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when there were no cell phones

Do you remember what it was like when there were no cell phones, and public phones weren’t always accessible. I remember that we had to be more creative. Think of all the stories we told when we were late for an appointment-a dinner date, an important meeting, etcetera. It wasn’t always possible to get in touch to say, “Sorry I’m going to be late.” And there were the times we were left standing on a corner waiting for someone, and that someone was standing on another corner waiting. No phone in hand to call and say, “Hey, where are you? I’ve been standing here for 20 minutes. What? No you’re not, I would have seen you. Wait a minute. Where are you?” Many people found themselves in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. And all of a sudden there was this matter of a flat tire. Realization strikes, I’ve never changed a flat tire. They slammed out of the car muttering all kinds of things to themselves. It sure took awhile, but, what a surprise, the job got done. And think of all the new and wonderful places that were discovered when people got lost and had to rely on a map. I know of people who still go back to a place they discovered when they lost their way once upon a time. For some it’s a restaurant, a theatre, or a beautiful site. It can be fun and freeing.

I’m not knocking cell phones. It’s one of the first things I put in my bag when leaving. I’m only saying that once there was a time when it was all different, and it wasn’t very long ago. Imagine that.

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henri cartier-bresson

There’s a film, The Impassioned Eye, about henri cartier-bresson, “the man considered to be the greatest photographer of the last century and the grandfather of photojournalism.” It’s wonderfully done and anyone interested in art will surely enjoy it. Watching Cartier-Bresson talk about his work, pointing out facts about his pictures, about light and natural geometry, about the people, places and events he photographed, will have you listening and learning, not that you have to learn, but you’ll want to. He was born in 1908 and this film came out in 2003-his eyes were clear, his mind was alert, his movements were gentle, and his face had a steady calmness. The love he had for life and for what he did showed with every sentence he spoke. That was one of the pleasures of watching the film.

His photographs cover a broad area; they have history. He traveled through many decades and many countries. His beautiful work shows his love of people, places, photography.

If I may borrow some words from the movie Something’s Gotta Give, I’d like to say that it’s a film to love.

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the weekend

This past weekend was a strange one. Emi visited armed with window alarms because on Friday someone managed to climb onto the low roof which is flush with my apartment, and tried to enter my kitchen window. It happened this way: I heard a noise in the kitchen and then saw the shadow of someone’s raised arms fiddling with the kitchen window. He was noisy; I was noisy. He fled fast. Not long after that I saw someone from another window looking my way. He ran from the roof with great gusto when he saw me. Then, while sitting in front of my computer, I casually looked out of the window facing me and saw someone standing about four yards away looking terribly confused. I didn’t think much about it then, just that perhaps he was a worker waiting for someone. Had I been more in tune, the confused state he was in would have said otherwise. And never is there anyone on that roof. After checking at the realty office in the next building to inquire whether anything strange was happening in their space, I called the police. A police car came and the officer reassured me that they’d keep an eye on things this weekend. In the meantime, Emi installed the window alarms on Friday, and on Saturday we bought more.

Then came Sunday. As we walked along the street returning from the market we couldn’t help noticing two fire trucks, three police cars and an ambulance parked across the street from where I live. At that point, we couldn’t see my building. People were gathered outside wondering and waiting. We wondered also, and walking round the corner, saw that the building was intact. I took my key and we entered. Two officers, one female one male, were descending the stairs. I asked what happened. They looked sweaty, serious, and in no mood to answer questions. They said it was a private matter. Hmm!

Not knowing what was happening, we waited. When everything was calm, and everyone left, we knocked on the door of the apartment in question. After quite a bit of knocking, a woman answered. We were still under the impression that they’d want to know about Friday’s intruder as we still thought there was a connection between then and now. But as it turned out, the situation was entirely different. As the police said, it was a private matter. The woman was nice, but too distraught to have a conversation. It seems a cousin rents the apartment and the woman’s son was visiting and had a nervous breakdown. He wouldn’t allow anyone to approach him-not his mother, not the police. The kindest thing we could do was to give the mother some privacy. We quietly left.

