True Dreamer

"I address you all tonight for who you truly are:

wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, and magicians.

You are the true dreamers."

Brian Selznick

Excessive energy is running through me, so I close my eyes and send loving energy into the hearts of my loved ones, neighbors, and community.  I blanket the world in loving light in hopes of each person feeling a nudge in his or her heart to be particularly loved.  My intention is for all of the animals big and small to feel especially appreciated.  Allowing myself to merge one more time with the beautiful beams of light, I cover every tree, flower, and aspects of nature with a sense of love.

I am alive with the special joy of giving, but realize there are still things left undone.  I have yet to send energy up to the sky, stars, and moon, and down the roots of every growing thing into the crystal core of earth.  In doing so now, I am connected to all things in a lovely state of peace.

In my own way, I can be  a "wizard, mermaid, traveler, adventurer, and magician."  Whether I fill these roles through imagination, dreams, reading, or various forms of art, I can deeply experience all the loveliness of life meant for me.  I will endeavor to be a 'true dreamer' of this great earth,  until my dying day.

Rejuvenate Joy

"Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others;

they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard.

Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else."

Nathaniel Branden

When we are not living in full acceptance of ourselves, we are often triggered by other people.  If we are feeling insecure, even the best of friends can push our buttons causing resentment or envy.  By embracing our selves (warts and all), we are more likely to embrace others.  If we tend  to hide our imperfections,  we will falsely assume those around us are not being completely honest either.

Imagine a time fully enjoyed with a friend.  Nothing could dampen our spirits.  We would laugh at any inconvenience; be inspired by each other; experience a sense of unrestrained acceptance; and rejuvenate our joy in life.

If we discover ourselves in the midst of negative people, resist the temptation to join them.  If we cannot  excuse our lovely selves, then we can be silent while discovering what needs to be learned. Every person crossing our path has a message.  When we take the time to not mentally judge, we are open to listening for what we need to hear.  The other person may simply need our presence in the present moment.

Eliminating judgment, we begin to see the beauty in others.  Admittedly, their sparkle may be small, but nevertheless, it is there.  When this person feels us accepting them, the twinkle will grow into a bright light ... but we need to be listening and watching, not judging.

 

Essence of Layers

"The mind in its natural state can be compared to the sky,

covered by layers of cloud which hide its true nature."

Kalu Rinipoche

Create a sense of who you are:  thoughtful, sensitive, funny, loyal or reserved.  Do not allow any censure while choosing your words.  Choose as many as you can and hold them in your heart.  Let them bring to you feelings of comfort and love.  This is your core.

When you look outside of this moment, you may feel the necessity to cover some elements of who you are.  You may be okay exploring the lovely self in private, but feel extremely vulnerable in allowing others to see.

This is where you begin to cover your essence with layers.  Some coverings will be a heavy blanket to make it impossible for anyone to see through.  Other layers might be shear like a veil so a person could get glimpses of your true nature.  You stack layers upon layers, building a stack of heaviness and distance.

You allow the outer world to view only selected pieces of your self, while you deliberately hide the rest.  This creates a sense of falseness, pulling us out of balance.  As you try to maintain this projected image, personal respect, honor, and value dissipates.

Disregard poor choices of your past. Apply forgiveness generously.  Place your hand gently upon your heart, embracing the goodness inside.  Begin anew, remaining as close to your true nature as you possibly can while watching self-acceptance grow!

Identify and Pursue

"Forget conventionalism:  forget what the world thinks

of you stepping out of place;  think your best thoughts,

speak your best words, work your best works, looking

to  your own conscience for approval."

Susan B. Anthony

"Look to your own conscience for approval," is wonderful advice from Susan B. Anthony.  Trusting we each have a healthy conscience, we can allow it to guide us where we need to go.  In the process, we are often called off our familiar path.

When we align our body, mind, and spirit, we can integrate differing parts of our self.  In doing this, we may not feel as comfortable with our life as it has been.  As our diverse parts blend into a comfortable pattern, we may need to find new surroundings physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

Personal resistance can be fear of the change we are seeking.  It often takes a leap of faith to leave the old behind.  Our friends might not understand our new yearnings and they might have to be left behind.  There is no judgment in this as we are not all meant to travel the exact same path.  When we gently fall away from what is familiar, there is room for new possibility. It is through this process of dying and birthing a new realization is formed.

Remaining on the same path, regulated by other opinions, seldom reaps rewards.  We will never permanently meet the needs of someone else.  We will discover 'wholeness' when we endeavor to identify and pursue our own needs.

Mastering Authentic Songs

"When we can actually choose the direction of our thoughts instead of 

just letting them run along the grooves of conditioned thinking, 

we become the masters of our own lives."

