Gifts from Mother Nature

Mother Nature has many treasures that are available to us as we take
the time to learn about them.
In the ancient Celtic healing traditions, wild mint was used as an herb that was particularly effective to 'clear out bad energies' and all manner of 'ills'.
The ancients had to depend on the land to support their healing, their food, their shelter.
Because of this, they treated the Earth with great respect and admiration and held deep gratitude for Her generosity towards the support of their lives.
Wild Mint was a particular treasure because it could be used as a drink, a medicinal to be placed on wounds, and a scent to clear the air.

In the Loma Linda Hills, we are fortunate to have Wild Mint.
The other day during my morning hike, I came across a beautiful mint bush that was covered with frost from the frozen mist of the night.
Its tender leaves held the frost delicately and shared their beauty with me as I entered a narrow canyon.
The scent in the air from the mint bush was very heavy because of the lingering mist in this little canyon.
I found myself transported back in time to a dimension where these bushes represented healing and wellness.
How precious a creation.

I was reminded again of the beauty and power in the Earth.
I was reminded also of our need to remember this and not continue to disregard Mother Nature's gifts.

I offer my gratitude to the Creator for the opportunity to witness the beauty of
Winter and the Mint Bush.

Christmas Blessings

What a wonderful opportunity we have each year at this time to reflect on the wonders and miracles of life on this planet Earth.
It can be a time for us to remember those that have come before us and have sacrificed so much so that we might have the life and experience that we do.
It can be a time for us to remember the 'gifts' that we have received through our ancestors that have allowed us to build out our own work in the world.
It can be a time for us to remember all that it took to get us to where we are and honor those that have helped us along the way.

It is a time to remember our Source...our Creator...the presence of the Christ on Earth...the bridge that was built so that we may have a life full of abundance, hope, and possibility.
The gift of Christ makes all things possible.
It creates the 'Way' for us to move forward in the world.
It allows for a partnership with the Divine.
It blankets us with the support needed to make the world a better place.
The Christforce is the power to reach over to the other side, knowing that a loving God is always there, patient and compassionate...open and accepting...inviting us to engage more fully in relationship.

Just as the tree drives its roots deep within the Earth, let us recommit anew to honor the Earth with every part of our being.
Just as the tree grows strong in its trunk, let us grow strong in our connection to the Divine and in our commitment to being instruments of peace, joy, love and healing.
Just as the tree extends its branches and leaves to the Sun, let us recommit to reach out in service to others and sew seeds of 'only love'.

Engaging the Other...

This powerful image came from a conference entitled, Engaging the Other.
The words themselves are powerful.
They convey the power of connection with aspects outside of ourselves.
They invite us to wonder about the world that exists beyond the boundaries of our 'usual' selves.
So often, we draw our circles of experience so small...so exclusive...so narrow in focus...
But the world beyond our 'usual' experience is beckoning us to draw our circle wider and deeper than ever before.

Each new day comes with an invitation to choose to see with eyes that engage a new experience...eyes that release the old stereotypes.
Each day comes with an invitation to hear with ears that open to the suffering and the joys of others and learn from this experience while releasing all judgments.
Each new day comes with an invitation to smell the roses...to take the time to widen our experience by slowing down long enough to get the scent of a new world.
Each new day comes with an invitation to taste the sweetness and the bitterness of the delicacies that life has to offer.
And each new day comes with an invitation to touch in new ways...to engage the beauty, the wisdom, the love, the light, the courage, and the peace within the other...and to see it for the first time as a reflection of that which resides within us.

The richness of life is out there as well as in here...
It invites us to visit and get better acquainted with the other and with our own selves.

Take a Moment to Wonder....

Take a moment to hold this image in your mind...
Notice the textures of the colors...the dimensions of different aspects of the image...
Notice what part of the image you find yourself most connected to...
Allow yourself to move 'into' this part of the image and 'feel' it.
What kind of experience is this creating for you?
Does it make you feel good, happy, sad, fearful.....?
What stories does it bring up? What symbols does it create?

Try moving with the image...how is it 'inviting' you to move?

Do you sense any sounds coming from this image?
What do these sounds remind you of?

All of these experiences create a pathway for your intuition, your sixth sense,
to express itself.
By allowing yourself to 'wonder' and consider something in a deeper and more meaningful way, you allow it to teach you about itself.
You create a space that allows for consideration of the unseen world.
You choose to develop a relationship with those aspects of life that require a wider and deeper view.
By deepening your experience with this image, you may find yourself looking at all images differently in the future.

So it is with our life experiences...
If we take a moment to ask a few more questions and wonder more deeply about whatever we are doing, we will find a larger wisdom than that which exists on the surface.

Just as in the Ocean, the richness of life lies beneath the sea...

Balancing polarities

Within the world, there are forces...solar and lunar, masculine and feminine.
When these forces are balanced, the harmonics that result can be felt everywhere.
When these forces are out of balance, the lack of harmony can be felt everywhere.

For so many years, the solar forces, those that represent a focus on 'doing', have dominated our existence.
The natural state of 'being' associated with the lunar forces, has been in hibernation.
Our Earth, has rapidly become a land of compulsivity, always focused on 'more' and how we never have 'enough'.
We push, pull and tug to move ourselves forward, never waking up to realize that our struggle is getting us more stuck.
By quieting our minds and Spirits, we give ourselves a chance to quiet the world
around us as well...
To create a sanctuary right where we are...
To relish in 'no-thing'...
To celebrate 'no-sound'...
To make room for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, even if for just a few moments.

Create the balance that will bring health, wellness, and vitality and abundance.
Offset the 'doing' with 'being'.
Bring yourself back into rhythm with the Heart of the Earth.

