The Art Of Archives - Page 3 of 7 - Life, Thoughts & Coffee

March 27, 2013October 23, 2014

your soul’s plan by robert schwartz

It was rather late last night when I clicked on to www.afterlifetv.com and found a video in which Bob Olson is interviewing Robert Schwartz, the writer of Your Soul’s Plan. There are two videos, and it may be wise to listen to the first one first. I saw the title of the book, and read what Bob Olson wrote about its author’s biography, and thought, why not? After that, it didn’t take long before I was nicely settled in and glued to the screen watching, listening, learning – the concept of pre-birth planning is hardly new. Though when Robert Schwartz began digging for the answers to questions that wouldn’t let him rest, he wasn’t expecting the kind of answers that his tireless delving uncovered. Listening to him talk about pre-birth planning seemed natural, and a part of me understood, and was in complete agreement about what he was saying from the get-go. Last night I went to sleep with a big smile covering my entire body. Oh, yes.

It’s fair to say that many of us have many questions about life on earth. The thing is that I haven’t heard life on earth explained in quite this way before. The answers to the questions asked by Bob Olson of Robert Schwartz don’t necessarily veer from what we know; they just seem to profoundly enhance what we know. And it all makes perfect sense. Now, there are a number of very good self-improvement and spiritual books, and videos that, when read or listened to, have you thinking, yes, yes, I understand now. And then a week later you barely remember any of it.

I feel this is different. I could give you a synopsis of the video, but it’s so much better to hear Robert Schwartz’s own words. He speaks articulately, and he has a desire to help us understand so that we can help ourselves, and others, heal and evolve. There’s no need for me to try to explain what he does so beautifully. The following is his website, enjoy. www.yoursoulsplan.com

I hope you thoroughly enjoy it.

Have a wonderful day!

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“If children grew up according to early indications, we should have nothing but geniuses.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
From the book: Enough Already by Alan Cohen

“I am convinced all of humanity is born with more gifts than we know, most are born geniuses and just get de-geniused rapidly.”
– Buckminster Fuller
From the book: Enough Already by Alan Cohen

December 4, 2012October 23, 2014

the peace prayer

What would happen if many of us recited the Peace Prayer tonight? -I’m thinking maybe a big shift in mass consciousness. Maybe?

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

What do you think, would it work?

August 29, 2012October 17, 2014

emmet fox

Are you acquainted with Emmet Fox yet? His was a full life, and a spiritual one, and he was dedicated to helping others. www.emmetfox.net And although he died in 1951 he continues to help millions by way of his marvelous books. Why? Well, because he answers many of the same questions many of us ponder at certain intervals in our lives, and he does so in an amazingly straightforward way – a way that’s pretty easy to understand and nice to read. And whether we’re starting on the path in wanting to live a more spiritual life, or have read hundreds of books and attended lots of workshops and retreats, his books have a way of offering what we’re looking for. Of course, as with anything, attention to the subject is important, then again, why would we bother with this kind of a book unless we’re searching for something? Some of our genuine spiritual teachers of today say that Emmet Fox clarified much for them, and that they keep his books close at hand. I believe that somehow through his words he passes on a certain energy, and the only way to feel them is to find a quiet space somewhere and attentively read his words. Right now I feel blessed to be reading Power Through Constructive Thinking. Inside the jacket of the book is this sentence from The New York Times: “Dr. Fox shows that . . . down the ages certain people have attained mastery over their misfortunes and through their own efforts have been able to lead lives of unbroken happiness.”

It was a gorgeous day today. And tonight the streets are crowded still, people are sitting outside tables enjoying a scrumptious looking restaurant meal, some are walking with ice cream, others are listening to the Spinning Leaves concert at Rittenhouse Square Park in Philadelphia. Very nice!

I hope you’re enjoying too.