Eknath Easwaran

Gently, the needle of the phonograph is set into the groove of the black vinyl record and music begins to play.  Sometimes, the needle gets stuck, but with a gentle bump, it will skip slightly, and then move on through the remaining grooves.  

Like a record, my thoughts are embedded into a particular groove.  When I become aware of being stuck,  I gently nudge my attention forward, hoping to find a more positive pathway.  

If there is credibility to thoughts creating our reality, I desperately need to visualize in a more affirming way.  When I consciously raise expectations to be valued, honored and respected and  embrace my positive aspects, my self-worth will over shadow my negative criticisms. 

My energy will play sweet music with the harmonic lyrics of others.   The musical notes will blend together sending an inspiring symphony to the struggling minds of others.  Together, we will lift each other up, mastering our authentic songs.

Quality of Our Gift

"The quality of our life depends on what seeds

we water in our consciousness."

THICH NHAT HANH

Perceptions impacting our decisions contribute to the over all picture we create of our life.  With clarity, our thoughts remain crisp and vibrant.    When challenged, our thoughts may become muddied and distorted.  The art of life is portrayed through our skill of  accenting and blending with our authentic truth. 

Every morning can offer us, like an artist, a blank canvas.  Will we use our skill in haste working to finish or will we adjust the illusion of time, and casually view the colors on our palette?  When we force thoughts out of sequence, they may lump together, but eventually they will disengage.  Healthy emotional concepts build a strong foundation, and will endure the winds of change.

We all have the means for creative expression and display it in a vast array of skills.  We can be a collaborator of music, writing, gardening, architecture, social empowerment, therapy, litigation, or leadership.  The means of how we elaborate our strengths is not as important as how we impact others.  Do we use our strengths for the betterment of all peoples or just for a few?  Are our endeavors allowing people to feel liberated or castrated?  When we interact with others, are we sharing, and collaborating?  Will some aspect of our life be better when we leave it?

Where we place our focus and how generously we expand our consciousness determines the quality of our gift to ourselves and to others.  Will we reflect original passion and expansion or will we consistently hide beneath artificial renditions?  The closer we move towards self-discovery, the deeper our sense of self unfolds.  To use our individual insights for continuous construction deepens the existence of physical life and decreases the prospect of  self-destruction . 

Wishbone or Backbone

"You're wishing' too much, baby.  You gotta

stop wearing your wishbone where your

backbone oughtta be."

Elizabeth Gilbert

A mighty backbone and unyielding emotional strength serve us better than any wishbone.  We wish for the woodsman to save us from the big bad wolf or we await a gentle kiss to awaken us from a long dark sleep.  We place the power of our own survival into the hands of imagined characters.    

We extinguish our authentic intentions when we wait for others to do our work.  When we join another person's bandwagon, we find we have been misguided when the ride comes to an end.  All of our energy being consumed by unfulfilling desires, leaves us exhausted and dispirited.

If we would discontinue the search for our guru and silently listen to our inner voice, we would receive unexplainable guidance for our journey.  Recognizing our personal value, we begin to respect and cherish our gifts we are called to offer to the world.  Believing in our unique skills, we can put strength into our steps towards self-realization.

When we invest in our visions, and join like minded supporters, we will be more successful at fulfilling our dreams than if we wished upon the sparkled star in the darkness of the night sky. It is not necessary for us  to wait for a prince to slip on a high heeled slipper.  Besides, when we work hard, we may decide an UGH feels much better than a JIMMY CHOO!

What to do with Anger ...

"Do not teach your children never to be angry;

teach them how to be angry."

Lyman Abbott

My anger turns into red hot flames as I do my best to ignore it.  Unfortunately, the more I attempt to 'be above' my anger, it is fueling itself for rage. The emotional kindling is stacked and it  takes just one small spark to ignite.  My uncontrolled thoughts have bristled into a brush fire and I feel a dark force uncoil, lapping at my calm with its pointed black tongue.

Flames singe the love cowering in my heart. Stench seeps through my skin. Smoldering memories turn into billowing  smoke as black as a Raven's wing. Unbearable pressure builds within my head, as I numbly ponder the possibility of an epic explosion finally pushing me over the edge.  

Experiences in childhood taught me to never want to be angry ... not ever.  I promised my innocent self never to argue, confront or raise my voice in anger.  I never realized that anger was a normal emotion, and I could choose from healthy responses.  No one in my little life illustrated appropriate reaction to anger.

Experiences with anger in my adulthood taught me how to cower, minimize, or acquiesce, resulting in self-loathing, severe migraine headaches, and inappropriate relationships.  Fortunately, mentors appeared giving me permission to feel anger, but then to let it go.  When letting go seemed impossible, there were many healthy alternatives such as writing, running, painting, or screaming into a pillow.  (Quite frankly, the latter seemed to work just fine.)