Drum Making - the Pathway of the Heart

All of us who participated in the Drum Making Workshop at Grace's House sensed that what we were doing was the work of the Heart.
As we focused on each aspect of the creation of the Drum, it became clear that this was no ordinary experience....
The Hoop of the Drum represented the Circle of Life...it gave us each an opportunity to honor our own unique journey and celebrate the challenges that we faced along the way.
The animal hide that became the 'face' of the Drum represented for many, our own skins...that which we have lived in for many moons...it was the physical part of our being, that which gets pushed and pulled on this walk of life.
As we stretched it over the hoop and began to tie the edges together, we each started to 'see' how the different aspects of our lives come together to make a meaningful whole.
As the laces crossed, so did the intersection of experiences of our lives, that were all so necessary in order to create the picture of who we have become.
Tying off each piece of the lace, represented tying off different segments of our lives and created completion for a job well done.
Creating the central handle, gave us a 'handle on our lives'...a place to connect, something to hold on to...
For each person, that handle was different...for some it was family, for some it was a job that brought meaning, for others, the search was still on for that handle to grasp onto...

And the awakening of the drum...well, that was the magic...that was the connection of the life to the heart...that which provides the emotion to energize the life, to in-spire the life, to set the life free to become all that it was intended to become.

Listening to voice of the heart of the Drum for the first time was like the sound of a little baby's first cry...it is an opening up, a coming forth, a moving out into the world.
It is a declaration that 'I am'...
It is a miracle of uniqueness, of beauty, of pure joy.

It is a new beginning...a chance to start over and embrace life fully and without reservation.

Drums - the Heartbeat of the Earth

Recently, we had the remarkable experience of being led in a Drum Making Ceremony.
Tony Robichaud, who was our guide, shared with our group the Native American tradition of creating your own drum and then awakening it.
We each wrote prayers or intentions on the inner hoop of the drum and then began the process of tying and lacing the drum from each of the four directions.
Tony explained that each time we beat the drum in the future, those prayers and intentions would be sent out into the Universe.

As we experienced the magic of creating such a wonderful instrument of peace and love, we each found ourselves moving inwards towards our own centers, reexamining why we are here, what lies deep within our hearts, and what we want to bring forth into the world.

We spoke in the Wisdom Circle, of our own unique gifts and how we would use the drums in the future.
We blessed our drums and then took them home to allow them to 'cure'.
We were instructed to turn them a quarter turn each day for four days, honoring the North, East, South, and West directions.
Then we were to awaken our drums which represented our 'new hearts'...we were to be gentle with this rebirth experience just as if the drum was a new baby being brought into the world.

The Drum Making experience was such a spiritual experience.
It gave us an opportunity to reconsider our journeys and give thanks for the life we have lived, the teachers that have appeared on our pathway, and the guidance that we have received.

The drums opened our hearts to a new way of being, full of openness, rhythm, balance, sound, beauty, gentleness, power and wisdom.

Freedom.....

Freedom is something we so often take for granted.
It is priceless.
It is what allows us to be who we are.
It is a foundational piece of the framework of the Universe.
Everything depends on it.

What does freedom feel like?
It feels like the wind to me.
It is what carries us to places unknown.
It gives us opportunities to expand into a larger version of who we really are.
It carries seeds of who we are becoming to fertile fields ripe for planting.

What does freedom sound like?
It sounds like national anthems proclaiming freedom.
It sounds like the songs of birds at sunrise as they welcome a new day.
It sounds like the 'YES' from a graduating senior student.
It sounds like the opening as one approaches a trusted friend.
It carries with it the song of openness and possibility.

What does freedom look like?
Freedom is an ever-widening ring of consciousness.
It looks like it knows that there is always more.
It looks like wide open spaces.
It can move and freely express itself.
It is constantly recreating itself.
It is never the same twice.

Freedom can be whatever you want it to be.
That's the beauty of freedom.

Cherish it always.

Could You Give Me a Little Boost...?

As we travel along life's highway, sometimes we may need a little boost.
Mentors, coaches, spiritual directors can do just that.
They can 'see', 'feel' and 'sense' what we might not be able to identify...or
they can help us sense it for ourselves.
One of the skills that they have is they 'hold space' for us.
Holding space entails just that...holding the potential of what can be in an expanded form.
It does not require them to know what specifically that might look like...
You might say they just hold the 'belief' or 'knowing' that there is something greater that has the possibility of happening.
This creates a powerful energy field that supports our own beliefs as to what is possible.
As we 'tap' into their 'beliefs', we shift our own 'belief' about all that is possible.

Sometimes, this help is like getting roadside assistance.
I remember the last time I had car trouble and called AAA.
I remember the wonderful feeling that there was someone I could call that could transform my rather unpleasant situation into one of peace.
It was amazing how quickly the AAA truck driver came...and the dispatcher called to make sure that my 'help' had arrived right away.
The gentleman was tremendous.
He knew exactly what to do.
His experience with others just like me exuded a type of confidence that was very reassuring to me.
I felt more confident just 'being' with him.
The outcome was great and it made me commit to myself that I could always know that assistance is very accessible to me.
It reminded me that there is so much help available to all of us at all times.

So the next time you are in need of a short 'tow', another opinion, more water in your radiator, just call on your guides and angels, coaches and directors and give them an opportunity to share their wisdom and give you the assistance you need.
The world is full of support for all those who will open to ask.

Your Hands Can Be Instruments of Love...

What a blessing to have hands...
Through our hands, we experience the world.
We experience other people.
We experience textures, depths, dimensions, temperatures...
We form things with our hands.
We reach out with our hands.
We create with our hands.
We speak and communicate with our hands.
We tell stories about life with our hands.
We hold things.
We support.
We put together.
We break down.
We clean.
We write.
We move.
We hold still.

Our hands are instruments.
They can be instruments of chaos and destruction and hurtfulness or...
They can be instruments of healing and repair and redesign.
Every moment we choose.
Which will they be?

What a gift they are to us.
Do we truly appreciate how amazing they are?
All the different ways they can move and feel make them agents for miracles to happen.
They allow us to enliven our existence and make every experience so much richer.

When I hold the image above in my heart and let it speak to me, it tells me about the importance of our hands communicating the love in our hearts.
Our hands can 'speak' love by a gentle touch, creating connection.
Our hands can 'speak' reconciliation by a gesture of support.
Our hands can 'speak' of unity with the Divine when we hold them up in prayer and gratitude.

Hold your hands before you...look deeply at the beauty they hold...see them as if for the first time and wonder about the miracle they are...send gratitude for the gift they are in your life...promise to take good care of them for as long as they are yours to have and hold...and honor them always in being instruments of peace in the world.