July 24, 2012October 17, 2014

anita moorjani

A few months ago I subscribed to Anita Moorjani’s website so that I could “be informed on upcoming events, new insights and understandings” The first email came this weekend, and should anyone want to connect with her, and other “like-minded people,” on Facebook for a chance to ask questions and/or read about questions asked about her book DYING TO BE ME, this is a good opportunity.

I read DYING TO BE ME once and today reached for it again, because a book having this kind of information needs more than one reading. I began reading page 113 since I had turned down a corner of that page, and it said that one of the messages given to her by her father, and her friend in the other realm was the strongest and the one that keeps repeating within her; it’s this: “Go back and live your life fearlessly!”

Many spiritual teachers tell us to let go of all the fears we’ve been collecting, and now we’re hearing it from “the other realm.”

The reason I’m writing about Anita Moorjani again is that what she has to say can change the way we think about life and death. And that can be a good thing, right?

July 4, 2012June 26, 2013

Emi and her camera

Daughter Emi’s photos tell a story. She has an eye that captures the essence of a person and place. Most times Emi has her camera with her, and should that not be the case, the phone’s camera and Emi’s eye will more than suffice, because, you see, love and passion take extraordinary pictures. It’s been this way since she was very young. The following are from my iPad and phone, and I wish I had some of her other photos, but, alas, I don’t.

When the above photo was taken by Emi at Ocean Grove, NJ it was an unusually chilly June day, still, if I look at it long enough I feel my feet sinking into the sand as I wonder what’s across that vast ocean, then I see people are jumping into the waves, and lots of people are sitting on the sand perhaps dreaming, others are pointing to designs made by the clouds, sunbathers are making sandcastles and children are laughing as a friend is turned into a sand mermaid, someone is kayaking, families are collecting seashells, couples are riding the waves hand-in-hand. Now people are leaving. Lucky me I stayed and watched magnificent dolphins playing. The sun is setting now and I’m saying goodbye to a gorgeous day. Ah, yes, such is the magic of a photo.

We were walking south in the 30s in Manhattan and It was a wonderfully light night, and Emi couldn’t resist capturing the sliver of the moon in its wondrous simplicity, lights were peeking through a few windows from very dark buildings. There’s a flicker of gold against the beautiful sky, to the right a tree is seen; it wants to be included also. This scene projects a sense of majesty at this moment on this night.

Emi is taking a last look at Philadelphia last Saturday as she leaves for Manhattan. The day was HOT! and it was HUMID! No matter, it looks serene. Nature is helping the people on the grass to relax – an abundance of trees, a soft blue sky, a bit of water will do that. The buildings are standing at attention, as if enjoying the scene, and appreciating the tranquility of a HOT and HUMID Saturday, compared to the busyness of a HOT AND HUMID Monday. All is well.

This is a casual scene in Rittenhouse Square Park in Philadelphia on Mother’s Day 2012. There’s a sign in the center where two people are sitting; it says: “free advice.” We laughed. It’s a neat idea, basically the sign tells nothing. So, someone sits facing the advisor, and then what? I like that. I wonder how much one pays for this “free advice.” the day is lovely, as is the art show surrounding the park. There’s a sweet expression on the face of the man in the orange shirt. Hey, why not, it’s Mother’s Day and he’s alive in this fascinating and mysterious world.

You might say there’s nothing special about the above photo. (lol, the above photo is gone! I’ll get it back. So, the first sentence of this paragraph is perfect.) And I’ll say, ahh, but . . . Emi took this picture a month ago as she was passing Paracelso because she knows it’s one of my favorite Manhattan shops. And that’s the reason I’d like to include it along with the other photos. Paracelso is not a run-of-the-mill shop; it’s very special to many people for quite a few reasons, as is the owner Luxor Tavella. Talk about staying power in the heart of SoHo where shops have come and gone through the years. Should you visit, don’t be put off by the face paint Luxor wears; she has her reasons. The following website will tell you a little about Luxor and Paracelso – www.stylelikeu.com/closets/luxor-tavella
Thank you, Emi.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July, what will you be doing?