In time, I gathered trusted 'sisters of my heart'.  I was provided with a safe place to express anger.  I could experience all of my emotions without fear, shame or internal combustion.  I was in  a safe place where I could share my darker side and still be loved and accepted.  Eventually, I learned how to blow out the flame of my emotional  match when it  first began to flicker, before it triggered an emotional wild fire.

Victim in Conversation

"Being silent isn't being strong,

it's being a victim."

Jane Powell

We use our voice to speak our truth out of respect for our own value.  We may choose to withhold our words from someone else, but not at the cost of disrespecting the self.  When we speak and find ourselves challenged, it is good for us to evaluate what we have said.  Either we will reinforce what we believe or become more flexible in what we choose to accept.

We are not required to defend thoughts, but we are nudged to share our truth without apologizing or minimizing.  There are times when we boldly  express out view, only to abbreviate mid-thought when we sense displeasure from the listener.  When we disengage abruptly, we  create a sense of feeling lesser than the other.  We are dishonoring our selves as well as disrespecting integrity.

Allowing others to pontificate while we are screaming in our minds, helps no one.  Our angst builds  within and eventually erupts through anger.  We have a responsibility to ourselves to gently disagree before an argument builds, otherwise self-containing our opposing views costs us personally.

By not speaking our truth, we also give others a false impression of what we believe.  Our silence can be misconstrued as agreement.  It is important to acknowledge a statement without insulting the speaker.  "I understand what you are saying, but it does not resonate with me."  There is no judgment and we do not create the scenario of being the victim of the conversation.

Freedom To Expand

"I live in my house as I live inside my skin:

I know more beautiful, more ample, more sturdy

and more picturesque skins:  but it would seem

to me unnatural to exchange them for mine."

Primo Levi

With just a glimpse of another person, we may be wishful to have a life like theirs.  Whether it is a fancy car, lavish apartment, or exquisite appearance, day dreaming leads to the fantasy of living a different life. 

In truth, the importance of life does not reside in external acquisitions, but in our personal level of integrity.  We are born into this world with a set of skills and the challenge is to use them to create a reflection of human kindness.  We may experience a total evacuation from first structures attempting  to build our character, but the reward of being true to our spirit remains the goal.

Visiting a poverty level family of eight, I was amazed at how little they had and how appreciative they were of everything.  They were bound together with a fierce love for each other creating an atmosphere of a safe home.  Even when they had so little, their hearts offered the joy of sharing their wealth. 

Whether we are rich or poor, the challenge remains to create a life reflecting goodness.  Contentment comes when we have chosen wisely while blending values, respect, gratitude and appreciation.  If we are not comfortable in our own skin, and if we consistently seek outside of ourselves, the spirit within will not flourish.  It is when we embrace what we do have that we find freedom to expand.

Inaccurate Messages

"Almost all our faults are more pardonable

than the methods we resort to, to hide them."

La Rochefoucauld

We are called to stand present as our true nature unfolds.  It is a temptation, however, to hide our new growth concerned those close to us will not understand .  It is contradictory, to follow our hearts desire, to discover our uniqueness, and then hide our growth.  

We make our transitions more difficult than they are meant to be when we try to straddle two differing images.  We confuse others and stir unease within of our own making.  We become better balanced when we honor and respect our changes.  When we gather our faith, believing we are in the flow of life, we trust we will be led exactly where we need to be.

When we hide ourselves from others, this confuses them and gives inaccurate messages to ourselves. If we can slowly integrate our newness without being deceitful with others, we will experience greater joy.  Ideally, no judgment is made upon ourselves for moving forward nor upon someone who does not understand.

We tell ourselves stories about other people judging us, which may or may not be true.  It helps to remember a true friend celebrates our passage, just as we do theirs.  Even when pathways separate us, we can still carry the gift of their friendship for years on end.

A Dose of Awakening

"Anyone who stops learning is old,

whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who

keeps learning stays young.  The 

greatest  thing  in is life is to keep

your mind young."

Henry Ford

When our minds are startled out of programmed thinking, we experience fresh thoughts.  Our minds, just like our bodies, need to be exercised.  If we simply shut down with what we already know, we exclude change from our menu.  The older we become in age or in our thinking, we like things to remain the same, and not change. Change, being the catalyst to new beginnings, comes whether we embrace it or not.  It is coming.  It is here.  It is not to be ignored.

Whether young or old, we become animated with pleasure.  Even for a passing second, something or someone will lift our spirits to joy.  What recaptures animation:  ice cream; swing on a swing; antics of a young child; amused by acts of nature; or escape into flights of fantasy?  What does it for you and when was the last time it was experienced?  