How Empty is Your Cup?

In order for Spirit (God) to fill your cup, it must first be emptied of all those things that are in the way of your receiving all that you desire.
In my experience, the things that tend to 'get in the way' include my ego, my sense of not having enough time, other things that take first priority...and the list goes on.
When I forget Who made me and Why I am here, I get my priorities all mixed up and wind up filling my cup with all sorts of distractions.
Then I wind up needing to spend focused energy on rearranging my priorities and finding my center.

Creating ceremony can be very helpful in releasing all that no longer serves you.
Utilizing ceremony invites in the 'sacred' and creates a larger space for Spirit to enter.
My favorite releasing ceremonies include a candle that represents my own inner light and its connection to the Divine.
Incense further shifts my energy to the sacred as I inhale purifying scents of sage or peppermint or rosemary.
I often use a cup or a special chalice that I was given many moons ago.
I use the empty cup to remind me of the emptiness that I desire as I release all that is in the way of Spirit fully entering my being.
Entering a prayerful, meditative state with an open heart and mind connects me further with my Maker.
Then, I focus on allowing the power of the Christ force to come within me and guide me into a space of full surrender.
Experiencing emptiness brings a sense of true peace and stillness.

And then when I am 'full' of 'emptiness', I can begin to remember how to receive.

How Full is Your Cup?

Whenever I see an image of a cup, I am reminded of a dear friend.
She said one day, 'it isn't that my cup is half full....it isn't that my cup is half empty...the truth is I don't even have a cup...'
She was sensing that she was so 'empty' and drained that she didn't have any way to hold her own Spirit.
She tried to refill her thirsty soul by going on a silent retreat.
She found herself happy in the shower one morning and started singing.
Later that day she was reprimanded for not being 'silent' in the shower since it was a 'silent' retreat.
She tried reading spiritual books, going to spiritual services, and on and on...
She really worked hard at 'trying' to fill herself back up again.

So it is with so many of us.
We spend so much time 'doing' things to fill ourselves as if it is a job
that we must accomplish.
In my experience, what has worked best is to first create a space for receiving from Spirit.
For me, that translates into creating intention, setting aside time, choosing a place that connects me with my Creator, and creating ceremony that moves my inner Spirit into a mode of receptivity.
That most often involves music and sacred objects that remind me of why I am here and what my service is in the world.
When I create this experience, all that is left for me to 'do' is show up.
The presence of the Spirit of the Creator is so very available and accessible
by any open heart.
It is a place to rest, to receive, to remember and to renew.
Come drink from the cup that invites you to thirst no more...

Can You Sense What is Hatching Within You?

Within each of us is the potential of who and what we are becoming.
It sits expectantly, awaiting our command to come forth.
It may take the form of fully mature, or it may appear to us in an egg that needs maturing.
Either way, the potential is ours to call forth.
It cannot be 'birthed' until we create the intention for its opening and we act on our intention.

The beauty of the fully mature substance that we call forth is that when it 'appears', it is often ready to 'rock and roll'.
It comes forth in a form that is almost operational.
It presents to us an idea in motion, already on its way to being.
Sometimes that takes the form of a job, a gift, a home, a project, a relationship.

The beauty of the immature egg, is in the substance that it is made of.
The substance is not yet solid.
It is asking for support and nurturance to be developed.
It comes forth as a gift to be grown and loved and cared for.
It is only with this care that it can achieve what it was originally designed for.
Sometimes the 'egg' takes the form of an idea, a concept, a form.

Whatever is resting within you, let it speak to you of its nature, its desires, its hopes and its potential.
Let it awaken within you a desire to become more of who you are here to become.

Say YES, to the joy of exploration.
Say Yes, to dancing with the mystery of the unknown.
Say Yes, to the spark that is igniting the passion of service.

There is no better time than this.
The invitation has been sent.
What thinkest thou?

Equal Distribution

I have been working on my sprinklers lately to make sure that all the grass and the scrubs and the trees get adequate water as the weather gets warmer.
In the backyard, I had to replace most of the sprinkler heads that were along the back wall.
They had become clogged with debris and dirt.
Several along the edges of the grassy area had become stuck and didn't 'pop-up' like they are supposed to do.
In the front yard, I had a challenge with distribution of the coverage.
There were some areas of lawn and greenery that were covered well and there were others that were getting next to no water at all.
There were other sprinklers that had been partly 'grown over' with grass.

So, now that I completed my assessment, it was time to make a trip to the hardware store and purchase the needed replacement parts...
This was certainly not as easy as I expected.
There seemed to be way too many choices and from the standpoint of an inexperienced consumer, I was a bit challenged.
But along came a wise old soul who was about 30 years old and saw my distress.
He proceeded to ask me what my problem was and then ever so carefully, went to the appropriate bins and chose the specific part.
Wow...what relief...
But then, how was I going to install these parts that all looked the same to me.

I called in the angels that help those that are not adept at sprinkler installation and proceeded to try to act confident.
Certainly I could do this...I am a nurse and have had to handle lots of human 'plumbing' problems and this couldn't be that difficult.

Well, the short story is that I made several more trips to the hardware store and sought the counsel of the wise young man.
He was gentle with me and helped me better understand what my 'real' problems were and what I needed to fix.
One of the biggest problems was the distribution.
Once I addressed distribution and even allocation of sprinkler responsibility for watering, then things starting going much better.
It became more and more clear where each type of sprinkler should be placed for maximum benefit and I wasn't oversprinkling some areas and undersprinkling others.

After getting totally soaked oh so many times, I finally sat down and asked my angels what this experience was really all about.
It was all a life lesson about how to build equal distribution in order for the grass and the trees and the garden of life to grow.
If there isn't even distribution for work, responsibility, energy consumption, etc., then the garden will suffer.
There won't be enough for some and there will be too much for others.
And the wisdom of the wise young man spoke to me also...it said, 'it is really important to know clearly what you are trying to 'fix' before you go out to acquire the 'fixers'.

The angels of the sprinklers taught me to review my current life responsibilities and make changes where there is imbalance or unequal distribution.
I may go back to the wise young man in the hardware store to get another consult too...his deep listening to my distressed Spirit was such a gift.