Oops! Emi texted that the park photo is of Central Park, and that it was sent by mistake via phone as she was leaving Philly. Well, a park in a big city with people relaxing is still a park in a big city with people relaxing no matter where it was taken, right? – Although, I admit I should have known:-(

May 6, 2012October 23, 2014

lilou mace, tony samara, sonia choquette

Are there nights when you can’t sleep? And you don’t want to be bleary-eyed in the morning so you refuse to take over-the-counter pills. The first thought that comes to mind to insure a good night’s sleep is to eliminate watching, reading, or thinking about anything that smacks of violence, or anything that causes stress in the body. We want to ease into sleep and shed unwanted thoughts. I have an idea, let’s get a cup of camomile tea or any herbal tea, and type www.juicylivingtour.com on a computer and click on Videos, and then click on Tony Samara. Next to his name it says: He was born in the UK, raised in Egypt and Norway, made decisions in the course of his life to abandon one way of living for another, “studied at Mount Baldy Zen Center in California where he learned the spiritual teachings of Kyozan Joshua Sasaki, and lived with and learned from shamanic communities around the globe including a period of time spent with some highly influential shamans in the Amazon and the Andes Mountains.” Listening to him is a treat, or maybe the word is gift. Thank you, Lilou Mace for bringing this interview to us.

I’m sitting comfortably, are you? All right! We have our tea, and are ready to carefully listen to Lilou Mace interview Tony Samara. His serene voice will explain that there’s another way to be in the world. You’re liking it? I knew you would. Shall we watch and listen again so that every word can permeate every fiber of our being? Our conscious mind has been put to rest, now another part of who we are can take over and put to use the words we’ve been listening to – the words that have the ability to change our old worn-out beliefs.
www.tonysamara.org

No need to worry about time. When the body is relaxed and stressless, it can handle a little loss of sleep. With that thought, shall we watch one last video tonight? What about Sonia Choquette? It’s wonderful listening. She’ll simply and lovingly explain about intuition, that we all have access to it, that somewhere along the way many of us chose to not use it, that it’s dormant at the moment – still there though should we make a decision to have it as our constant guide. That would be a powerful decision. She’ll show us how, and the rest is up to us. It’s just a matter of using it.
www.soniachoquette.com

I’ve mentioned Lilou Mace before, – do you know her story? It’s an amazing one in that she lost her job, and opted for “. . . The beauty and magic of following her heart and true nature.” She’s never done what she’s now doing. As she travels the world interviewing spiritual teachers – those who have something to say and have the ability to transform others, she relies completely on donations. There have been interviews that have caught her off-guard and her honesty was so refreshing when asked very personal questions. It seems that what comes up most often when she talks about herself is having complete trust in the Universe and that Love is the guiding force, a knowing that we are all connected and that we all have a right to live on our own terms as long as we aren’t harming anyone, including ourselves, and that we are all worth so much more than we realize and have gifts waiting to be tapped by us. She continues to figure it out as she goes along on her quest, and learning every step of the way and always striving to bring what she does to the next level. Good for you Lilou Mace
www.liloumace.com

I’ve read that it’s not good to use a computer or cell phone just before going to bed. We all know how they react on the brain. But every so often and when using a computer for the above-mentioned reasons, I would think that it sure beats a restless night.

Are you feeling relaxed and sleepy? I certainly hope so. Good night and sweet dreams.

