a different world we would live in if we shifted our perspective and remained mindful that God is in every single thing intending to support, encourage, and guide us through our life experiences.  We would never feel truly alone and the fear driven culture we live in would become more optimistic.  If we would open our eyes, truly open them, we would be aware of the magical world surrounding us. 

Two books,  ANIMALS SPEAK and NATURE SPEAKS written by Ted Andrews are wonderful books as a resources for understanding symbolism in animals and nature.  When we have an animal cross our path, and look up the symbolism of that particular animal, our life experience takes on more depth.  When a particular tree or flower keeps grabbing our attention, we can research it.  When the information is applied to our situation, we discover greater meaning and enhancement. 

Divine Spirit has surrounded us with angels, messengers, spirits, nature, and great synchronicity.  Our world "could" be a spiritual playground if we would only listen and shift our perceptions.

Extending Light

The multisensory personality sees Divinity or God or Divine Intelligence or whatever word it chooses to use for this, as Light.  It sees those through whom Divinity flows consciously, such as the Christ, the Buddha, and Krishna, as beings of Light, beings of wholeness, integration, and completeness.

Gary Zukav

THE SEAT OF THE SOUL

Light is energy and light as Divine Energy is in all things ... both living and inanimate objects.  Auras of energy or light can be seen around plants as well as human beings.  If a rock is held in our hand or if we sit on a large boulder, eventually we will begin to feel energy coming from the formation.   All elements of life have energy or light:  water, air, fire, and earth.

So if we can sense the presence of light or God in all things and all beings, we are called to treat everyone and every thing honorably or with respect.  If we maintain the awareness of Divine being present, our actions are called to a higher level of relating.

Violence or harsh reactions attract very abrasive energy over shadowing the light within us.  When we allow our light to stay strong, we operate on a higher frequency or more compatible vibration.

As an energy worker (Reiki Master and Karuna Reiki Master) I use light every day.  I send light or energy to those who are challenged or to those whom I love dearly.  The more I use energy, the stronger my light grows which allows me to extend light out into the world. 

Light can be thought of as Divine Energy or prayer or love as it takes on many forms.  As we open our hearts and let our light shine from within we attract more light and make our surroundings a better place to be.  Let us be more deliberate in extending our light as it not only  improves the well being of others, but our own sense of joy, as well.

Open Windows

I have opened all the windows in my house.

Eagles fly in and out, as do any words that

are spoken about me.

Anything my ears might detect, firsthand or

second . . . I might give that news a moment's

attention

and then just let it be the tiny evaporating

whiff of smoke it is, dissolving in the Infinite.

Hafiz

When we allow criticism to linger too long in our minds, words and feelings grow heavy.  The original words may not have even been meant for us, but we chose to personalize whatever was said.  There are occasions we choose to hang on to what we need to release.

Open is the key word.  We open our hearts, our minds, and our spirits allowing any negativity to come and go on a gentle breeze.  Allow open thinking to carry any darkness on a straight path outside of our selves.  Avoid emotional heaviness by not listening too closely to careless comments of others.  Our spirit will soar when we no longer retain stagnant thoughts to distract us from the beauty around us.

When we do not feed energy into the words of others, the words are no longer sustained.  When we no longer fuel what we long to dismiss, it dissipates into thin air.  We have choice as to how long we want to detain information as it passes through.   We can decide to cling to what harms us or to open our windows and let it pass right on through.   Which will we choose?



Experience Entitled Living

Our task is to believe, to trust, to create, to do whatever is at hand to do in the present moment.  And to let the future be.

Our task is to affirm our own energy, our own God-identity, to use the gifts of the heart, then hands, and the spirit within, in the best way we know at the present moment.

Then comes the flow of light into our lives, as we "let go and let God," as we turn toward God, who is always and forever turned toward us.