Sacred Movement

So much of our lives we spend stationary.
Our 'sitter' is placed carefully on a chair, and we move into an experience of relative inactivity.
We respond as little as possible to distractions in our environment, and continue trying to maintain this very important motionless position.
What do we accomplish? We manage to put our wonderful bodies into a state of disconnect because the body was made to 'move'.
It was Divinely created to be in a dynamic state of movement and shifting and lifting and lowering...
Just like what we see in Nature.
Look at the those creations that inhabit the ocean.
Because of the water element they live in, they are in constant motion.
They shift their habitats as well as they connect in with the rhythm of the tides.

Our bodies are mostly water.
They want to move.
They want to breathe deeply.
They want to explore.
They want to become renewed.
They want to experience diverse conditions.
They want to change and metamorph into other life forms.

Sacred Movement is a way of consciously connecting with Spirit through movement.
It can become a prayer, a meditation, of gratitude for the gift of life.
Sacred movement can be simply an opening of the Spirit to allow the sacred dance within to be expressed.
There are no 'rules' as to how it must be 'performed'.
The beauty of it is that it is a way of giving the body permission to move authentically and freely in any way it so desires.
It is a way of facilitating Self expression.
It is a way of facilitating healing as we move in ways that we haven't since we were children.

A dear friend of mine regularly uses sacred movement to help her create 'movement' or transitions in her life.
When she wants to take a leap of faith, she gets up on a table or chair and 'practices' taking leaps of faith.
When she wants to 'stretch' her Spirit, she does just that...she imagines herself stretching her Spirit as she stretches her body in ways that she hasn't stretched it in many moons.
She practices opening her heart by listening and free dancing to songs of the heart.
When she wants to be inspired, she pretends to be an inspired dancer performing a magnificent ballet.
When she wants to feel deep peace, she becomes the sacred movement of the ocean.
When she wants to move mountains with her work in the world, she dances a volcanic eruption like has never been experienced in the world before.

Movement and Dance are ways to open to new experiences, to create new aspects of life for ourselves and others.
By witnessing the authentic movement of another, we witness their unique style or gift of being in the world.
We honor their way of being as Spirit-filled.
We 'see' the Divine within them and help them open to more of its expression.

Sometime soon, when no one is looking, pick a favorite song, and dance your heartsong like you have never danced before.
Feel the magic...feel the wonder...surprise yourself...allow yourself to 'be' in a whole new way...and then invite another to experience this for themselves as well.

Create Your Own Community

The joy in the journey can be enhanced tremendously if you choose to create a community to share it with.
This community might be a 'religious' community, a 'civic' community, a community of folk that share a common experience.
There are so many different options of what you can create.

The synergistic healing energy that is created when human beings come together is powerful.
Opportunities to help each other with all manner of challenges comes up and solutions present themselves, often before the problems show up.
What develops is a true sense of support...not just in an emotional sense, but in all manner of tangible other ways.
Last week at our Wisdom Circle, Doug brought tomato plants to share with the group. He encouraged all members of the group to begin to experience the magic of working with the Earth, and harvesting the fruit.
Many of us haven't had the courage to attempt such a feat.
But from Doug's invitation, my sense is that several new 'green thumbs' have been birthed.
Last year, Steve and Shirley brought their homegrown tomatoes to 'seed' our interest which inspired us as well.

We can help each other in our circles of community in so many ways.
We can provide opportunities to learn, to grow, to plant, to reap, to harvest, to fail, to leap, to fall, to get back up again.

Create your own community that you will love to 'play' in and 'explore' with...you will never be the same again...

Come on in the Water

Sometimes we spend time on the sidelines, watching others in the 'water'.
That's just fine.
Other times, it can be great to just get 'wet'.
Getting 'wet' gives us an opportunity to experience firsthand....to learn from seeing, feeling, hearing and touching the elements of this experience.
Younger folk often find this easier than those of us that have been around for a half a century or more.
There are fewer 'battle scars' in the younger years sometimes and there are less 'tapes' in our head that tell us it's a bad idea to get 'wet'.

But consider what is being missed...living life to its fullest...

Our God experiences life through us. God has an opportunity to 'taste' all that life has to offer as we 'taste' it.
So when an opportunity 'knocks' gently or not so gently on your door, consider if your Creator would enjoy a more invested experience.
And if you were God, what would you appreciate.

Consider an offering to your Creator a wider view, a larger vision, a deeper relationship with All That Is.

and then, 'go ahead and get wet'...

Phil Arthur - Man of Courage and Heart

There was nothing that Phil couldn't fix...motorcycles, cars, sprinklers...anything mechanical.
He was amazing.
Through the way he lived his life, he taught many.
His patience was magnificent.
Broken things that others would walk away from, rather quickly, Phil would take on fixing with persistence and great fortitude.

He was also a great friend to many.
When they most needed just someone to 'be' with them, there was Phil.

Phil had a deep sense of courage.
He experienced significant suffering through the physical illnesses he experienced.
He somehow found the fortitude to move through these experiences.
He had great strength.
His auto-immune diseases tried to rob him of this but he refused.
Other, mere mortals, would have given in and up a long time ago, but not Phil.

And Phil had a great sense for choosing animals that were great partners.
Omar, his current feline friend and advisor, is a magnificent animal and they shared much love and tender moments together.

Phil left this Earth this past week after a wonderfully lived life.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and Omar.

Here was a few word from Phil in one of his last emails:
'Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away, never to return.
So, while we have it, it's best we love it, and care for it, and fix it when it's broken, and heal it when it's sick.
This is true for marriage and old cars and motorcycles and children with bad report cards, dogs and cats with bad hips and aging parents.
We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep, like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special and so we keep them close.'

I am not sure if this was something that someone wrote for Phil or if he contributed to it.
But it was something that spoke to Philip's heart nonetheless...and mine as well.

The Power of Two

'Two' is powerful.
The number itself represents connection, relationship, collaboration...
It also can greatly enhance 'one'.
When 'one' is perplexed regarding a challenge, 'two' can offer alternatives never considered by 'one'.
When 'one' is sensing a bit of isolation, 'two' can step in and create connection and new possibilities.
When 'one' doesn't have enough hands or feet to complete a task, 'two' can step in and provide support.