On the porch with my bubble machine going full throttle, I observe surprised pedestrians. "Where are the bubbles coming from?" they shout accompanied by laughter.  They immediately turn to a playfulness displaying delight.  Some try to catch the bubbles while others simply observe the delicate flight up into the sky.

We need a dose of awakening each day.  Inspiration follows our ability to catch a glimpse of something with new perception.  So visit the library for a new topic or wander a park for a connection with nature or simply sit on your porch and look at what surrounds you with new binoculars! 

Shadow Falls

"The memories which lie within us are not carved in stone;

not only do they tend to be erased as years go by,

but often they change or even increase by incorporating extraneous features."

Primo Levi

I feel as though the sun is setting within me, pulling all of my inner light with it.  Darkness is seeping into a perfectly good day, triggered by memories.  I try to stay grounded by placing my bare feet upon the freshly mowed lawn while nature fills my ears with sweet sound.  

Eckhart Tolle explained the pain body years ago in his book, THE NEW EARTH.  I had never heard of such a thing, but it made perfect sense.  There is this energy-form residing inside of us, thriving upon negative thoughts.  It may be dormant for periods of time, but when it wakes up for a feeding, emotions run rampant.

For no reason, old emotions surface reminding me of separation, loss, and darkness.  I feel like a child picking at a scab that has not yet completely healed, forgetting the necessity of dwelling in gratitude and appreciation.  My mind continues to be drawn to sadness.  

It is not until I remind myself that these emotions are not who I am and they no longer serve any purpose.  I sit quietly, bringing warm glowing light into my heart and gently let it spread throughout my body.  I acknowledge my thoughts, and let them go.   

I can remain in a dark place, misinterpreting gestures tainted by my past, and get stuck in drama or I can be presently aware that emotions do not control me.   My feelings are not who I am and no matter what triggers surface, I can remain disengaged.  

With acute awareness, I feel my inner sun rise once again, bringing a new dawn.  As I walk towards the rays of light,  my shadow falls back into the darkness.

Respect For All

"Give us the strength to understand,

and the eyes to see.

Teach us to walk the soft Earth

as relatives to all that live."

Sioux Prayer

Foreign exchange programs, Doctors Without Borders, Mission Trips, and extensive travel gathers human beings together to be seen as people not foreigners.  The world grows smaller as we embrace strangers from distant lands, seeing them as individuals with a wealth of experience from a differing culture. Lending an open mind to various cultures broadens our perspectives and helps us to understand without judging.

Whomever we call God created all people with different skills, skin colors, perspectives, and body shapes.  It would be difficult to believe we were made to be enemies against each other if we were deliberately made by the Divine.  Would it not make more sense to believe we were authentically made to develop our personal spirit and to live with respect and awe of others?

So in spite of these things, why are we so threatened by things we don't strive to understand?  How did we become pitted against each other rather than embracing our differences while celebrating gifts  across the world?  Does insecurity drive competitiveness to stamp out everything that is not within perfection of our own goals?  Is it too late to elevate compassion while adjusting our competitiveness?  Can we not allow human kindness towards all?  

Small communities may be struck down by tragedy, and neighbors help neighbors to sustain the grief and sorrow.  They pull together helping to restore each other back into normalcy.  Why does it take an extreme act of nature or loss of life to gather us together with respect to all?  

Replace Memory With Imagination

"Live out of your imagination

instead of out of your memory."

Les Brown

Look beyond the past in order to create a nurturing spiritual, physical, and mental style of living.  We can use our creativity to establish a new template.  If we repeat the same story adding only a different color to the backdrop, history will repeat itself. 

In order to start fresh, one does not build upon an ant hill or an invested foundation.  When we believe in our ability to change and create a new scenario, we can broaden our perspective so that our past recedes into nothingness.  We re-frame our self-talk and adjust into positive thinking.  We learn to trust our instincts and attract beneficial opportunities.

With a creative mind, we can imagine a better life and take the necessary steps to bring it into our reality.  Each day, we can move forward, slowly realizing our dreams.  By releasing the past and taking forward motion, we step into liberation freely becoming an authentically new 'me'!

The Tide Will Turn

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you,

 till it seems you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, 

for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

-Harriet Beecher Stow

The words, "the tide will turn," offer us a sense of hope and encouragement.  We can become so swamped in emotion, there is no hope of ever surfacing to breathe fresh life back into our drowning circumstances.  Eventually, however, our cramping fingers begin to release their grip, and our feet are almost touching the safety of the ground.

Years ago, while reading a book about Jesus the Christ, the author simply stated, "It took three days for Jesus to rise from the dead."  For whatever reason, those words remained with me.  When I feel like I am in an impossible situation, I allow three days to resolve my situation.  In doing this, I allow myself to discover better decisions or more educated guesses.  The element of time helps me to stand grounded, recalling  previous experiences with the knowledge I had succeeded, one way or another.