Sometimes there’s a swirl of activity all around us. It doesn’t mean we’re necessarily a part of it. Perhaps on those occasions, we’re meant to observe, nothing more. That’s the way I feel about this past weekend. Thinking too deeply about it would deplete precious energy.

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it’s summer

The weather this week- well, if we talk about it, we’ll feel really hot. It’s better to drink lots of water, stay out of the sun as much as possible, wear a hat to protect from the sun, and streamline the day the way it’s done in the tropics. If there’s no air conditioning, simply keep all rooms shaded, and use a fan. Listening to a newscaster saying-over and over-how hot it is doesn’t help. Not knowing what the temperature is contributes to a more relaxed feeling about the day.

Let’s see how we can hone our visualization skills by seeing ourselves at the beach. We timidly approach the water. We know it’s going to be freezing. Oh yes, it’s freezing! Our feet are numb from the cold. Should we stay in? Are we brave enough to get all wet-wet enough to jump into the cold, cold waves? Let’s focus on that thought for awhile.

Or what about this: There’s a swimming pool filled with ice cubes. They don’t melt because it’s so cold in that swimming pool of ice cubes. Do we want to slither into that or not? Too cold?

And this: summer, it’s so short; winter, it’s so long.

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about baseball-let it go, michael

I’ve been thinking, Michael, about you and baseball. My thoughts go like this: I don’t understand your devotion to baseball-your devotion to a team of players making a ludicruously big salary who don’t come up with the goods most of the time. You sit, you watch, you anticipate a good game. Why? You’re often bored and disappointed. And how often do they actually win? Do you think that we, the masses, could whip them into shape by neglecting the sport in its entirety?

As far as I can see, the job of the team is to play a good game. And in the process perhaps win the game. Right? That’s what the big bucks are supposedly for. Now, if this were any other line of work (let’s call it that because it’s the way they support themselves and their families), they would have been fired a long time ago for not producing. They should be on their hands and knees grateful for making a splendid living by throwing a ball around.

But, no, the hype, the publicity-the glamour as a result of the hype and publicity-overshadow the fact that baseball is not what it used to be. It must have been lots of fun “in the old days” to attend a baseball game, when the players knew how to play and took pride in the way they mastered the game. And the cost of a hot dog was what it was worth.

Michael, did you read the pleasing story in Time magazine, 18 June 2007 on NASCAR founder Bill France Jr.? It was on the back page and was titled, “King of the Road” by Robert Sullivan. Well, within the story these words were strung together making a sentence: baseball, disgrace, cheaters, government inquiries.

So, I say to you, Michael, let it go. There are other sports you can sink your teeth into. Baseball doesn’t deserve your attention.

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a list

There are many ads in Spirituality & Health magazine. The ads explain the benefits of their teachings to us in our professional or personal lives, or both. The fascinating thing about all those ads is that they point the way to the same destination-the betterment of ourselves and the world-but by taking widely different routes. And that’s the good thing about choices. Since we all have our own way we need to find what works for us. Are you asking what some of those choices are? All right! Great, I’ll list them. Seeing them in a different form sometimes makes it easier to grasp the offerings.

Kripalu offers “experiential workshops, professional trainings, and R&R retreats” www.kripalu.org

Heartwood Institute has “full-time vocational study in Massage Therapist, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Asian Healing Arts and Whole Foods Nutrition programs. . . “which will prepare you on your path toward a career in loving service” www.heartwoodinstitute.com

The American Institute of Holistic Theology offers “nonsectarian college degree programs through self-paced distance learning. You can earn your advanced degree in: Divinity. . . Holistic Health. . .Metaphysics. . . www.aiht.edu

Spirituality & Health magazine offers workshops “. . . for readers to dig more deeply into the topics we write about in Spirituality & Health. The authors of some of our most exciting articles will offer intimate workshops that explore in greater depth the themes of their work.” www.spiritualityhealth.com/workshops

Barbara Brennan School of Healing “. . . learn directly from Barbara Brennan on the 4-year training program that can transform your life and bring higher levels of awareness into everyday normality.” www.barbarabrennan.com

Omega Institute for Holistic Studies “still your mind stretch your body shape your world” www.eomega.org