'One' is sometimes just what is needed, but the variety that 'two' provides is delightful.
When 'two' that have been at 'odds' come together, it can even be more powerful.
The individual 'one's', release their conflicts and issues of separation and resolve those things that created barriers.
'Two' can then move forward as a unit creating new opportunities and possibilities.
'Two' can become more stable than 'one'.
'Two' can sometimes move in a rhythm that is not possible for 'one' since 'two' can 'lean' on each other.
'Two' can also dance together, and can sing together in harmony.

'Two' gives you a chance to notice diversity.

It's interesting to notice the things our bodies have two of vs. one...and to wonder about why...?

Never Give Up...

There are times when it just seems like it is time to 'give up' and throw in the towel.
Don't do it.
There are times when the load is pretty heavy and you would just as soon drop it.
Don't do it.
There are times when the solution seems beyond you and you would like to just let someone else figure it out for you.
Don't do it.

If you give up, you miss out on the 'BLISS' that comes from accomplishment.
If you give up, you miss out on the joy that rises up within you when you complete something that seemed impossible.
Don't rob yourself of the joy and bliss that can revitalize your life.
Don't do it.

Be like my dear son, Jonathan, who keeps tryin' no matter what.

Move

Mother Nature naturally moves...She rarely stands still...
Even when She appears to be still, some aspect of Her is still moving...
Because our bodies are composed of such a high percentage of water, we are being most 'who and what' we are, when we are moving.

During the course of most of our 'work' days, we find ourselves sitting still, sitting and looking, sitting and talking, standing and talking...
And when we do move, we are often rushing around, off balance and hurrying to get somewhere else where we again will sit still or stand and talk...
It certainly doesn't seem what most human bodies would prefer if they had much say in the matter.

So how do we bring the 'dance' back?
How do we bring flow and movement back into our intense lives?
Well, we can do it right wherever we find ourselves.
My good friend, Jenny Stevning, has created a wonderful program in sacred movement/movement meditation.
She helps her students remember the need to open ourselves up to the concept of simple movements that we can do sitting in front of the computer, waiting for an elevator...
She encourages us to listen to our bodies and allow them to tell us what they need.
The next time you have a cramp or sense some discomfort in your body, ask it what it needs.
Often, what you will hear is, 'Move me for heaven's sake!!!'

Jenny leads retreats for healthcare workers helping them re-member that everyone can dance and you don't have to leave the comfort of your chair.
She recently had a group of 30 staff members of a local hospital dancing wildly by moving their feet and arms while staying seated on their chairs.
The staff were amazed at the 'joy' that they felt as they gave themselves permission to do what they used to do as a child...move with abandon...move with freedom...move with Spirit.
They expressed their sense that it also brought them more connected to the Sacred within them.
They experienced as spiritual.
It opened up places within their being that had remained 'stuck and stiff' for quite some time.
When we loosen our stiffness through dance and movement, it is often followed by the loosening of our 'stiffness' in other areas of our life.

So get out there on the 'dance floor' of your life and start moving...
Become an eagle and fly through the air...become a monkey and remember how to play...
It's way past time to give yourself permission to explore the world of movement and become the dancer that has been asleep within you for too long.

Being Beauty

Mother Nature is incredible in the way that She just knows how to 'Be Beauty'.
Whether it is a feather that falls to the Earth from the wings of a Hawk, or a stone that lies gently on the Earth, She just seems to 'know' how to open to being beautiful.

Beauty is in the 'being'.
It is the light that shines forth from the Divine within.
It is the magic of the Spirit that dwells deep inside.
It is the movement of the fluid nature of the water that is so much a part of who we are.
It is the wisdom of knowing what to do, say, or be.
It is the tenderness of a gentle touch.
It is the courageous power of integrity.
It is the enduring passion of unconditional love.
It is the peace that passeth all understanding.
It is a random act of kindness.
It is a generous heart.
It is a life of service.
It is a healing hand.
It is an open mind.
It is in All That Is.

Getting Other Views

From where we each are sitting, the world looks just it does...
That's because it's the world we created for ourselves.
It appears the way it does because we each have spent countless numbers of years making it just that way.
We have added our particular brand of fears, anxieties, loves, etc.
We have adjusted it when it got a bit too different from our comfort zone.
We added some color when we wanted a bit more of 'zing' to our existence.
But by in large (interesting phrase...), it is only what we have allowed it to be.

Periodically, we get 'brave' and ask for other perspectives.
These requests for opinions and observations from others often bring another view of the 'landscape'.
They give us an opportunity to 'see' from a wider plane, 'sense' from a deeper point of reference, and 'connect' to a more core purpose.
The 'other' perspective does not contain all the old tapes that we 'run' all the time about ourselves and our gifts or lack of them.
The 'other' perspective does often come with the other person's tapes, which must be taken into consideration.

So when you seek the 'other' point of view, consider who the 'other' is.
Seek out those that have a truly large view of the world in which they live.
Seek out those that have a deep sense of meaning and purpose.
Seek out those that have the ability to separate themselves from their own 'stuff'.
Seek out those that will have your 'best' in mind when they respond.
And seek out those that will share wisdom from the heart.

Trading Spaces...

When you are in a place where you are beginning to sense a bit of tension between yourself and 'the other', consider trading spaces with the other person.
Sometimes, it is helpful to actually move yourself over into their 'space' and view the situation from a different point of view.
If you always just maintain your own perspective, soon you are going to become bored to death...and also you will find yourself alone in the world.
Those that have the capacity to cross over and wear the shoes of another, learn how 'big' the world is and how much there is to come to understand.

Recently, I saw two birds that were having a rather animated conversation.
Periodically in the discourse, each would raise up and increase the volume of their voice.
The took turns back and forth for some time.
Finally, one of them actually crossed the 'line' and went over to the point of view of the other.
Soon, thereafter, the other one crossed over to the other side.
They just stared at each other for a few minutes as if they were seeing a totally different landscape.
They didn't seem to recognize each other and they were speechless.
Finally, they touched beaks, looked up into the sky above them, and then flew off to a nearby tree to feast together on bugs.
Their differences dissipated when they widened their world view.