It is when we feel as though we are being swept away, the questions of survival shifts our thinking to worse case scenarios.  When we mentally place fear into a time out chair, and breathe deeply for clarity, our resilience appears.  We have time to recapture our strengths, our skills, and our ability to problem solve.

Granted, some times there is no resolution except acceptance.  We may not have the ability to rectify what has been orchestrated by others, leaving us to mourn in our own way.  What seems unbearable gradually integrates into small sorrows we feel more capable in handling.  We may never forget nor understand, but eventually, 'the tide will turn'.

Competitiveness and Short Lived Elation

"If we believe that happiness arises only when some external condition is fulfilled,

we consign ourselves to a perpetual state of discontent."

Meister Eckhart

External rewards and recognition certainly strokes our ego, but tends to be impermanent.  When seeking   celebration outside of ourselves, we are missing the contentment and bliss that can be found secured within.  Once bliss or enchantment is primed inside of our self, we can view all of life through eyes of compassion and joy, not competitiveness and short lived elation.

When we are focused on external pleasure, it is usually a waiting game:  If we do this right! If only we complete a project prior to someone else! If we can wait the others out! If we smartly network to our advantage!  (All time consuming and a crap shoot.)

It is a different kind of happiness coming from within.  It can be thought of as a snug embrace securing us throughout the day and night.  It supplies us with a willingness to be appreciative of every moment of the day. Internal happiness offers a contentment that will create a light heartedness encouraging us to embrace the world around us.   

The sweet hum of daily contentment is a more peaceful way of living than hopping on a roller coaster for a fast and short ride.  It is not to say that life is continuously rosy as lessons arrive in every life, but the joy experienced from each moment helps us to maintain our hopefulness.  With appreciation for all of the little blessings around us, we are fortified facing our challenges and engage more kindly with those surrounding us. 

Flying Solo

"People change and forget to tell each other."

Lillian Hellman

While in attendance at a reunion, it is easy to discern how people have changed over a certain amount of time; but, when people change right before our eyes, we do not necessarily notice.  In fact, those we stand closest too, may change slowly.  We might sense something is a bit 'off', but nothing dramatic.

In the best of situations, we will have a kindred spirit or mentor in our lives whom we can share every step of our transition.  By trusting them, they can witness our changes.  They become a safety net until we are ready to fly solo.

Human nature allows us to hide our newly found changes when we return to family.  We slip back into old roles whether we want to or not.  Attempting to announce how we are no longer the same may seem monumental and therefore, we go with what is familiar or expected.

Those endeared to us may be shocked when they learn of our transition into a different style of life whether downsizing or expanding.  If they feel threatened or experience a great loss, they may not be very supportive.

As we evolve in personal or professional ways, we experience a shift in our thinking or living space or quality time.  To align ourselves, we may have to leave some relationships, but not out of judgment.  There is no need to think of our transition as discarding, but  embracing.  Change simply triggers adjustments that will not always please others.   The journey often times is traveled alone.

Respect For Self and Others

"There are two ways of meeting difficulties.

You alter the difficulties or

you alter yourself to meet them."

Phylliss Bottome

When we knowingly engage in activities that create disharmony, we are not making decisions to strengthen our life experience.  We simply forget to be creative in our choices.

A dear friend begs us to attend an opera with her even though she knows we don't care for it.  We want to be a good friend, we don't want to disappoint and so we acquiesce.  We end up experiencing resentment for not using our time beneficially.

If we are invited to have dinner out and it is not to our liking, we can be creative and say 'No, but how about breakfast?"  It then becomes clear that we are not avoiding a person, but choosing to use our time in harmony with our spirit.

If we are invited to attend an amusement park with our extended family, knowing our physical limitations will drain every ounce of joy out of us, we can once again become creative.  We can decline the trip, but offer to host a gathering when the family returns to view pictures and share stories of the trip.

Compromise offers balance.  A person will not feel rejected if we offer a different plan.  Naturally we cannot always have things our way, but we can develop a deeper respect for ourselves and maintain respect for others.

Words Older Than Ancient Trees

"Neil Gaiman argues that stories are alive -

that they can, and do outlive

even the world's oldest living trees."

Neil Gaiman

BRAIN PICKINGS

Our words need to be carefully expressed as they will out live us.  Poets, song writers, map makers, and mystics may pass away, but their words will live on.  Words continue to carry the reflections of an author,  for as long as a reader reads.

In reference to a published book, a reader was stating that the information within was inaccurate and that the author had made significant errors.  I found this observation to be churning within me for days after it was shared.

Is it possible for numerous readers to come away with numerous interpretations?  Are we understanding the author's intent or has time and translation tainted the account? Perhaps the point of reading is to get us to think and evaluate on our own basic reasoning.  Are we not all entitled to our own tempered story?