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“Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)” – Walt Whitman

March 4, 2012April 16, 2012

detoxing {:-)

You’re not bored with reading about detoxing, are you? I’m posting about this subject again because it’s important to share this particular treasure box. Have you experienced detoxing yet? There’s a marvelous list of things that happen to mind body emotions spirit when we commit to detoxing and to breaking old habits of dependency on foods that don’t serve us well. The detox journey, written about in the book CLEAN by Alejandro Junger, is a perfect guide for 21-days of cleansing. And the CLEAN website allows for connection to a community of like-minded people, and, additionally, a professional and friendly support team is ready to answer any and all questions needing answers.
wwww.cleanprogram.com

A list of foods need to be eliminated when beginning the Pre-Cleanse, and the reasons why are thoroughly explained in the book. On the Pre-Cleanse, meals are chosen from the menu section of the book, and three full meals a day are eaten for three days. It’s a nice head start before starting the Cleanse which consists of two liquid meals and one full meal a day. I’m enjoying shopping for, buying, and bringing into my kitchen a delightful array of foods not tried before, and embarking on an unfamiliar way of eating. When first looking at the food selections in the book, I didn’t realize how much fun it would be to completely change a way of eating. Change is good!

Before beginning the program, the thought occurred to me to skip the three-days of Pre-Cleanse, but daughter Sumi said, “I think you should do it.” I’m glad I did; Sometimes it’s good to heed advice. Truthfully, as far as the Pre-Cleanse was concerned, I was ready for ghastly headaches occurring from being deprived of coffee and caffeinated teas. The only thing that happened was being in a state that hovered between foggy head and stupor. It was only for three days though. Of course, everyone will have different experiences.

Today is my third day on the Cleanse (Hallelujai!), and I’m thinking that more of an understanding of body mind emotions spirit is coming into play, and I’m beginning to feel that following the Cleanse to the letter, brings an experience unlike any other.

I think it’s vital to read the book with a fine tooth comb, so to speak, because therein lies the powerful motivation for wanting to do the Cleanse. Once the book is read (and reread throughout the Cleanse), and an understanding of how toxins, sickness, healing, health happen, a whole new world opens up. And that is nothing less than empowering.

I hope your day was all you wanted it to be.

Sweet dreams.

February 26, 2012October 17, 2014

joshua bell and an experiment

Rush hour in many major cities is an intense time. This story though is about so much more. Last year I experienced “rush hour” when waiting for someone at Grand Central Station. I was standing in front of a store window when suddenly many people raced by – a stampede is what it was. They began brushing up against me; I started to think I had become invisible. I was occupying a small space and moving a few inches back wasn’t a possibility. I won’t say anymore except that the insanity will stop when we fully understand the power of the present moment.

This remarkable story has been traveling around by way of email.

“A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the
violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for
about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was r…ush hour, it was
calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on
their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was
musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds,
and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman
threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to
walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him,
but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he
was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother
tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the
violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to
walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by
several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced
them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and
stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk
their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and
silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there
any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most
talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most
intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a
theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro
station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social
experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The
outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:
Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize
the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

“If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best
musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many
other things are we missing?”

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“It’s foolish how we rush through life and cry that time is on the wing. We’re living in eternity, and time is just a clockmade thing.” – R. McCann

February 19, 2012October 23, 2014

a thought for the day

“Looking at the stars always makes me dream, as simply as I dream over the black dots representing towns and villages on a map. Why? I ask myself, shouldn’t the shining dots of the sky be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France. Just as we take a train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star. We cannot get to a star while we are alive anymore than we can take the train when we are dead. So to me it seems possible that cholera, tuberculosis, and cancer are the celestial means of locomotion. Just as steamboats, buses and railways are the terrestrial means. To die quietly of old age, would be to go there on foot.” – Vincent Van Gogh (as researched by Australian director Paul Cox)

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February 18, 2012April 15, 2012

common sense, is it true?

I received the following email from my friend, Lilian, in Malta. I’m thinking that what’s written about the “death” of common sense seems true, but, then again, those people who take no responsibility for what happens to them, well, that kind of negativity never fails to make the headlines. However, we can see common sense alive in numerous instances every day, and in different ways, and know that indeed it’s still alive though it tends to go unnoticed and doesn’t make the headlines.

The following makes for interesting and fun reading though:
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An Obituary printed in the London Times – Interesting and sadly rather true

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
– Why the early bird gets the worm;
– Life isn’t always fair;
– and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.