So it is with us.
Widen your view, and your enemies become your closest allies.
Widen your view and there are enough resources to feed all the hungry.
Widen your view and it becomes impossible to hold anger or frustration in your heart.

Take a moment to physically step into the 'shoes' of another.
Walk around in them for a bit until you get a truer sense of who that 'other' is.
Then look back at yourself and some of your judgments.
How many of them still hold true...?

Who Do You Like to Hang Out With?

Hanging out with like-minded souls can really get your battery charged.
I recently had an opportunity to spend some time with my Spiritual Teacher and his outrageously awesome family.
Wow...I found myself re-inspired to create and re-write my life.
By periodically connecting in with people who are high creation artists of life, it gives one the opportunity to re-member that high creation is something we can all do.
Every day, we either replicate the same ole, same ole, or we clear some new ground to explore aspects of life that have been unchartered territory.
Looking at things we do every day in a new way provides a freshness to our life experience.
Driving to work can become the adventure of a lifetime
based on the way we choose to view it.
Taking a shower in the morning can be transformed into a transformative experience letting go of all that no longer serves you and opening to the gifts of abundance from the Univers.
Filling the gas tank of your car can become an opportunity to 'imagine' yourself re-fueled' for life with new vitality and lots of power for the long haul.
Pulling the weeds in your garden can become the removal of 'old habit' and practices that are taking up space in your life where you could be sowing more fruit.

Whatever you do, do it consciously.
Whenever you are a quart low, surround yourself with others who are high vitality folk who are ready and willing to share their abundance with you...
We live in a Universe rich in resources and plentiful in positive energy.
There is more than enough for all.

Color Your World

Mother Nature creates in all shapes, sizes, colors and textures.
How come we don't tend to follow Her lead?
So many of our creations can take on the same ole' grey and beige appearance.
The key word here is 'same ole'...
We so often find comfort in what has worked in the past, what has served us before...
But the kind of world we currently live in demands something more.
'Same' only gets us what we have already experienced.
It gives us a chance to relive our past but not shift into a preferred future.
'Same' has its place...but 'Different/New' is what is being called for.
What would 'New' look like on you?
Would it mean a change in the way you are in the world?
Would you be more orange?
Would you be less dry and more wet?
Would you create more texture in your life?
Would you feel more and think less...or the other way around?
Trying on a new interior or exterior can be fun and can develop a major shift in your whole life experience.
You will attract different people and experiences.
If you want to attract more creative expressive experiences, then 'be' that way, because, as you know, like attracts like.
If you would like to be bolder, find a way to let the 'bold' have more space within you.
If you would like to have a larger ring of experience, begin somewhere and start spreading your wings and flying the proverbial coup.

What Signs Have You Posted?

All of us, either consciously or unconsciously, post 'road signs' all over our space.
Sometimes the sign communicates 'No Trespassing'...when we really don't want any visitors within our space.
Sometimes the sign communicates 'Proceed with Caution' when we are not in the best place and would prefer to be left alone.
Sometimes the sign communicates 'Welcome' when we are open to access and connection.

'Signs' are used to communicate information about our state of being.
When we learn how to intuitively 'read' these signs, we can be more sensitive in our interactions with others.
We can better honor boundaries.
We can better respect the 'space' of others.

These 'road signs' come in all shapes and sizes.
They are also available on a larger scale.
Within the context of our lives, 'road signs' can tell us a lot about how our journey is proceeding.
We can learn how to determine progress or the lack of it.
The more aware we become of our environment, the more attuned we are to our own progress.
Our outer environment reflects that which is happening within us.
If there is clutter all around, then there is clutter all around within.
If there is chaos all around, then there is chaos all around within.
If there is peace and tranquility, then there is peace and tranquility all around within.
The 'road signs' that are available to us are abundant.
But do we want to recognize them and even more, do we want to act on them.

Often we 'sense' a sign, and 'see' a sign but choose to ignore a sign.
That just means that we will continue to 'be' right where we have been without much progress.
When we grow tired of being who we have been, then we will choose to 'sense', 'see' and 'act' on the signs that have been all around us for so long.
Action shifts the energy of what has been into what it can become.
Action transforms with movement.
Action causes us to move beyond the boundaries that we have previously set for ourselves.
It takes us beyond intention into the world of change and flux.
Flux is a good thing...it means that the world of potentiality is upon us.
It means that opportunity abounds.
It suggests that there can be more joy, more peace, more conscious redesign.

Learn to move in freedom and creation just like the Universe.
The Universe is in constant motion and says 'YES'!!
What do you say?

The Law of Group Good

Mother Nature is truly incredible.
She always considers the Group Good in all actions and decisions that are made.
She has an incredible memory for what has served the Group in the past.
She always considers what will serve the Group in the future.
She lives in abundance, not scarcity.
She honors the process of life and death.
She transforms Herself daily and recreates beauty moment by moment.
She redesigns new forms of being in the world.
She is never the same today as she was yesterday.
She is a true respecter of all that has come before.
She wastes nothing.
She conserves resources.
She shares openly and generously.
She knows where She came from and Who She is here to serve.
She grows deep wide root structures to support Her.
She stretches Herself to touch the sky.
She loves diversity and thrives in it.
She celebrates Herself and all around Her equally.
She acknowledges Her chosen path.
She turns Her face to the sun who sustains Her life.
She quiets in reflection in the peacefulness of the moonlight.
She experiences the rhythms of all life forms and honors the coming and going of all
seasons of being.
She moves gently and tenderly...she moves boldly and courageously.
She finds joy in just 'BEING'.

Mother Nature...what a teacher, mentor, inspirer, supporter, guide, manager, creator, transformer and miracle worker...

Celebrate the beauty of the Earth everyday and especially on April 22, Earth Day.

The Law of Group Action

About a year and a half ago, Kevin Kaiser and Sarah Ingier held an amazing Bliss Retreat in Hawaii.
The wild and wonderful human beings in the picture above, were all present for this amazing adventure.
This picture was taken at the site of an incredible Volcano Cauldron.
The power of the place was something that could be palpated.