A writer is called to express a view according to personal interpretation.  With high regards for integrity, an author reports accurately, according to his or her understanding.  The writer follows his storyline, adjusting and rearranging many times during the task of completing a manuscript.

So if we find ourselves in disagreement, perhaps it is not appropriate to bash the art of another, but rather to acknowledge our right to disagree.  Particular words may mean nothing to us, but possibly will make a world of difference to one other, surviving long after an ancient tree.

Neutralizing Fear

"When our attitude toward fear becomes more welcoming and inquisitive,

there's a fundamental shift that occurs."

Pema Chodron

THE PLACES THAT SCARE YOU

Our bodies are reacting with physical responses before we understand the content. We may have shortness of breath, increased heart rhythms, clenching of teeth or cramping in the stomach.  Our physical  response to fear is automatic and not necessarily based on fact.

Time does not always allow ourselves to be pensive in the state of fear, but when we make deep breathing our first action, we can slow things down.  It will give us time to question what is triggering the fear.  Then we can evaluate if the fear is factual or fiction.  

Our reaction to a spider, for example, may have originated in our early years.  We may be reacting on automatic pilot.  When we investigate, we realize our defenses against a spider as an adult are much greater than as a child. Then we can begin to neutralize the reaction.

Our 'fight or flight' reaction may be based upon a previous harmful situation.  When we take a breath, we can talk ourselves down and explore the root of the fear.  When we are simply responding to something similar to our past, we can begin to condition our body to have a different response just by acknowledging our fear.

The work with fear is successful when we reframe, neutralize, and understand the surrounding circumstances.  To use deep breathing as our first response, we can facilitate a more accurate response not using unnecessary energy or creating additional stress.

Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

"Even the strongest and bravest must sometimes weep.

It shows they have a great heart,

one that can feel compassion for others."

BRIAN JACQUES

Born June 15, 1939

("His style of writing was as descriptive as possible

in his Redwall series because his first readers 

were the children of the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind.")

Whether male or female, weeping releases repressed emotions and cleanses the soul.  We can weep for joy or sorrow if we simply give ourselves permission.  There is a physical reaction with our breathing altering patterns and our body shaking.  Our stored thoughts are released like swirling water escaping down a drain.

When our tears slowly stop, we may feel physically exhausted, but our minds feel a liberation.  By releasing all that is pent up inside, we have cleared the way for more compassionate thoughts and deepening acceptance.

The act of grieving or celebrating are on opposite ends of the spectrum, and yet they are parallel in impacting our body and mind.  Whether we are overflowing with joy or sorrow, our bodies  experience emotions to the fullest sending sensations throughout our physical selves.

Weeping cleanses our hearts allowing us to feel compassion for others more deeply.  Our heart reopens,  prepared to embrace the spectrum of  sorrow.  Our experiences make us stronger and better prepared to witness the weeping of others.

The Other Side of Illusion

"It's not a problem that fear is here.  Fear is a portal that instead of running away or going into a trance, when we let it be the place we pay attention, it actually wakes up love.  It wakes up presence.  It wakes us up to wholeness.  It IS the path."  

Tara Brach

As fear is an illusion shifting into a variety of forms, we can be triggered by various responses.  At our very best, we can view fear as an opening into a learning situation.  If we gather all of our energy to remain still with awareness, we can readily see what particular lesson is being presented.  When we remain centered, we can follow the path deciphering the experience as we go.  Without being distracted by overwhelming emotion, we gather important information to create safe passage through the fear to greater understanding.

Recognize the fear within, as it is unhealthy to ignore it.  Seek what is creating it so we can choose the best reaction.  We can proceed with caution, recognize an old pattern, or create resolve to move through whatever is before us.  

Situations are not always what they appear to be.  When we utilize our will power to momentarily remain still, we are more likely to remain grounded.  We can find ourselves moving through situations, keeping ourselves in tact.  

Fear is a part of life, so it is helpful to have a healthy response.  We learn to gauge the depth of a situation, to be creative in our solution, and to move forward.  Unfortunately, this process may take seconds, hours, or days.  When we remain alert, we remember we have choices and can successfully arrive on the other side of illusion. 

Voice Opinion, Once

"But one of the best and most dignified opportunities to stay engaged 

in the world as you grow older is to give a hand to those who come after."

Anna Quindlen

A mentor once told me, "You have an obligation to speak your truth, once."  I was guided to use my voice without anticipation of praise, rejection, or any form of response.  Even if we are wrong, we have the right to voice our opinion ... once.  There is no need to repeat it again within the same exchange.

When we engage with those who are behind us in years, we can offer them our wisdom, but we must respect  space for them to form personal thoughts.  We teach through our actions and gently float our wisdom out into the world and allow it to find a resting place on its own.  