BettyClare Moffatt

SOULWORK

Another oxymoron has presented itself to me.  I am an "intensely disciplined/easily distracted" individual.  I can be very focused, and yet easily wander.  Understanding life offers duality, I don't necessarily see one as good and the other bad.  Both offer gifts.

When I am intensely focused on an idea, I find my self researching it and experiencing it until I am fully grounded in the idea or ready to dismiss it.  Sometimes, however, during this very pursuit, I end up wandering into other areas.  The pursuit itself can become the distraction from my focus. 

This seems to be true with our dreams, passions, intentions, and agendas.  We become inspired for whatever reason and set out to fulfill our desire.  Too often, the coals of the fire burn out as we are sidetracked by limitations our life tend to project.  We may return to the fire and stir the coals, but seldom does the passion rekindle into its original heat.

Although it is in the wandering where we often times discover a higher truth or a better understanding than the discipline would have revealed.  Everything, every movement is an aspect of learning from this experience entitled living.

Perhaps this is just part of the dance of life, being pulled from one polarity to another.  I do know that we all experience it.  So perhaps the key is doing what you can, where you are, and with what you have.  Not always, but generally.  Waiting for the really big moment or the great 'aha' can deprive us from the magic in each of life's moments.

Reflections from the Trees

                         Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and

                      sorrow come and go like the wind.  To be

happy, rest like a great tree in the midst of them all.

Buddha's Little

Instruction Book

Trees are to be admired for their endurance to stand against all weather and their ability to intricately grow limbs seeking the sun.  Their strong branches stretch upwards holding nothing,  allowing all things to pass through. 

Trees are present through all of nature's cycles.  They experience tiny new buds growing and then unfolding.  Mature leaves add to the trees gracefulness, adding sound from the breeze.  Leaves turn into majestic colors and then gently fall to the ground, as the tree releases them, still standing tall.

There is much we can learn from the presence of a tree.  We can sprout new growth and enjoy the unfolding, but we must be prepared to release, especially when the timing is not ours.  When storms pass through our lives, we need to bend like the limbs of the trees, to endure until we can stand straight again.  When debris blows our way, we need not hold it to us, but like the tree, let it pass on.  When we fall into the shadows, we can alter our gestures in order to grow once again towards the light.

Trees are a constant presence in our lives.  There all shapes and sizes with each variation offering us symbols of peace, quiet, stillness, and the serenity of nature.  There is much to be learned by observing and experiencing the reflections from the trees. 

 

Along the Way ...

Anger is a signal, and one worth listening to.  Our anger may be a message that we are being hurt, that our rights are being violated, that our needs or wants are not being adequately met, or simply that something is not right.

Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D.
THE DANCE OF ANGER



As children, we have opportunities to observe adults acting out in anger.  We may not yet have the depth to understand all of the components of the situation, but we very well may decide we never want to act in this manner. 

As children, we do not always realize anger is an acceptable form of our feelings.  We do not always realize it is the behavior in how we express anger that becomes a critical piece of the situation and not anger itself. 

There is nothing wrong with being angry, but abusive physical or emotional reaction to anger is clearly unacceptable.  If we did not learn appropriate means of expressing anger as a child, then we need to learn it as an adult. 

If we consider anger to be 'wrong' then we may repress it and in doing so, we may create issues with anger physically or mentally.  Repressed anger can damage the body, mind and spirit. 

We have the right to speak our truth, as we see it, even if we are incorrect.  We develop a sense of voice that does not need to be elevated or threatening to make our point.  Channeling our anger in appropriate ways can be healthy.

If we are not allowed to speak our truth for fear of being fired, or harmed, or placed at a disadvantage, we still need a means to express our feelings.  We need a safe place to express what we feel whether it is a trusted friend or a private journal. 

Along the way, we discover by expressing our anger, we can avoid major crisis or chaos in many of our relationships.  If we let our anger build up, we will have a greater tendency to say what we don't mean or do what we abhor.

While we develop our voice, we will find it advantageous to create a partnership with a good listener.  Maintain clear boundaries and honor each others confidences.  We need to keep searching until we find a person of trust.