The retreat was all about finding your BLISS...not just anyone's BLISS, but your OWN BLISS.
The group 'held space' for each member to have an experience that could transcend the 'ho-hum' and create just pure unadulterated joy.
The two that led the group, Sarah and Kevin, live in this state of BLISS much of the time.
They are familiar with what it feels like, tastes like, smells like...
And, they held an intention that they wanted to support this group in identifying and experiencing this same lovely 'space' of BLISS.

Because we were being led by those that had 'been there' before, it didn't take long until we were each initiating our own blissful experiences.
For some, it was a lifelong dream fulfilled of swimming with the dolphins.
For others, it was the peaceful experience of playing in the surf with the setting sun bouncing light off their shoulders.
For others, it was waking up to the sound of the gentle ocean breeze carressing the palm trees and inviting them into a brand new day.

As each member of the group began to move into a whole new 'space' of possibilities related to how beautiful and blissful life can be, we felt the power of positive group action.
Each of us sensed this 'aliveness' in the other.
Each of us delighted in the joy experienced by our fellow traveler.
Each of us continued creating the intention that the group would find a place of total BLISS and freedom.

...and we did...

The power of the law of group action can be one of empowerment.
It can bring those in challenging situations up to a place of hopefulness.
By the group holding intention for each member, greater miracles become possible...probable...

The phrase, 'the sum is greater than the parts' is certainly true for the law of group action.
Try it some time...create an intention with others and watch the magic happen.
What group action is trying to happen?
How can your group make the world a better place today?

Being Empty....

This flower, I am told, is a wild lilly.
Some consider this a weed...
That I cannot comprehend...
One of the things that makes this beauty stand out, is its emptiness.
It holds a space within its central core that is a beautiful container.
It is 'empty' space...a place anticipating being filled...or not.

It might be filled with any number of things but the beauty of it is that is holds this space of possibility as to what may enter.

Within each of us lies a space.
A beautiful inner core where Spirit is instilled.
It makes us come alive.
We can choose to fill this space with many different things.
Each of these things has the power to alter who we are.
Each of them has the power to bring us closer or further away from what we are here to do.

Sometimes we unconsciously open this space within to things that can truly harm us.
Sometimes we get smart and open to fill with vitality and creativity and joy.
But it is always our choice.

So much of the time we don't empty out all the old aspects of ourselves.
We hold onto who we used to be because we are afraid to take the risk of starting over.
We become attached to our familiar way of being in the world.
We learn how to simply 'adapt' to our environment, rather than redesign.

Emptying our own being is just as important as emptying our closets and doing Spring cleaning.
Periodically, it is so important to create space to 'recreate' in.
The simple act of surrendering the 'old' creates just the space we need to re-form aspects of ourselves that we have outworn.

Our world is in need of new ways of 'being'.
Our world is overdue for a major healing.
Our world will heal one person at a time.

Create some space in which to heal.
Make the world a better space.

The Sacredness of Life...

This beautiful moth is similar to the one that was hit by my car on my drive home from
San Diego recently.
When I noticed the beautiful moth on the front grill of the car, I felt a sense of terrible loss, grief, guilt...
I felt like a terrible human being that somehow had been a participant in harming an innocent creature.
When I was in the midst of these overpowering emotions, I noticed that the moth moved.
It's wing was very very broken...actually both wings were broken and it was not capable of flying in any way.
I approached the moth slowly and carefully and gently eased the moth away from the grill that it was trapped in.
I held it in my hand...and we formed a 'bond'.
I sent that beautiful moth a heartfelt apology for the harm I had caused it.
I so wished somehow that the situation could have been different.
What I 'heard' from the moth, was that what it wanted was to experience human compassion.
So I sat in the car with the moth in my hand for some time, sending it love and appreciation for its beauty and courage.
The moth moved occasionally and would stretch its leg...that's about the only part of the moth that was able to move...it's movement brought more tears of grief for the little life that was cut short.
I decided to carry the moth in my lap as I drove to my next destination.
It seemed to rest quietly, again moving infrequently but just enough so that I knew she was still with me.
When I arrived at my destination, I sat in the car and 'asked' her what she wanted and how I could help her 'transition' which I sensed was more imminent.
She communicated that she wanted to be allowed to rest in a warm space in the sun.
So I prepared such a space, placed her gently there, and said a blessing for her life.
I asked that her gift to the world be acknowledged and her life be honored.
When I came back to the spot where she was lying a bit later, she had passed on.
She had 'birthed' new wings that would take her on to a place 'not of this world'.
I placed her beautiful broken body in some flowers on the ground nearby and as I did this, a young girl approached.
Oh, she said, that looks like a beautiful creature.
And I showed her the beauty of this amazing little being.
She looked and smiled.
Then she spoke of her love of all the birds and butterflies and other creatures of the Earth.

The moment brought me to a remembrance of the sacredness of life...of the fragile nature of our existence...
What a gift each moment is.
And what a gift it is to share this beauty.
What a gift it is to acknowledge and honor the life that surrounds us...the life that is within us.
Why take this for granted?
Why disregard its significance?

Why not realize its incredible value...
Why not open to its mystery...
Why not explore its offerings...

Sacred Work

We all sense that there is a deep hunger in the world for something more…

Something that will take us back to a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

One of the core principles that brings us back to this purpose and meaning is recognizing the sacred in all that we do.

It doesn’t matter if our work in the world is cleaning floors, doing surgery, running a business, caring for a home and family.

One is not more important than the other.

If we were to change our perspective about the sacredness of what we do, our wholeheartedness would also change.

We could release the need for labels, and other forms of identification with form.

When we view another person with a deeper sense of who they are, we are truly seeing them for the first time.

We must also embrace and cherish the opportunity to interact with others

with a servant’s heart.

The Tribe

Being a part of tribe has so many advantages.
You can huddle together to gain support.
You can bring your challenges to the group to receive additional wisdom.
You can simply 'hang out' to revitalize yourself.

The tribe plays a role in society today as an extended family.
Sometimes the experiences within the family structure are quite intense.
The tribe offers a place of sanctuary and respite.