The next generation will sort through all they hear and will blend this with their own thought processes.  We can share in their journey, but it is not up to us to force anyone upon a path.  We all must find our way.  

As an elder, our greatest gift can be found not only in our words, but in our support, encouragement, and willingness to keep an open mind for diversified opinions.  It is important for self-respect  to honor ourselves by speaking our truth.  Then just let it go. 

A Story We Tell Ourselves

Everyone is a writer to some degree.  Whether it is written upon our heart or etched into stone.  Writing is not narrowed to grammar and punctuation.  Truth as we see it, often lends itself to insight when just scribbled down.  No red pens, no editing, just words ... lovely words, gently spoken to the soul.    Virginia's Voice


The action of writing validates opinions, releases stress, and primes creative pumps.  Whatever we jot down becomes a witness to our existence whether we throw it away or immediately burn it.  We record our life in phrases, songs, poems, excerpts from books or primitive sketches.  The emphasis is on the thought, and nothing more.

In early education, we are repeatedly instructed to write correctly ... proper use of grammar and appropriate punctuation.  Emphasis is placed on structure, not on what we are expressing.  Unfortunately, this practice carries over into the thoughts of adults.

Recently, a friend told me she could not write and I accepted her words.  After a few minutes, I happened to remember this woman not only wrote a book but published it!  We tell ourselves stories about what we can and cannot do, regardless of our skills.

Upon invitation, I encouraged a friend to attend a writers group.  She agreed to attend, but clearly stated she did not know how to write or what to write about.  Since then, she has created and published a CD (RESTORATIVE YOGA, available on Amazon), and is on the cusp of publishing the companion book.  This from a woman who said she didn't write!

I can hear the unspoken words now, dismissing personal skills and interest while attributing these abilities only to others.  The spectrum of writing is very broad and diverse.  If we have one thought and jot that thought down, we are capable of writing.  Whether it is on a computer, napkin or private journal, we all have words that can be written.

Prior to Flight

"This morning a friend said to me, 'You look good!'  

I appreciated the compliment, of course, 

but I also felt a little amused.  

I almost wanted to reply, 

'What do you mean?  I am good.'"

Eknath Easwaran

Wednesday is Senior Day at Food Fantasies, a health food store of my choosing.  Their employees all seem to be knowledgeable no matter who comes to assist in most any department.  The staff seems to enjoy each other and it is often times a fun atmosphere.  

While I was in line to check out, the woman in front of me had a variety of items.  I watched each one being set upon the counter while I wondered how she specifically used them.  Once her order was totaled, she paid by credit card.  The transaction completed, she noticed the employee had overlooked her small package of dill seeds.  My immediate response was, "Just ring it up with mine," as I had already assembled the few items I had up on the counter.  Both employee and customer looked at me in surprise.  "I have the money," the woman defensively replied.  I laughed and said, "Please, my good deed for the day."  

The reason for mentioning this at all was how surprised these people were by my willingness to pay for a small package of dill seeds for a stranger.  Therein lies the problem.  Too often we believe everyone around us is a stranger, and there is the saying, "Be ware of stranger-danger!"  

How different our lives would be if we were not so tightly bound by fear.  If we hear alarms in our heads or see red flags, by all means retreat; but, I wish we would eagerly acknowledge the goodness in each other prior to flight.

Right Where I Am

'one can write on

almost any surface'

Last month, another year of my life came to an end and a new one yawned in front of me.  I have always been a seeker, exploring random pathways, except now my intentions seem to be shifting.  Instead of traveling to diverse destinations, I feel as though I am being pulled deeper, right where I am.

There is a richness deep within waiting to be excavated and reassembled.  There are whispers surfacing as though they were  floating through the branches of magnificent trees.  The moon is filled with stories to ease my yearning dappled with curiosity.  Perceptions are expanding and only silence slides across my lips.  My voice is needed in the written word, a service endeared to me.  Writing words everywhere ... walls, floors, body, mind and soul.

There are books unopened patiently waiting for me to fall under their spell.  Colors are suspended upon an artist's palette hoping to be splashed across a backdrop, years in the making.  There is a depth beneath my feet pulling me down to the crystal core of the earth, while the radiant stars on high engage my finger tips.

I find my lovely self releasing, but not forgetting the mystery of the past.  I place my bare feet once again onto the beginner's path trusting to be led wherever I need to go.  My intention is to purely  be present and aware during these last earthly breaths.

Celebrating Freedom

"We come spinning out of nothingness,

scattering stars like dust."

Rumi

Fireworks in the sky were amazing in my childhood.  So much so, the festivities up high continue to appear to be magical.  I like the symbols of light bringing sparkle to any darkness, and the darker the night, the brighter the multi-colored explosions in the sky.