Picked From The Tree

A LATE NIGHT SNACK

I know there are a lot of important things

going on in the world that maybe I should in

some way be attending.

But I was wondering how those pretty spiced

apples, just out of the oven - and in all of their

aromatic glory

will taste for dessert, and then a late night snack.

Hafiz

Apples are one of my favorite fruits ... must have a little of Eve in me!  Over the years I have used apples to make chunky sauce with plenty of cinnamon, bread, muffins, pie, cobbler, turnovers and just plain baked apples.  Then I can really get into trouble and melt caramels with a little milk for a dipping sauce! I will eat several apples throughout the day and be delighted as though they were a dessert. 

As the seasons change, so do our preferences, activities, and perspectives.  We are such unique beings and yet so similar in many ways.  If we compare our changing routines to those of others, we discover similarities.  It is only through communication, however, that we become aware of our own uniqueness.

We humans are like the apples.  Some are tart or sweet with a variety of textures.  Apples are apples, but they too have uniqueness.  Some are red, green or a combination of yellows and reds and some are better for baking than others.  They all have purpose!

Unlike the apples, we do have choice about our disposition.  We can be sweet or tart or vacillate between the two.  Like the apples, we have a purpose, but we must discover it before we get picked from the tree!



Once Called Home

The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.  I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody.  I just wanted to slip out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences, and then not stop running until I reached Greenland.

Elizabeth Gilbert
Eat, Pray, Love


A month ago, I sat on my daughter's back patio.  There were so many memories of this dwelling place, but now she was moving on to create a new space to call home.  New opportunities were waiting, and life always continues on.

From the lovely windows in her back den, I had watched snow fall, spring flowers bloom, wisteria stretch its arms over the picket fence, and fall leaves gently float to the outer back yard.  I watched her Golden Retriever blend into the fall background, and then come prancing when I called her name, "Hannah".  The Tuxedo cat, Trudy, was always lingering by the windows observing Hannah's every move. 

As I sat for the last time on this patio, I recalled happy times here of celebration with gathered friends; birthday party bubbles and sparklers for when my girl turned 30; hours of leisure reading and endless notes in a journal;  and worried times when the future was shifting and changing for both of us. 

While rocking in my white wicker rocker, I knew that life always continues whether we are ready or not.  Decisions that seem so resolute untangle into a free fall and the only firm grasp is faith in Spirit.

My gaze moved upwards towards the sky and I noticed the yellow finch flying near to say good-bye.  It seemed to make my farewell complete.

What Else Is In My Future?

On self-care:

If you put yourself on the back burner,

you may get burnt ... or burn out.

Karen McMillan

It is a beautiful day in my neighborhood!  The sun is out, there is a slight breeze with comfortable temperatures.  My kind of day!  There is a walk in my future.

What else is in my future?  If I took to heart all of the political mud slinging in the media, I'd run to a cave in never never land.  I do believe we all can be realistic without the gloom and doom or shall we say the 'fear factor'.  The on going conflicts, criticisms, and verbal attacks can wear me down to the point of  concern as to where all of this negative energy is spinning!

In my own little world, I wonder how we will ever attain world peace when two perspective leaders cannot even be peaceful towards each other.  I do not feel as though any of my personal actions would impact this situation.  This leaves me to ponder what it is that I can do.

I must learn to live peacefully in the midst of the chaos.  I use what is available to me to extend peace out into the world.  Through energy work, prayer, and acts of kindness, every day people can change the tone of our communities.  We can touch the lives of others offering hope that goodness will prevail.

If we sit back thinking there is nothing we can do, we only add to the negativity.  If we place our good intentions on the back burner, we may just get burnt!

Open Invitation



Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. 

~Stanley Horowitz

Fall is my very favorite time of the year.  The season is filled with yummy fragrances, dancing colored leaves, gourds and pumpkins, and cooler weather.  Autumn in an open invitation to be outdoors immersing the 'self' in the majestic beauty of Mother Earth.