When you look at Mother Nature, She used the 'tribe' to support life.
She groups diverse populations of animals, plants, trees, to form support structures.
She sometimes coordinates their growing cycles to ensure that each of them have a terrific potential for survival and for thriving in the world.
In some instances, She inspires one species to help another.

The 'tribes' in Nature, create beauty, unity and reconciliation.
They create for us a visual of how we can experience life in a more whole way.
They demonstrate collaboration.
They demonstrate serving the greater good.
They demonstrate the celebration of the success of another.
They demonstrate reaching the potential of what is intended.

The 'tribe' is a basic structure of life, created for our good.
It is a blessing and a gift.
It is a reservoir of wisdom.
It is another form for connection to Spirit.
The tribe teaches in ways that no other 'form' does.

Who is your tribe?
What can they teach you?
What can you share?

Ripening

Ripening is a process that occurs in its own time.
It doesn't happen because we 'want' it to happen.
It doesn't happen because it 'should' happen.
It happens because that's 'who' it is.
It has its own timeline for when and how.
It is no respecter of persons.

Conditions around it can affect it.
It can hurry it up...or slow it down a bit.

The best ripening seems to occur 'in its own time'.
'In its own time' means just that.
No added pressure, no added requirements....
No self-imposed comparisons with others like it.

Ripening has a sequence to it...and this sequence must be respected for the
best outcome.
The sequence follows a pattern that is included in its core make-up.
The sequence builds upon the foundational piece that proceeds it.

In order for the ripening to yield sweet fruit, Mother Nature considers everything.
She pays attention to temperature, water, earth, air...
All the factors come together in their own time.

The Ripening of our own souls follows the same process...
We unfold and mature as we are ready.
We can choose to accelerate this process or slow it down some.
We can nurture this process by opening ourselves to God/Spirit.
Surrendering the process to the Wisdom of Spirit creates the most awesome outcome.

The Portal

Portals, or gateways, are places in our lives where we are extended an invitation to step into 'something else'.
This can be related to our work in the world such as medicine, nursing, housekeeping, plumbing.
This can also be related to 'who' we have been as opposed to 'who' we might become.
In the past, we might have been timid and more introspective.
The portal may represent an invitation to be extroverted and outrageous.
We may have been focused more on our own healing and now we are being given an invitation to focused more outwardly on the healing of others.
We may have been entwined in a small circle of friends and family and the portal invites us to widen our circle to include a larger world view.

The portal is an invitation.
It is not a demand.
It is not a forced pathway.
It simply asks us to consider a different way of being.
It asks us to wonder about other aspects of ourselves and our world that have not yet been travelled.
It asks us to take a journey into aspects of our being that are unrealized but are beckoning to us.

Sometimes we have such a sense of knowing about what is next that we choose to leap forward with a strong sense of surety.
Sometimes we sense that we are being asked to wonder first about what this new future holds for us and for the world and consciously choose a particular path.

Whichever the condition, the portal is a wonderful opportunity.
The opportunity is there to go beyond, to stretch further, to open wider.
It is an opportunity to know other dimensions of ourselves and others.
It is an opportunity to expand our service.

Sometimes our decision is to move through the portal and grasp this new ring of opportunity.
Sometimes we choose to stay put where we are and wait until another portal presents
itself to us.
The beauty of our existence in this world is that we can choose.
Every choice carries blessings and challenges.
We can learn in either direction.
One often results in further soul growth and the other allows us more time to ripen.

Right now, our Earth, asks us to consider strongly what is before us.
It asks us to give wider consideration to what is going on in the world around us and to the Earth Herself.
It asks us to be aware of the needs of others and the service opportunities that abound.

Wonder about what portals are before you right now.
Which door will you choose... door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3,...or....

ReBirth

Easter is quickly approaching us.
Easter is a time of rebirth.
It is a time of thanksgiving.
It is a time of remembrance.

The egg, that is so much a part of the Easter celebration, reminds us of
new life coming forth.
We can begin to sense the possibilities of the potentials that are upon us.
We can sense the opportunities that have never been before, now approaching us.

The egg holds a promise.
The promise is the same for each of us and it is different.
The promise is a type of unfoldment.
It is an opening 'out' of that which has been within for some time.

It wants to be anticipated.
It wants to generate within us the excitement of where this can go.
It asks us to rev up our imagination to 'see' bigger and wider and deeper.
It teases us and suggests we risk more.
It senses that this is what we have truly wanted for some time.
And now, the time is right...the time is ripe.

How fun 'becoming' is.
How natural a process that has occurred within us so very many times.
Yet, how new it is, each time it is begun again.

What a gift to be able to wonder about how it might be different, more wild, more wooly, more in sync with who we truly are as Spirit, this time.

Be Wise...

This sweet little bush is a Barbary plant.
It is currently on the endangered list.
It is indiginous to the California area but there are very few of these bushes left in the wild.
A friend who has been a real 'caretaker' of the land, planted one of these 'back' into nature.
His father had been growing smaller plants in his backyard that had been off-shoots of a larger plant that had been in the wild.
When the plants got large enough to survive on their own, he would replant them in the wild.
This little Barbary is doing quite well.
The reason is that this man regularly watches over the plant and makes sure that it gets just exactly what it needs to thrive.
There was a period of several months where he was out of commission.
He developed cancer and had to have multiple surgeries.
Several of us became concerned about the little Barbary and knew how much it meant to him that it survive and thrive.
So we decided to visit the little bush regularly and 'love it' as Phil had been.
We 'fussed' amongst ourselves as to what was the right amount of water and the right amount of pruning.
We had good intentions, but we didn't truly understand the needs of this
special bush like Phil, the caretaker, did.
Several times, we almost killed the little bush.
But, somehow it survived in spite of us.
Thank goodness, Phil recovered from his illness and has returned to tend the special bush.
Those of us who 'stood in for him' on this very important mission were reminded of the importance of wisdom.
Good intentions did go a long way.
But what would have been best is a combination of good intentions and great wisdom.
We learned that good intentions alone can destroy unknowingly.
True healing incorporates both intention and wisdom.