While watching a Fourth of July sky, I release the limitations of my physically bound feet and ascend into the energy above.  I absorb the sounds deeply, and they carry me farther away, forgetting the  challenges of other days.

Lost in time with the celebrations in the heavens, I am propelled into joy with accelerating haste.  Freedom ...  I find myself celebrating freedom to be fully who I am, gently swinging on a star.  

The Great Teacher, Pain

"It is important when pain comes our way

to honor the experience 

as it is usually a great teacher."

Madisyn Taylor

Daily Om

Pain as a teacher can be a brutal master ... spiritual, emotional, physical or any combination of the three.  The onset might be slight, but if ignored, it will grow with intensity.  Finally having our attention, we, as students, must decipher the lesson found in pain.

The doctors hand us a bag of drugs as though it were candy for a child.  "Don't eat them all at once," he says, "or they will make you sick.  Just have one spaced with time before you have another."  Resistance to ingesting harmful substances into the body, allows pain to get ahead of us.  

Some therapists will hear our pain and in addition to therapy prescribe anti-depressants or anxiety medications to balance our emotions.  Too often, people become dependent upon these drugs without ever resolving what caused the situation to begin with.

In efforts to find release, we may turn to a minister who suggests we be patient as God never gives us anything we cannot handle.  We are directed to prayer and when it is not answered, we wonder if anyone is truly listening.

It is discouraging to be suffering from any kind of pain and not be cognizant of the point in it all.  We may not have an understanding until the incident is long in our past.  Only with hindsight is the importance of the experience realized.  

We all experience pain in one way or an other, and we react to it in differing ways.  We can hide, ignore, or become obsessed with our issues.  Everyone in the community may know or no one might be aware, but either way has its repercussions.  

There are no magic wands, but comfort can be found in simply being gentle with ourselves.  Remember all humans experience pain, so even if it seems as though we have been deliberately singled out, this simply isn't true.  We are not stupid, insensitive, nor inadequate.  We are spiritual beings in a human form learning through this earthly experience.  We can bring comfort to ourselves through music, writing, delving into nature, time with a trusted friend or seeking professional help.  We must discern how to best resolve  our problems.  Taking action is the key.

Whisper Sweet Songs

"When I die, she said, I'm coming back as a tree with deep roots and I'll wave my leaves at the children every morning on their way to school and whisper tree songs at night in their dreams.  Trees with deep roots know about the things children need."

Story People by Brian Andreas

Trees have always fascinated me from childhood to this very day.  In all of the seasons, I find great respect for the presence of trees.  They are giant reminders of the ability to just be.  They remind us to stand tall in spite of winds and snow.  They represent courage during thunderstorms and hail.

Leaves gently sprout, unfold with color, and then float through the air to the ground.  A tree can lose a limb, but takes great pride in providing a home for animals and protection for the humans.  No matter how tall or wide, a tree reflects loving grace.

Weeping Willow, a mighty Oak, or a forest Pine  will offer a person a majestic experience of sharing energy.  Go ahead and lean into the tree.  The roots absorb the energy from Mother Earth below, and the tallest branches connect with spiritual realms above.  Meeting in the middle, the energies gently blend and radiate from the tree.  If patient, a person can feel the frequency generated by the tree.

Yes, I would agree to return as a tree with roots digging deeply into the earth and branches stretching up into the sky.  I would greet any one big or small and cover them with my energy.  I would love to wave at children, and help them with their needs, and especially know how to whisper sweet songs at night into dreams.

Space Outside of Time

"I liked the solitude and the silence of the woods and the hills.  I felt there the sense of presence, something undefined and mysterious, which was reflected in the faces of the flowers and the movements of birds and animals, in the sunlight falling through the leaves and in the sound of running water, in the wind blowing on the hills and the wide expanse of earth and sky."

Bede Griffiths


Even though I grew up in a bustling city, I had my patch of landscape.  Alone, I would take notice of the movement of trees, the flight of the birds, and the anticipation for nightfall bringing the moon and the stars.  My love for  water was established on the waves of Lake Michigan and then reinforced by paddling a canoe on rivers through Canada.  Returning to the city sounds became so abrasive, I ventured to the banks of the Mississippi River.

Nothing comforts me more than the stillness of nature.  The rippling sounds of water and the singing of the song birds lulls me into a suspended state of bliss.  The boundaries of my physical presence gently slide away, and I find myself in union with all there is in a loftiness unable to be described.

Within this space outside of time, there is healing, connection, and renewal.  All barricades dissolve and the most difficult challenges simply melt away.  Perfect alignment occurs and a sense of self soars with deep appreciation for all there is and for all there is meant to be.

A gentle wind returns me to this world, with a willingness to be fully who I am.  I promise my lovely self I will not forget all that I know ... even though the essence is drifting back into the unknown.