Fruit choices shift from melons to apples and my baking focus is on anything pumpkin ... bars, muffins, pie, cookies ... while cinnamon and cider spices seem to be pumped into the air.  The multiple colors in the falling leaves can never be exactly duplicated by a painters palette.  Rich bold colors with varying hues all blend perfectly together and yet contrast as well. 

It very may well heat up in the fall afternoon, but mornings and evenings are a walker's delight!  The shifting breeze scoots the fallen leaves across the earth's floor and little animals can be heard scurrying along on all four.  The birds take flight into the beautiful blue skies with style and grace.  

Scarecrows, hay rack rides, apple dunking and fall festivals crowd most any weekend.  There seems as though there are endless things to do, all requiring a person to be outside. 

Yes, to be outside in the fall, I am called to be fully alive and joined with all of nature.  It is as though every fall, I transition just a little further with the autumn I love so well.

Surrounded by Words

             Books are the quietest and most constand of friends;

they are the most accessible

and wisest of counselors,

and the most patient of teachers.

Charles W. Eliot

After waiting eight weeks, new bookshelves have arrived!  It had taken me a long time to select them and my books have been packed since last April.  Unpacking all of the boxes yesterday it was hard not to become distracted and read just a few pages from each delight. 

The unveiling of my books was like a family reunion.  Although I loved them all, some held more meaning for me than others.  Reconnecting with diverse wisdom from all generations, trying to place how old I was when I read a particular book, and realizing how much I had changed since devouring a certain chapter.  As I looked around my room, I felt surrounded by loving friends who had been present during the years of my spiritual passage.

I made groupings of my books:  Women's Issues (Sue Monk Kidd, Joan Borysenko, Judith Durek, Maria Harris and Harriet Lerner), Poetry (Hafiz, Gibran, Rumi, Oliver, Whyte, O'Donohue), Inspirational (Mark Nepo, Alan Cohen, Gary Zukav, Gregg Braden, James Redfield, Marianne Williamson, Neal Donald Walsch, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle), Energy Work (Diane Stein, Donna Eden, Louise Hays, Jill Bolte Taylor, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, Brian Weiss), Spiritual (Hank Wessellman, Pema Chodron, Paul Ferrini, Ram Dall, Thomas Moore, Jane Roberts, Dick Sutphen, Helen Wambach, Dan Millman, Micahel Newton, Richard Bach), to name just a few.

These are some of the authors who bravely wrote of their experiences which took courage and gave deeper understanding of life itself.  They were there to help me through long nights, storms, and dark days.  Their words became a presence (present) in my life that encouraged me to use my voice and my own words.  By sharing their unique experiences, my own life became more authentic and deeply spiritual. 

The energy of all of these words now surround me in my room, and I am so very eager for my writing to bring attention to these rekindled insights.  I feel refreshed and excited to once again be in the presence of such articulate and spiritual beings!

Running ... Physcial, Emotional, and Spiritual



The miracle isn't that I finished.

The miracle is that I had the courage to start.

John Bingham

NO NEED FOR SPEED: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

TO THE JOY OF RUNNING

In a very weak moment, I agreed with my best friend to run every morning after the school bus picked up our kids.  She had a passion for running and felt more certain she would maintain a routine if she had a running buddy.  I dearly loved my friend, and wanted to support her.

Let me begin by saying, "I hate to run!"  The only good thing about running is that you get to stop!  I would walk from my home to meet her half way and the entire time I would be questioning my motivations.  We were successful in maintaining our commitment to run, and I remained amazed at the personal courage it required of me.

In another place in time, I became aware that I practiced a mental form of running.  I discovered that emotionally, I would simply run away when life became overwhelming.  I could emotionally feel myself withdrawing and at times could hear my foot steps racing down the hallways of my mind.