The Mandala Center “A quiet, peaceful place for rest and renewal known for its beautiful facilities, excellent meals and breathtaking views of the high plains and volcanic peaks of northeastern New Mexico. For upcoming programs, www.mandalacenter.org

Amma Sri Karunamayi offers “spiritual discourses, meditation retreats, individual blessings and Vedic homas for the spiritual elevation of humanity and world peace.” All programs free except retreats, click “Tours and Retreats” at www.karunamayi.org

Colin Tipping’s Radical Weight Loss Program “The only things you have to give up in this program are the ‘stories’ that caused you to gain weight in the first place.” www.radicalmanifestation.com

OneSpirit Interfaith Seminary “is a two-year part time professional training that explores the world’s religions & spiritual diversity. Designed for working adults, the program leads to ordination as an interfaith minister.” www.onespiritinterfaith.org

Celebrant Foundation & Institute “Celebrants officiate at & create personalized & meaningful life-cycle ceremonies” www.celebrantusa.org

Red Lodge Longhouse Program “Red Lodge is a program of spiritual study based on ancient teachings drawn from indigenous peoples across the Americas.” Red Lodge Longhouse Program

Dance of the Deer Foundation Center for Shamanic Studies with Brant Secunda, “World famous shaman and healer in the Huichol Indian tradition of Mexico.” www.shamanism.com

The New Seminary for Interfaith Studies, Honoring all Paths, “A two-year Training Program Leading to Ordination as an Interfaith Minister with Spiritual Counseling” www.newseminary.org

Thich Nhat Hanh EVENTS 2007, Retreats Public Lectures, east coast events, www.greenmountaincenter.org, west coast events www.deerparkmonastery.org

Nine Gates Mystery School, “. . . is a year-long experience. It includes two nine day retreats, with over 200 hours of instruction from nine master teachers, delving deeply into the wisdom of the Celtic, tribal African, Native American, Sufi, esoteric Christian, Hindu, Taoist, Hawaiian Huna, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.” www.ninegates.org

Aina Me Kalani Healing in Paradise, “perpetuating the healing and spiritual arts of Hawai’i” Workshops Retreats Conferences www.healinginparadise.org

Eisner Institute for Professional Studies, “Specializing in Holistic, Clinical and Forensic Psychology also MA in Mental Health Counseling” www.eisnerinstitute.org

Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, “take the step to Gospel living” www.ssj-tosf.org

Institute of Transpesonal Psychology, “Career Training and Personal Growth counselors, organizational leaders, research education, business and health services” www.ITP.EDU

Sophia Center in Culture & Spirituality “Where you can earn a Master’s Degree or Certificate in Culture & Spirituality” www.hnu.edu/sophia

Whew? And there’s more in S&H. The world is BIG.

I’m thankful!

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ancient times, modern times,

When you think about what the world once was and those in ancient times who understood the importance of learning about, understanding and using for higher purposes the mysteries of the world, what are your feelings? And when you look at the world of today and all the playthings we have to amuse us, and the drugs that dull our minds, and keep us from becoming actively involved in seeking the knowledge which could teach us to tap into the depths of who we really are, and allow us to understand that this is not all there is, that we haven’t begun to appreciate what’s behind all this, and what is offered to the seeker of truth, what are your feelings?

I know, long, wordy sentences, but there it is. And it came about because I wanted to read a few pages of THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES by Manly P. Hall. It’s an olympic-size book worthy of spending time reading because it bullies the mind (in a good way) into realizing the depths of life’s offerings. And possibly bullies us into wanting to participate in the world by spending time doing whatever it takes to reach higher levels of understanding. This book is one that can make you dizzy by just looking at it, but it’s written in a manner that entices the reader with its illustrations and writings to sit and stay with it to learn and reflect.

The following paragraph is from The Dore Lectures by Thomas Troward. Meditating on this paragraph eventually brings a feeling, a realization, that that which created the world never stops creating, and since we’re created in the image and likeness of that which created us, we’re the creators of our world.