Physical running can be good for the body, mentally running away is not so good.  Once aware of this poor mental health coping skill, I learned to hear my foot steps and gently tell myself, "Stop!"  When that was mastered, I then learned to make myself stand still in the moment.  This took great courage, but I learned a healthier way of facing problems.

Being spiritually inclined, I monitor myself and my inward patterns quite regularly.  Through these observations, I discovered that a person can run away physically, mentally, and spiritually.  A delightful little book entitled, THE HOUND OF HEAVEN displays how God is forever with us and calling to us, but we simply keep running through life, not listening.  Opportunity after opportunity presents itself to us to enhance our spiritual calling, but life simply gets in the way.

We are all traveling our unique spiritual path.  We each have our destination with built in rest areas.  It is when we stop to rest, when we pause from running, that our soul begins to awaken to the voice within.  We learn as we travel our path to embrace Spirit in small increments.  With growing awareness, we realize we are incredibly connected one to the other and that Spirit travels with us every step of our way.

Slow down.  Heighten awareness.  Find the courage to allow a spiritual pathway to unfold into a personal union with the Divine, rather than a reckless speeding super highway.

Balancing Energy between Nature and the Self

When our consciousness changes,

our own energy field makes a corresponding shift.

Machaelle Small Wright

BEHAVING AS IF THE GOD IN ALL LIFE MATTERED



During transitions, there is so much focus on changes occurring on the inside of us, we frequently forget that we impact change in energies that surround us.  When our bodies change in size, we change the size of our clothing.  When our families grow in size, we hopefully can increase the size of our living space. 

When our awareness brings us to significant spiritual change, our vibrations change as well.  This change in our energy is not always compatible with our surroundings.  We may need to rearrange our room or replace decor that no longer makes us feel good or supported.

We experience this shift of energy with our friends as well.  Our level of energy attracts others on the same frequency, so when our energy is altered,  we might adjust relationships to family, work, or play.

As our energy changes, it is important to change our environment as well.  Clutter or collections that no longer resonate with us need to be given away or stored.  We need to cleanse the palette so to speak.  Then slowly we begin to add new things that support our new way of thinking and feeling. 

Plants or flowers, rocks or gems, and feathers or leaves, all carry there own energy.  All things are made of energy: paintings, artistic symbols, mirrors, etc.  So we need to balance ourselves and the energy surrounding us.  Discard anything that feels emotionally heavy and invite in things that stir the heart.  Allow surroundings to come alive!

Machaelle Small Wright is a wonderful author with an amazing personal history.  DANCING IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MOON is perhaps my favorite of her books.  Her emphasis is on the necessary balance and communication between nature and ourselves.  Co-creating with nature, Ms. Wright established Perelanda, a nature research center in Virginia.

Triangles ...

The triangle also has the power of protection.

"You are safe and are being protected."

Denise Linn

Author and Healer

 

If I had to choose the most predominant symbol in my life, it would definitely be the triangle.  I did not realize how prevalent it was for me until a friend brought to my attention how triangles were throughout my recently refurbished country home.  I had used wallpaper with triangles in the background, borders with triangles as part of the pattern, and even the square tile back splash in the kitchen had been deliberately turned to be in triangle formation as well as the tile on the bathroom floor.  Although I had chosen all of these things, I was not aware of the constant triangular patterns.

This interested me so much, I started paying more attention to designs and patterns.  It was almost comical how triangles popped up everywhere and anywhere.  For years, I had been recording my dreams in journals. I 'harvested' my journals and sure enough, the symbol of the triangle was frequently mentioned in my recordings.  Looking back to the years when I quilted, once again I found triangles sewn by my own hand.  I was intrigued.

In her book THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF SIGNS, Denise Linn makes the following comments about the triangle symbol:

~holds the power of integration through the trinity of body, mind and spirit.; past, present, and future

~embodies the power of the pyramids

~active symbol for spirit and aspiring to higher realms

She further states, "Two triangles - one in the normal position and one inverted and superimposed on the first - form a six pointed star (called Solomon's Seal) that is a symbol for the human soul."

We all have symbols in our lives, but we are not always paying attention to them.  Just for fun, we can begin to pay attention to what surrounds us, presents itself repeatedly, and what is in our dreams.  The symbol can be a tree, a number, a shape or a person.  When we explore the symbols in our lives, we gain more meaning and awareness of synchronicity!

Door in the Rain

What’s Left  (for Peter Hennessy)

I know more or less
how to live through my life now.
But I want to know how to live what’s left
with my eyes open and my hands open;
I want to stand at the door in the rain
listening, sniffing, gaping.
Fearful and joyous,
like an idiot before God.
 ~ Kerrie Hardie ~

Education is what teaches us.  Life is what we experience.  Feelings direct us.  In time, all of these things blend together in an expression of the authentic self.  We can be taught something, and experience something, but until we feel something, the deep rich picture simply does not unfold.

Education is absorbed or neatly filed away.  Life experiences are taken in stride.  Feelings, however, are carried with us supporting, distorting or enhancing who we choose to be. 

None of this does us any good, however, if we never ask ourselves how we feel.  If we repress our emotions, build walls for protection or numb the pain, we are not fully cognizant of who we really are. 

Rain stimulates growth and cleanses nature just as tears release emotion and cleanse our souls.   If we can feel raindrops gently falling upon our heart, cleansing and preparing for a new day, we can choose to dismiss our fears and respond with joy. 

Inner Quiet



Silence

     A word that evokes scary images of aloneness, of vulnerability, of having to face one's inner world.  We say we want a deeper spiritual life, yet we deny it by avoiding perhaps one of the most crucial elements - silence.  We are afraid of it.  In our media-drenched culture, silence is intimidating.

Barbara Erakko Taylor

SILENCE

For some, the word silence brings to mind a cloistered room or cell.  For others, the word silence means giving up the material world, forsaking all material pleasures.  For many, silence is only secured during a weekend retreat or in a brief meditation. 

Silence can be our personal road to inner quiet.  It is within this inner quiet that we begin to hear the whispers of wisdom and deepen our connection with the Divine.  The road leading within is safe and supportive, leading us to our true nature. 

The state of inner quiet brings us peace and calm ... a safe haven from our fast paced world.  It offers us a sacred space to just 'be'.   At first, experiencing stillness may be uncomfortable, but we can learn to weave the experience into our busy schedules as readily as we can adjust other routines such as:  sleeping, eating, exercising, laundry or cooking. 

Begin with small passages of time.  Slow the breath and breathe deeply while the eyes are closed.  Let the mindless chatter drift away and practice being in the moment ... nothing to do, no where to go. Relax into the silence and the journey into the inner quiet will begin ... be patient.

Empowered and Aligned

"the common divide" - a tension between needs that pull us

in two different directions at once.

Ann Snitow

Feminist, Theorist

We all experience "the common divide" at one time or another whether it is in reference to leaving home, changing careers, becoming a wife and mother, or questioning any of the great aspects of life.  The division is between diverse parts of our very self and the decision of which needs are to be recognized and met.  In time, we learn to honor and respect all parts of the self, creating a sense of wholeness.

THE ROOT OF THIS LONGING by Carol Lee Flinders discusses inner conflicts that tend to create the "common divide".  The conflicts that many women experience are between: "embracing silence vs. finding voice;  relinquishing ego vs. establishing 'self';  resisting desire vs. reclaiming the body; and enclosure vs. freedom."  The book explores the sources of these conflicts and how they can be reconciled.

By traveling upon a spiritual path, we learn to listen, but deflect comments and opinions that keep us limited.  The louder our inner voice grows, the less we depend upon the judgments of others.  The more we honor and respect what grows within us, the more satisfied and fulfilled we become.  As we learn to blend all parts of our inner self together, we become empowered and aligned with our personal goals and spiritual connections.  We find our selves intimately connected with all there is through a personal relationship with Divine Spirit.