“My mind is a center of Divine operation. The Divine operation is always for expansion and fuller expression, and this means the production of something beyond what has gone before, something entirely new, not included in the past experience, though proceeding out of it by an orderly sequence of growth. Therefore, since the Divine cannot change its inherent nature, it must operate in the same manner with me; consequently, in my own special world, of which I am the center, it will move forward to produce new conditions, always in advance of any that have gone before.”

It’s definitely not a dull world.

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the secret

So, what are your thoughts about the movie, The Secret? I saw it this weekend, compliments of Emi. Thank you, Emi. There was nothing new in the content as many books on the shelves of used and new bookstores have the same message. BUT to get the word out in a well-thought out-no-mystery-involved-movie is new. www.thesecret.tv

However, now there are all those people coming out of the woodwork giving us their opinions, all kinds of negative opinions, about the book and the movie, and about the reasons they’re against it. Let’s just say to that that we can decide for ourselves whether it’s authentic or not. We can experiement with the message in our own lives. We don’t need naysayers telling us what’s right and what’s not all of the time. We, too, have built in ways of knowing what will work for us. And if you naysayers will allow that to happen instead of getting in the way, well, lots of interesting things could happen. One never knows until one tries.

“Unless you leave room for serendipity,
how can the Divine enter in?
The beginning of the adventure is to lose your way.” -Joseph Campbell

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the storytellers

In one of the Hudson River towns is a woman named Helen who owns a small shop. She’s from Ireland and although she’s been in the US for quite a few years, she still has a bit of a brogue. Hers is the kind of shop that’s more like a social club than a shop because it’s not easy to leave Helen’s place once you enter and buy what you want from an interesting array of items. If you’re there when Helen begins telling one of her many stories, you’re there for awhile. Her stories will either leave you bent over laughing, reflecting on lfe, or having a history lesson about Ireland or the Hudson River area. At times her friend Frank is in the shop and although he’s not from Ireland, he’s Irish. Together they’re quite a pair as they tell stories one after another- laughing so hard their eyes begin to tear. They should charge for the entertainment because they’re real good.

The back room is cozy, one forgets that it’s an absolutely perfect day outside with lots of sun and no humidity, and we, the listeners, are scrunched in a small area listening intently as if at a storytelling contest. I realize that storytelling is a skill, and you’ve got to be good in order to keep people enthralled to the point they forget they have things to do. And that’s one of the delights of being there.

To be able to drop everything in the course of a day and to sit, listen and laugh is a day well spent, too.

“Our ability to relax into life reflects our willingness to trust.” -anonymous

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.” – Rumi

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the natural way

I like to find natural remedies to heal what ails instead of grabbing something over-the-counter for quick relief. Of course, it’s important to know the source of the information so as not to end up feeling worse than before. Delving into this area which is full-to-the-brim with information is immensely interesting, and surprising because of the amazing things one learns, and it’s fun.

Apple Cider Vinegar is good for many things. There are books written just about ACV. Bragg’s is a very good brand. I have Dr. Earl Mindell’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar book. He’s been in the natural health field for years. www.bragg.com www.drearlmindell.com

I came across some of Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. writings. He healed himself from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia when he was in his 20’s, and had to drop out of medical school for a time. I’ll definitely check out his books, some of which are, From Fatigue to Fantastic, Three Steps to Happiness! Healing Through Joy, and Pain Free 1-2-3! His is an interesting story.

I’ve heard and read about the many uses of hydrogen peroxide from lots of different sources. I use it as a mouth wash every night instead of you know what. I’ve heard two mischievous comments about this. Someone told me that my tongue would turn black if I used hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash. That brought an interesting picture to my mind. Another person said my teeth would corrode. Hmm! Two reasons for having reliable sources of information. Once upon a time, I took a colonic course in Florida with Helen Wood, and came away with, among other things, a double-sided paper listing the benefits of hydrogen peroxide-the kind bought in a drug store. The list is still packed away in Alicia’s and Michael’s shed. Some day I’ll retrieve it and copy it for you. That sounds like a plan.

We know about garlic’s power. Garlic is great. Don’t worry-chewing on parsley will eliminate garlic breath.

This is fun. I’ll go through notes I’ve collected from here and there, and add more soon.

In the meantime, let’s get rid of negative stress, and laugh more. That sounds like a plan, too.

Enjoy the day!