Emotion, Thought and Feeling

We choose the conditions of our lives through our feelings,

the invisible union of our thoughts and emotions.

As we imagine an outcome in our mind's eye

and become aware of the emotion

that is fueling our imagination,

our feeling is created.

Gregg Braden

THE ISAIAH EFFECT

In the morning, we may set an intention for the day.  At breakfast, we may remind our self once again of the intention.   As the day unfolds, however, our intention may be buried beneath responsibilities, distractions, and schedules. 

When we crawl into bed at the end of the day, we may remember our intention and wonder why it didn't become a reality.  By the next morning, we may have forgotten entirely about our intention, wish or desire.

To obtain a positive result, an intention must be held in our thoughts, feelings, and bodies.  There is clear distinction between emotion, thought and feeling even though they eventually merge together. 

"Emotion may be considered the source of power that drives us forward towards our goals in life," states Gregg Braden in his book THE ISAIAH EFFECT.  When our emotions are scattered, we need the presence of thought to give us direction.  The energy of emotion brings life to our thoughts.

So thought gives direction to our emotion.  By itself, thought can simply be an imaginative possibility.  When the energy of emotion is coupled with thought, our thought can creatively come alive.

Feeling is the union between between emotion and thought.  Gregg Braden suggests, "When we feel, we are experiencing the desire of our emotion merged with the imagination of our thoughts." So it is our feeling which creation responds.

So mentally setting an intention in the morning is simply not enough.  We must join emotion with thought and feel this deeply inside of our self.  Throughout the day, we must keep emotion and thought alive with our feelings in order for the creative result. 

Through this conscious process, we have a greater sense of our ability to bring things into our lives.  Utilizing affirmations throughout the day also increases the positive energy.  By experiencing this process of emotion, thought, and feeling, our sense of empowerment increases.

No Goodbyes

There are no goodbyes for us.  Wherever you are, you will always be in our hearts.  ~ Mahatma Ghandi

Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.  ~ Helen Keller

The timing of death, like the ending of a story, gives a changed meaning to what preceded it.  ~ Mary Catherine Bateson



To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
~J.K. Rowling



"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.  "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times.  But that is not for them to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."  ~J.R.R. Tolkien

Nourish the Spiritual Garden

All that is required now is that you continue to till the soil

of your soul.  Just as you would not neglect seeds

that you planted with the hope that they will bear

vegetables and fruits and flowers,

so you must attend to and nourish

the garden of your becoming.

Jean Houston

A Passion for the Possible

In the spring, the spiritually minded person plants seeds of hopes, dreams, and desires.  In the summer, great care is given to these seed thoughts as they begin to sprout and grow.  In the fall, results are harvested and there is an inner knowing of how well we tended to our spiritual garden.  In the winter, the spiritual path leads to a hibernation of sorts, examining what was learned and discerning what seeds of thought can be planted in the forth coming spring.

This last spring, I planted so many new seeds not knowing how they would prosper in a new climate.  In spite of the summer heat, my seeds sprouted with wonderful strength and color.  Fall brings harvest colors, pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips, apples in delicious variations, and cooler weather, accompanied by a soaring attitude. 

As trees fascinate me, I will long to remain in the season of fall.

Daily I will walk noticing the change of color in the leaves before they gently fall to the ground.  I will enjoy the chilly evenings when the fire crackles and keeps me warm. 

As the colors in my spiritual garden begin to change and my nurtured hopes, dreams, and desires either wither or prevail,

I slowly tuck myself in for a long winter nap.  The deep sleep of winter will give me pause to create brand new seeds of inspiration to be secured in the rich soil of spring.

Throughout all of the seasons, the common thread is nourishment.  Focus must be kept throughout all of the seasons in order to receive a bountiful harvest.  Only a well tended garden will produce the constant of our minds.

Light Around You

Give light and people will find the way.

Ella Baker

A few days ago, I got stuck in an old emotional pattern.   Just one small negative thought crossed my mind, and instead of letting it slide right on through, it lodged itself in a web hanging in darkness.  The one small thought gathered other negative thoughts into the sticky web, growing in size.  One small thought became a wad of worry, concern, and fear.

I sent a quick e-mail to my women's circle, asking for them to place me in the circle of light at their gathering as I would be absent.  Almost immediately, I received uplifting responses.  The best was: "Just put that light around you now!  We will miss you!"

My friend's kind suggestion to use light, empowered me to take immediate action for myself.  Her simple words lifted my spirits, "We will miss you!"  I felt so much better.

The Circle of Women I meet with weekly always offers light to our loved ones, to those needing support, to those surrounding us in life, to the community, to the state, to the world.  We send light to those who may be homeless, hungry, ill or isolated.  For this brief time in our circle, we feel strongly connected with all people, tied by our compassionate hearts, universal love and oneness.

We truly need to remember to use our voices, to reach out and ask for help.  We must also be mindful that sending light or prayer can be very sporadic and brief, not time consuming.  When we are prompted to check on someone, to call or e-mail, I believe it is DIVINE SPIRIT working through us to assist someone else.  We need to respect these 'nudges' and follow through.

Holding my light, rekindled by the light of others, surely I will find my way!

Communication with the Divine

 

 

May I be at peace, May my heart remain open,

May I awaken to the light of my own true nature,

May I be healed, May I be a source of healing

for all beings.

 

May you be at peace, May your heart remain open,

May you awaken to the light of your own true nature,

May you be healed, May you be a source

of healing for all beings.

 

 

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D.

THE WAYS OF THE MYSTIC

 

 

Prayer is a form of communication that allows us to feel connected to the Divine.  Prayer can be expressed in spontaneous words, lyrics, poems, recited aloud, silently or chanted.  There is great liberty in forming prayer and it can be expressed at any time, any place, and in any situation.

 

We need communication with the Divine to feel connected and not separate.  By using prayer throughout our day, we establish calm, awareness, and good will towards others.  Our focus may be less distracted and our accomplishments may be attained prior to scheduling.

 

Frequently, we worry about others, and praying for them is an effective way of helping.  When our children, grandchildren, extended family or friends face life challenges, we can offer heartfelt words of our own to the Divine who is always listening.  This allows us to feel closer to both the Divine and our loved ones.

 

In the grocery store, we may see a frustrated mother yelling at her children ... send her a quick prayer.  Driving home, we may see someone much less fortunate than us ... send them a prayer.  As we pull into our driveway, we may see a neighbor who is challenged with health ... send them a prayer. 

 

Prayer can be a powerful tool, if we but think to use it!

 

 



 

 



Women in a Cage

I thought how unpleasant it must be

to be locked out;

and I thought how it is worse, perhaps,

to be locked in.

Virginia Woolf

 

 

To not have freedom of thoughts, words or deeds is a terrible thing.  Either locked out or locked in, we experience spiritual, emotional and physical pain.  This leads to feelings of lacking power over our own life, depression, and isolation.

 

Some women have never experienced personal empowerment or have never used their voice, and feel as though they live in a cage.  Imagined or not, feelings of unworthiness abounds.  They are told to be thankful for having a roof over their head, food on the table and a bed to sleep in.

 

The saddest part about these women in a cage is that they themselves hold the key.  They have the capability to unlock the cage, but their sense of separation has grown so great, they feel totally powerless.

 

Some women are not in a cage, but have a small pet cage where they house fear that unleashes itself from time to time.  They too will experience the lack of power, depression, and isolation, but just not all of the time.

 

All women are stronger than their cage and with assistance can maneuver rather nicely outside of it.  We need a support person whether it is a professional therapist, clergy, or trusted friend.  Sometimes it is just a matter of finding and using our own voice that allows empowerment to begin to flow.

 

It is never too late to try!  What do you have to lose?